NutritionSortLoading...
Loading...

½ cup (120 ml) vegetable or another neutral oil

1 cup (200 grams) plus 1 tablespoon (15 grams) granulated sugar

3 small/medium or 2 large lemons

3 large eggs

½ teaspoon vanilla extract (optional; I skip it)

1 cup (225 grams) plain yogurt, whole, low-fat, or greek-style

2 teaspoons baking powder

½ teaspoon kosher salt

1 ½ cups plus 1 tablespoon (205 grams) all-purpose flour

1 ½ cups (250 grams) blueberries, fresh or frozen

Powdered sugar for dusting (optional)

Select allAdd

1. Heat oven to 350°F and coat a standard loaf pan with nonstick spray. Line with parchment paper for easier removal.

2. Pour the oil and 1 cup of the granulated sugar in a large bowl. Finely grate the zest of all the lemons into the bowl and whisk to combine.

3. Whisk in eggs, vanilla, and yogurt until evenly mixed.

4. Sprinkle the surface of the batter with baking powder and salt and whisk thoroughly.

5. Add flour and berries, stirring just to combine.

6. Pour into the prepared loaf pan and bake for 60 to 75 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the cake comes out clean.

7. While it bakes, juice your zested lemons to get ⅓ cup juice. Pour into a small saucepan, add remaining 1 tablespoon sugar, and heat over medium until the sugar has dissolved.

8. When cake comes out of the oven, brush it with the lemon syrup. If the syrup isn’t absorbing well, use a skewer to make holes all over the cake.

9. Let the cake cool completely in the pan. Once cool, cut around the cake to ensure it hasn’t stuck and transfer to a plate. Dust with powdered sugar, if desired. Serve in 1-inch slices.

Variations

We were almost done with our blissful batch of Meyer lemons when I realized that it would be a crime against… well, something dramatic if I finished them without sharing with you a recipe which might look at the outset like just a plain old loaf cake, but should not be taken at face value. You may see lemons and blueberry but I want you to see a palette upon which you can paint your countless citrus yogurt cake dreams. This cake is so moist that it needs to be cut carefully, so not to smoosh the crumbs from the top of the cake into the bottom, and so delicious, I dare you to make it last a week(end).

[:br]

The core recipe is riffed from Ina Garten, which also inspired last year’s grapefruit cake. But why stop there? You can take a yogurt loaf cake like this in almost innumerable directions. Here are a few ideas to get you started:

SortLoading...
Loading...

Swapping all of the vegetable oil with olive oil

Swapping a few tablespoons of the vegetable oil with a flavorful nut or coconut oil

Swapping grapefruit, orange, blood orange or lime for the lemon

Swapping blackberries or raspberries for the blueberries

Add ⅓ cup of poppy seeds and skipping the blueberries for a lemon-poppy cake

Adding ½ to 1 cup of toasted, chopped walnuts or pecans

Swapping almond extract for the vanilla

Covering the cake, once completely cooled, with a glaze of 1 cup of powdered sugar whisked with 2 tablespoons lemon juice

Making an extra and sending it to Alex, who for the first time, ever, did not suggest a baked good could be improved with chocolate

That said, if you added 1 cup chocolate chips to an orange version, you’d get something reminiscent of this Orange Chocolate Chunk Cake

This recipe will also yield about 12 standard muffins or 36 miniature muffins, baking time adjusted.

It could be doubled and baked in a well-greased and floured bundt pan, baking time adjusted.

This recipe could also be baked in an 8-inch square or 9-inch round, to create a thin cake (approx. 1 ½ inches tall), baking time adjusted.

Select allAdd