Lemon Yogurt Cake

Winter is the time for cirtus ... oranges, lemons, meyer lemons, grapefruit, pomelos ... there are a variety of options. However, my favorite is still lemon cake. Actually lemon meringue pie (without the meringue part) is good too, but most of the time there is a TON of sugar in it and that doesn't appeal to me as much.

Strangely, I never used to like lemon desserts of any kind. They say your taste buds change every seven (or was it ten) years, and suddenly you start loving foods that you used to hate, etc. This must be true, because the past year or so I've started to dislike tomatoes in raw/salad format, when I used to really like them before. Strange.

Anyway make this cake if you have any lemons sitting around, you won't regret it. I took some over to Susie's while visiting her adorable baby and she couldn't stop eating it (Susie, not the baby). If you have some meyer lemons, definitely substitute it in! I did and it was amazing ...

Lemon Yogurt Cake
adapted from Ina Garten

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp kosher salt
1 cup plain yogurt (I used Greek)
1 1/3 cups sugar, divided
3 eggs
Grated lemon zest from 2 lemons (regular or Meyer)
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 cup grapeseed oil (or other neutral oil)
1/3 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice

Preheat the oven to 350F. Grease and flour a loaf pan.

Sift together the flour, baking powder, and salt into 1 bowl. In another bowl, whisk together the yogurt, 1 cup sugar, the eggs, lemon zest, and vanilla. Slowly whisk the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients. With a rubber spatula, fold the grapeseed oil into the batter, making sure it’s all incorporated. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake for about 50 minutes, or until a cake tester placed in the center of the loaf comes out clean.

Meanwhile, cook the 1/3 cup lemon juice and remaining 1/3 cup sugar in a small 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. Take a fork and prick holes all over the cake and then pour the lemon-sugar mixture over the cake and allow it to soak in for five minutes. Invert the cake out into a plate and let it cool.