First of all, please oh please tell me why on earth I decided to bake on such a hot day. Really, it is mid-nineties right now and my oven is at 350 degrees. I suppose it is because I am completely unable to resist when a recipe calls my name. Really, it's pathetic, but I have a recipe addiction. Last night when it finally cooled down a bit, I made some delectable margarita pizza.
Maybe it's even a little to simple to brag about, but sometimes when it's this hot out all you want is something simple. And mozzarella cheese is the perfect hot-weather cheese, it always tastes so fresh The homemade lemonade in the background is also super easy: 1 lemon, 1 cup of water, and 2.5 tablespoons of sugar.
Then, this morning, I woke up feeling a little more adventurous. Maybe it's because I just returned from a trip where I had no access to an oven for a month, but in this past week I have been a cooking fiend. Last week it was peach cobbler and blackberry ice cream for the fourth, now pizza and now... (drumroll, please) Lemon Yogurt Cake! To me, this is the quintessential summer dish, it's so moist and light and is really only good when eaten cold. Perfection! Thanks to Ina Garten and the food network website for this most glorious of recipes.
Lemon Yogurt Cake
What you need
- 1 1/2 cups of flour
- 2 teaspoons of baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 1 cup plain whole-milk yogurt
- 1 1/3 cups of sugar, divided
- 3 large eggs
- 2 teaspoons grated lemon zest (I always use more than this, but it depends how lemony you like your cake)
- 1/2 teaspoon of pure vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup of vegetable oil
- 1/3 cup of freshly squeezed lemon juice
(For the glaze)
- 1 cup of confectioners' sugar
- 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
Preheat your oven to 350 degrees, and grease a 8.5 x 4.25 x 2.5 inch loaf pan. Line bottom with parchment paper. Grease the pan. (I usually don't flour it, you can if you want!)
Sift together the flous, baking powder, and salt into 1 bowl. In another bowl, whisk together the yogurt, 1 cup of sugar, the eggs, lemon zest, and vanilla. (Confession: I have never sifted anything in my entire life and it's never seemed to cause a difference. Maybe I am just impatient.) Slowly whisk the dry into the wet ingredients. With a rubber spatula, fold the vegetable 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 inserted into the center 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. Carefully place on a baking rack over a sheet pan. While the cake is still warm, pour the lemon-sugar mixture over the cake and allow it to soak in. Cool. (Note: This step makes the cake very, very sweet. If you are not completely committed to the sugar overload, this cake is just as good plain, trust me.)
For the glaze, combine the confectioners' sugar and lemon juice and pour over the cake. Immediately scarf down cake like a hungry animal.
(recipe from http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ina-garten/lemon-yogurt-cake-recipe/index.html)
Look at that baby! Simply delicious. Some excellent toppings for this cake include (but are not limited to)
- Raspberries
- Blackberries
- Blueberries
- Berries, berries, berries!
Although it's no fun to bake on a hot day, I suggest you make this immediately because it's one of the fun foods to eat on a hot day. So if you'll excuse me I've got to go find some shade and gain 10 pounds before the sun sets.
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