Who Says You Can’t Have Cake For Breakfast?
Not me – especially when it’s a lemon cake! Right now, I am enjoying a lovely piece of Lemon Yogurt Cake – made it myself last night and it is Yummy! I decided to make this particular Barefoot Contessa cake after sampling it several other times at work and at parties. Until now, I had never cooked with yogurt (unless you count making a smoothie) but had read that yogurt is a popular ingredient for many dishes in France and in Europe.
Yogurt, Lemons, and Cake – Oh My!
I love all kinds of yogurt, from Greek to Organic, and can eat it almost any day of the week. I also LOVE lemons and just about anything lemon flavor. So, seeing as I’m on vacation, I thought I’d try a recipe that married two of my favorite ingredients.
I’ve tried Barefoot Contessa and Food Network recipes before and some of them can be pretty darn complex. And, even when I follow the recipe to the letter, they never seem to turn out right. So, I was a little anxious about trying this new recipe.
Making the Cake
Lemon Yogurt Cake
Making the cake turned out to be pretty easy, although I’ve come to realize that I’m not a fan of sifting or juicing – anything. Nonetheless, I followed the Contessa’s recipe step by step, except for using a mix of regular and Greek yogurt. After I took the cake out of the oven, I let it cool for 10 minutes in the pan – like the recipe said. But then the real fun started! When I tried to transfer the cake from the glass cooking dish onto the cooling rack, the cake nearly split in two! I had to call for reinforcements – my sister who is staying with me for the weekend. The two of us managed to not-so-gracefully place the cake on the rack.
Mending My Broken Cake
A piece of lemony goodness!
Although the cake was slightly cracked, my hope was that when I poured the sugar/lemon juice mixture on it, as well as the icing, that somehow the juices would mend my cake. Well, guess what? The juices did the trick! The lemon/sugar juice and the icing hid my mistakes beautifully and, of course, gave the cake an extra kick of lemony goodness.
So now, I get to sit here and enjoy my deliciously yummy lemon yogurt cake with a spot of tea for breakfast.
A balance of cake and fruit...
If you love lemons and yogurt, I would definitely recommend this recipe. By the way, the Lemon Yogurt Cake really looks like a coffee cake or sweet bread, so it could definitely pass as a breakfast item – especially when you’re on vacation!
Here’s the recipe – Ciao!
Lemon Yogurt Cake (Barefoot Contessa At Home)
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 cup plain whole-milk yogurt
- 1 1/3 cups sugar, divided
- 3 extra-large eggs
- 2 teaspoons grated lemon zest (2 lemons)
- 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup vegetable oil
- 1/3 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
For the glaze:
- 1 cup confectioners’ sugar
- 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
Directions
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease an 8 1/2 by 4 1/4 by 2 1/2-inch loaf pan. Line the bottom with parchment paper. Grease and flour the 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 vegetable 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. 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.
For the glaze, combine the confectioners’ sugar and lemon juice and pour over the cake.
