Barefoot Contessa's Lemon Yogurt Cake

Raquel Grinnell's Note:

Another wonderful recipe from Ina Garten. On her show she also made Barefoot Contessa's Blueberry Sauce. This cake is similar to a pound cake in texture, but it's also very moist, lemony and wonderful!

• Total Time: 1 hrs 10 mins
• Prep Time: 20 mins
• Cook Time: 50 mins

Ingredients:

Servings: 8

• 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• ½ teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 cup plain yogurt
• 1 1⁄3; cups sugar , divided
• 3 extra-large eggs
• 2 teaspoons lemon zest , grated (zest of 2 lemons)
• ½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• ½ cup vegetable oil
• 1⁄3; cup fresh lemon juice

For the glaze

• 1 cup confectioners' sugar
• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F.
2. 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.
3. Sift together the flour, baking powder, and salt into 1 bowl.
4. In another bowl, whisk together the yogurt, 1 cup sugar, the eggs, lemon zest, and vanilla.
5. 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.
6. 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.
7. 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 the lemon syrup aside.
8. 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 syrup over the cake and allow it to soak inches Cool.
9. For the glaze, combine the confectioners' sugar and lemon juice and pour over the cake.

Reviews

[stormylee]

Ooh, this was lovely and citrussy, not too sweet, not too tart - just right! Nice and simple to make too. I poked the cake all over with a cocktail stick before pouring on the syrup. Skipped the frosting this time, and the cake can definitely stand on its own even without it! The texture did turn out unusual - like a moist, sturdy sponge! - but we don't much care as it tastes so good! Thank you Raquel!

[Oishi]

very yummy moist cake! i added more zest in cake and put zest in icing too.

[DKHerbert]

Delicious and looks beautiful too! I only used the zest of one lemon because I used lemon extract instead of vanilla extract, and I reduced the glaze recipe down to slightly less with only 2/3 cup of powdered sugar. I also poked holes in the top of the cake before I poured the syrup over the top. This is my new go-to lemon cake recipe!