Lemon-Yogurt Cake

Lemon-Yogurt Cake

I'm feeling a bit under the weather this week so I need lots of citrus. Lemon-yogurt cake counts, right? And for an extra shot of Vitamin C a bit of lemon glaze is just the thing. OK. I'm trying too hard to justify eating a piece of cake. You know, we shouldn't ever feel like we need an excuse to enjoy a bite of food. I'll be the first to admit that it's a hard attitude adjustment to make, and I hadn't really thought of it that way until recently. Brad and I went to hear Anthony Bourdain speak, and he brought Eric Ripert along with him. They did an interview-style gig at the beginning of the show, and when Anthony asked Eric what his guilty pleasure is Eric responded that he has never felt guilty about eating. Anything. You could feel the audience react to his words. I'm not sure it's a common attitude in France (where Eric is from), but it definitely made an impression on me. So all of that being said I'm heading to the kitchen for another ... bite ... of cake. It's made with yogurt so it can't be all bad, right?

Lemon-Yogurt Cake

Lemon Yogurt Cake
Adapted from Ina Garten
Makes 1 loaf

Ingredients
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup plain yogurt
1 1/3 cups sugar, divided
3 large eggs
2 teaspoons lemon zest
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1/3 cup lemon juice

Glaze
1 cup powdered sugar
2 tablespoons lemon juice

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Prepare loaf pan with nonstick baking spray, or with butter and parchment paper. Set aside.
2. In a large bowl, sift flour, baking powder and salt. Set aside. In a separate large bowl, whisk yogurt, 1 cup sugar, eggs, zest and vanilla. Incorporate the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients, a bit at a time. Fold in vegetable oil.
3. Pour batter into prepared pan. Bake 45 to 50 minutes, or until cake tester comes out clean.
4. While cake is baking, cook 1/3 cup lemon juice and 1/3 cup sugar in a pan over medium heat until sugar dissolves and mixture is clear. Set aside and let cool slightly.
5. When cake is done let it cool 5 to 10 minutes in the pan. Then remove loaf and place on baking rack over a cookie sheet or wax paper. Using cake tester or toothpick, punch holes all over top of cake. Slowly pour lemon-sugar mixture over cake and let it soak in as cake cools.
6. Meanwhile, to make glaze, combine powdered sugar and lemon juice. Pour over cooled cake or over each slice as it's cake is served.

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