I just so happened to have a lot of yogurt and a lot of lemons, so this was a perfect way to use them up. I love how this cake uses yogurt instead of any butter. I omitted the glaze because I thought the cake was sweet enough without it. The sugar-lemon mixture that is poured over the cake is what makes this cake.
Lemon Yogurt Cake adapted from imafoodblog.com, original recipe by Ina Garten
Yield: One 8 1/2 x 4 1/4 x 2 1/2 inch loaf
INGREDIENTS
1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1 cup fat free plain yogurt
1 1/3 cups sugar, divided
3 large eggs
2 teaspoons grated lemon zest (2 lemons)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup canola oil
1/3 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
DIRECTIONS
Preheat the oven to 350F. Grease an 8 1/2 x 4 1/4 x 2 1/2 inch loaf pan with no stick baking spray. Flour the pan as well.
Sift together the flour, baking powder, and salt into one bowl. In another bowl, whisk the yogurt, 1 cup of sugar, the eggs, lemon zest, and vanilla. Slowly whisk the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients. With a rubber spatula, fold the canola oil into the batter until it is all incorporated.
Pour the batter into the loaf pan and bake for about 1 hour, or until the cake tester placed in the center of the cake comes out clean.
Meanwhile, combine the 1/3 cup of lemon juice and remaining 1/3 cup sugar in a small sauce pan until the sugar dissolves and the mixture is clear. Set aside.
When the cake is done, allow it to cool in the pan for 10 minutes. Carefully remove from the pan and place onto a baking rack over a sheet pan. If the sides of your cake are too brown or not looking pretty (see mine below) then cut off the sides with a serrated knife. Poke holes all over the top of the cake with a long cake tester or toothpick. Then, while the cake is still warm, pour the lemon sugar mixture over the cake and allow it to soak in. Once you have poured all the mixture over the cake remove the baking rack and roll the cake bottom and sides in the leftover mixture on the sheet pan.
Allow the cake to cool completely and serve.