Ina was kind enough to provide me with the base of this cake. Yes, I know her personally. Don’t believe me? Well she allows me to message her through comment sections on http://www.FoodNetwork.com. For some reason she never writes back. Hmmmm. Well enough about me and my Ina obsession.

What I changed was using sour cream instead of yogurt. Why? Because I didn’t have any plain yogurt and I have plenty of sour cream on hand, at all times. Second change was to use olive oil instead of vegetable oil. Why? Because I once made a similar cake that called for lemon infused olive oil so why not!

Here’s Ina’s Lemon Yogurt Cake, should you want to give hers a whirl.

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ina-garten/lemon-yogurt-cake-recipe.html#lightbox-recipe-image

This recipe is very straightforward and yields a dense lemony pound cake that’s delicious with fresh fruit.

As with any cake, the dry ingredients get sifted.

Mix together the wet ingredients.

Then the two come together. An important note is to be sure not to zest the lemon to the point you’re grating the white skin, just below the yellow. After reading the comments people made on Ina’s recipe, it’s clear some got a little too zesty, if you know what I mean. The white of the skin is bitter and unpleasant.

Next up? Prep the pan.

Fold the olive oil into the batter, pour it into the pan and that’s it!

Ingredients
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1 cup sour cream
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 extra virgin light olive oil
1/3 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
For the glaze:
1 cup confectioners’ sugar
2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice

Directions:

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.

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

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.

For the glaze, combine the confectioners’ sugar and lemon juice and pour over the cake.

Read more at: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ina-garten/lemon-yogurt-cake-recipe.html#lightbox-recipe-image?oc=linkback