Tangy and Moist Lemon Yogurt Cake Recipe | Foodal (2024)

I don’t know where you sit today, but I hope your view is as nice as mine, where the air smells sweet with a freshly baked lemon cake in the oven, and the sun is high and bright.

Charcoal grills send smoke through my open windows, birds are loudly chirping, and vibrant green grass surrounds blooming tulips and daffodils.

Today I realized that as much as I hate Chicago for the winters, I love the city for this: what else could make me so aware of the beauty of a Chicago spring?

And as spring turns to summer and summer to fall, I will keep enjoying the beauty of the seasons, the joy of watching change unfold around me.

It’s nice to be a part of that.

These almost-summer afternoons arethe good stuff: what we’ve been waiting for after so many months of winter.

Things like a sunny weekend game at Wrigley Field, hours antiquing in northern Illinois, long walks on tree-lined streets of ivy-covered brick buildings.

Although this year’s summer events will be altered slightly due to quarantine, I have no complaints.

Even without baseball games to attend or restaurant porches to enjoy, I love being home with no plans but to be outside,watching the tomato plants grow,and ready for the sky to turn orange and crimson before I pillow my head.

And I love having the time to bake whatever and whenever I please, like the lemon yogurt cake I made as the sun was setting.

After I ate an easy dish of vanilla yogurt drizzled with honey, the remaining yogurt went into this fragrant lemon dessert that baked up spongy and soft, with a sturdy crust perfect for holding in your hand.

This treat is really the definition of simple, both in its creation and in the final results: just mix up the ingredients, pour them into a pan, bake, drizzle some glaze on top, and cut a thick slice of to enjoy for a late-night snack or a weekday breakfast.

Lighter and more sponge-like than a pound cake, this dessert is as soft as springtime clouds and no less satisfying.

Plus, you can complete the prep in mere minutes, so you’ll have hours to spend elsewhere – preferably outside in 70-degree weather, sitting next to a beautiful garden with the sun shining on your face.

That’s where you’ll find me.

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Cooking By the Numbers…

Step 1 – Zest and Juice Lemons, And Measure Remaining Ingredients

Zest one to two lemons until you have two teaspoons total of grated zest.

Juice enough lemons until you have 1/3 cup total of juice.

Measure out all remaining ingredients as listed on the ingredients list.

Preheat your oven to 350˚F. Grease a 9-by-5-inch loaf pan with nonstick baking spray.

Step 2 – Make Batter

Add all-purpose flour, baking powder, and salt to a large bowl, and stir to combine. Set aside.

In the bowl of a stand mixer (or in a large separate bowl), add the Greek yogurt, 1 cup granulated sugar, eggs, lemon zest, and vanilla. Beat to combine (you can also use a whisk). Slowly and gradually beat in the dry ingredients until combined.

Use a rubber spatula to fold in the vegetable oil until combined.

Pour batter into prepared pan.

Step 3 – Bake

Bake for 50 minutes, until golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

When done, remove from the oven and let cool in the pan for 10 minutes.

Step 4 – Make Glaze

Add lemon juice and remaining 1/3 cup sugar to a small saucepan. Cook over medium heat, stirring frequently, until sugar dissolves. The mixture should be clear.

Remove from heat and set aside.

Step 5 – Finish and Cool

Remove cake from the pan and place on a wire rack set over a baking sheet.

Pour the lemon glaze evenly over the top, allowing it to soak in. Let it sit for 15 minutes before slicing and serving.