Coconut Lemon Loaf with nut topping

Happy Dussehra/Bijoya dashami to everyone.............

Around this day I always feel very sad, after enjoying few festive days filled with joy of wearing new clothes, meeting with friends, eating out and above all the feeling of the departure of Maa Durga, makes me really sad. Every year it's the same with me, I shut down for few days and then again eagerly wait for another joyful festival, Diwali/Deepavali which will come in few weeks. Any way, life goes on..to come out of this I thought to post something.
In Dashami, it's a ritual to make something sweet to greet friends and relatives and wish best for their lives. If you want to know, how Bengali people celebrate this day, which is very unique and special then click this post. I made Phirni this year which I already posted, so thought of posting this cake which I made on my hubby's birthday this year which was 2 weeks back. He doesn't like any frosted cake much, so thought to make something which can well be eaten with tea or coffee. So Made this Coconut-Lemon Loaf with almond topping

Ingredients :

Butter/Margarine : 1 cup(room temperature)

Sugar : 1 cup

Eggs : 3

Milk : 3/4 cup

APF(all-purpose flour) : 21/2 cup

Baking powder : 1 tblsp.

Salt : 1/2 tsp.

Flaked or shredded coconut : 1 cup

Lemon peel : 2 tblsp. (grated)

Lemon extract/lemon juice : 1 tsp.

Food coloring(yellow) : 4-5 drops

Nut topping :

Butter or margarine : 3 tblsp.

Milk : 3 tblsp.

Light-brown sugar : 1/4 cup

Finely chopped almonds : 1/4 cup

Method :

• Preheat oven to 350F/175C. Grease with butter and sprinkle little flour to a loaf pan.
• In a medium bowl, beat butter and sugar until creamy. Beat in eggs, one at a time.
• Blend flour, baking powder and salt in another bowl, mix well and slowly add this to sugar-butter mixture. Add milk in it and fold well. Blend until it becomes creamy. Add in coconut. Mix well. Pour 2/3 of this batter to the prepared baking loaf pan. 
• In the remaining batter, add lemon peel, lemon extract and food coloring. Stir until blended. Make a space in the center and pour the lemon batter in the pan. 
• To make topping, melt butter in a saucepan. Stir in milk, brown sugar and almonds. Cook for 1-2 minutes. Carefully pour this topping over the cake. 
• Bake 55 to 60 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center, comes out clean. Let stand on wire rack for 10-15 minutes. Remove from pan and enjoy in room temperature with a hot cup of tea or coffee...............