lemon yogurt cake

This lemon cake is something you can whip out in a solid hour with minimal, no-fuss ingredients. We normally have all of this on hand. The fun thing about this cake is that it can be a brunch favorite and an after dinner dash of sweetness. It also uses oil and doesn't require you to leave butter out or artificially soften it in the microwave like me. About three days after this cake is bakes, its gone. For our busy family, it serves as a pick-me-up for every hour of the day.

Lemon Yogurt Cake
from Ina Garten on Food Network

Yield: 1 loaf cake

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups all purpose flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 cup plain and full fat yogurt

3 eggs

1 cup + 1/3 cup sugar (divided)

2 1/2 Tablespoons grated lemon zest

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/2 cup vegetable oil

1/3 freshly squeezed lemon juice

Glaze

1 cup confectioners sugar (icing sugar)

2 Tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice. 

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees with a rack in the middle. Line the bottom of a 8 1/2 x 4 1/4 x 2 1/2 loaf pan with parchment and then butter and flour the pan. 

In a medium bowl, sift flour, baking powder, and salt. 

In a large bowl, whisk yogurt, eggs, 1 cup of sugar, lemon zest, and vanilla until just combined. Slowly, fold the oil into the batter with a spatula. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake for 50 minutes. 

Meanwhile, make syrup. In a small saucepan, gently heat lemon juice and 1/3 cup of sugar until the sugar dissolves and the syrup is clear. Take off heat and cool.

When the cake is done, let cool in the pan for 10 minutes. Then, flip out and place cake on cooling rack over baking sheet. Poke holes into the cake with a skewer and pour syrup on the cake so it all soaks in. Let cool completely.

When the cake is cooled, whisk confectioners sugar and lemon juice into a pourable glaze (I do it with a fork). Spoon glaze over the cake.