Mmmmm…mmm – lemons again! I know, I do know that we already have a lemon cake. But this one is yogurt based and a little less rich. Without butter, this cake relies on the tart lemon syrup that is poured and absorbed into the cake. The sweet and tangy glaze completes it. It is bright yellow, super cheery and certainly easier to make than the luscious lemon pound cake. (But don’t forgo the pound cake when the mood strikes! Greg just asked me for the pound cake for his b-day.) My family loved this lighter yogurt cake. I made two decent sized loaves and as Andy left for basketball practice, he said “please save some for me!” – as if we’d eat it all! Daniel, Lauren, Zach, Melissa – so many of the kids friends enjoyed. Especially the glaze. Sylvie eats the whole inside then
saves her outer sweet crust for her last few bites. Good to have a plan. Ali said Johnathan was licking his fingers with delight. Don’t freeze this cake with the glaze on – but if you would like, freeze with the syrup and glaze once defrosted. Oh, I doubled and made two loaves…but obviously do what you want 🙂 Enjoy!
lemon yogurt cake(from Ina Gartens Barefoot Contessa at Home):
1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/3 teaspoon kosher salt
1 cup plain whole milk yogurt
1 1/3 cups sugar (divided)
3 extra large eggs
2 teaspoons grated lemon zest (about 2 lemons)
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup veggie oil
1/3 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
glaze–
1 cup confectioners’ sugar
2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
Squeeze your juice and zest your lemons. Bring eggs and yogurt to come to room temp.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees and grease a 9×5 loaf pan with butter (or spray) and line the bottom with parchment and grease again.
Whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt and set a side.
In another bowl whisk together the yogurt, 1 cup of the sugar, the eggs, lemon zest and vanilla.
Slowly whisk the dry ingredients into the wet and then with a spatula, fold in the oil making sure it is absorbed by the batter.
Bake for about 48-52 minutes or until a tooth pick comes out just clean.
In the meantime make the syrup by cooking the 1/3 cup lemon juice with the remaining 1/3 cup sugar. Mix and heat until the sugar is dissolved. Set aside.
When the cake is done, let it cool in pan for about 10 minutes, then carefully invert and place on a wire rack over a sheet-pan. Poke lots of little holes all over the cake with a toothpick – and then while the cake is still warm, pour the lemon syrup all over the cake, over and over again – allowing it to soak in. You may have a little leftover. Let cake cool.
Next, combine the confectioners’ sugar and lemon juice and pour over the cooled cake.
Enjoy-
