meyer lemon yogurt cake

As you know, I recently happened upon some lovely meyer lemons and have been trying to decide how to use them up.  After being sick for the past two weeks they were beginning to shrivel up, so I knew I had to act quickly!  I contemplated muffins, meyer lemon curd, a few types of bundt and pound cakes, but decided upon this Yogurt Cake form Ina Garten that I had seen on so many blogs.  I didn't make many changes, but did double the recipe which was perfect for my 6 mini-loaf pan which I had not used in quite some time,and the exact amount of zest and juice that my lemons gave! 

The cakes are extremely moist and springy with just the right lemon flavor.  I baked them up and have nibbled on one, and wrapped the remainder up nicely and to be frozen and either given away or pulled out for those rainy spring afternoons when I may just need a bit of sunshine. 

Meyer Lemon Yogurt Cake
recipe adapted from Ina Garten

makes 1 loaf pan's worth of cake

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 t. baking powder
1/2 t. salt
1 cup plain yogurt (I used non-fat)
1 cup sugar
3 large eggs
2 t. Meyer lemon zest (from 2 lemons)
1/2 t. vanilla
1/2 cup vegetable oil



glaze:
1/3 cup lemon juice
1/3 cup sugar

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a loaf pan and line with parchment and then grease and flour the pan.

2. Sift together flour, baking powder, and salt.

3. In a separate bowl, whisk together yogurt, sugar, eggs, zest, and vanilla.

4. Combine wet and dry ingredients until only just blended. Whisk in vegetable oil.

5. Bake for 50 minutes. For mini-loaves bake for about 30-35 minutes until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with moist crumbs.

6. While the cake bakes, cook your lemon juice with your sugar over medium heat until the sugar dissolves and the mixture runs clear. Poke holes in cake and pour lemon glaze over the cake while still warm from the oven.  Allow syrup mixture to soak in before removing loaves and serving or wrapping to freeze.