Lemon Yogurt Cake

One of the things I'm doing a lot this year is venturing out and doing things that I've always enjoyed doing---cooking, especially baking! It was hard for me to cook a decent meal for myself and my husband when I used to teach--getting something to-go or going out to eat dinner was VERY common in our household until this year. When I decided to take this year off from the classroom, I was sad but at the same time very ecstatic about all the things I could do that I've been wanting to do but didn't have the time and energy to do them.

I've been SERIOUSLY obsessed with Ina Garten of Barefoot Contessa. She's been my role model and I've been watching almost all her cooking episodes from Food Network. I've recorded a dozen or more of her shows so that I could try out her recipes, especially all the baking-related recipes!

I've been eyeing a particular recipe to try for quite some time and decided to give it a shot and try out her Lemon Yogurt Cake recipe (words in bold= what I changed from the original recipe).

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour 
  
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 cup plain, nonfat (low-fat, whole) milk yogurt
• 1 cup sugar (for less-sweetness, 3/4 cup will be sufficient)
• 3 extra-large eggs
• 2 teaspoons grated lemon zest (approximately 1 whole lemon)
• 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract 
  
• 1/3 cup vegetable oil (canola oil or olive oil will do)

For the glaze:

• 1/3 cup of sugar
• 1/3 cup of freshly, squeezed lemon juice (you should use the same lemon you used for the zest)

Directions:

1. Preheat the over to 350 degrees F. Grease 8 1/2 by 4 1/2 by 2 1/2-inch bread loaf pan. You should probably grease the pan.

2. Sift together the flour, baking powder, and salt into 1 bowl.

3. In another bowl, whisk together the yogurt, 1 cup of sugar, the eggs, lemon zest, and vanilla extract.

4. Slowly whisk the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients. With a rubber spatula, fold (or stir) the vegetable oil into the batter, making sure it's all incorporated.

5. 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.

6. For the glaze: Cook 1/3 cup of lemon juice and  1/3 cup of sugar in a small pan until the sugar dissolves and the mixture is clear. Set aside.

7. When the cake is done, allow it to cool in the pan for 10 minutes. Carefully place the cake on a baking rack over a sheet pan. While the cake is still warm, pour (you can also use the brush) the lemon-sugar mixture over the cake and allow it to soak in.

**For healthier version, you can supplement sugar with Splenda; use whole-wheat flour instead of all-purpose flour; and use 3/4 cup of sugar instead of 1 cup of sugar for the batter. You can also skip the glaze--which I did, and it still tasted WONDERFUL!

The cake pairs wonderfully with berries and vanilla ice cream. Definitely a light dessert to treat your family and friends, and also great for gifts! Ohhhhh, and NO BUTTER!!