September's Challenge

Wow I have been extremely bad at updating my blog here lately!  Opps!  I try, but it's hard with traveling so much!  I just got back from a two week trip to New York and I'll be on the road again mid-October.  This month's challenge for the Facebook group was a Lemon Yogurt Cake by Ina Garten from the Food Network.  Let me just tell you, this was a DE-licious cake!  Those who got to eat it were pretty happy with the results too!  I made this cake over Labor Day weekend at my mother-in-law's house.  I don't have too many pictures of process to share, but I do have the beautiful end results.

To be honest with you, with everything I have going on at the moment I didn't think I would have time to make this cake, but it sounded so good and we were seeing family at my mother-in-law's that I figured it would be the perfect time to make the cake.  It was an A+ decision!

The Result!  I took advantage of a gorgeous
day and beautiful fresh-cut roses at
my Mother-in-Law's house

Lemon Yogurt Cake adapted from The Barefoot Contessa

Cake Ingredients
• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 cup plain whole-milk yogurt I used Vanilla Fit Active Yogurt, I'd be interested to try a berry yogurt in this cake, what do you think?
• 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

Glaze Ingredients
• 1 cup confectioners' sugar
• 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice

The How To
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.  I didn't line the pan and the cake popped out just fine.
Sift together the flour, baking powder, and salt into a bowl. In a large 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.  50 minutes...55 minutes...65 minutes...how about when the cake is done, my cake browned evenly, however, some of my fellow bakers said their cakes were getting too brown around the edges and had to put foil around the sides to make sure it didn't get too burnt.  Know your oven, know your cake, and work with both I guess.
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.  I got excited and made the juice right after I put the cake in, then I think I kept it just a little warm on the stovetop.  I didn't think I had enough to pour onto the cake so I took some bottled lemon juice and sugar and nuked it for a few minutes to add a little more flavor.  I also poked my cake with a fork thinking maybe it would absorb better.
For the glaze, combine the confectioners' sugar and lemon juice and pour over the cake.  I definitely did not wait until my cake was completely cool, which I think made it all the better, warm lemony pound cake with a pretty glaze...yuuuuuuuuuuuum!

All Ooey Gooey Goodness!! :)

Results were great on this cake, as I said, everyone enjoyed it!  Another challenge a great success :)  Now go to the kitchen and get baking!

Ready to Eat!

Bon Appétit!