Lemon Yogurt Loaf

Well, we are still cooking with yogurt here. I have that much of it, I'll be a while getting through it and I positively don't want to waste any of it. Total Yogurt is such a lovely, thick and rich brand of Greek yogurt, so I'm not complaining!!

I had a lot of lemons that were getting close to their use by date and so I thought I would try making a Lemon Loaf with it.



Mmmm . . . great call! Yogurt in baked goods helps to create a lovely moist and rich crumb. In fact you can subsitute yogurt for sour cream or creme fraiche in most baked goods quite successfully!



This is a wonderful lemon loaf, with just the merest hint of lemon in the actual loaf part . . . it goes so well with vanilla. The combination of lemon and vanilla is a real favourite of mine. It helps to bring out the inate sweetness of baked goods, without you having to use a lot of sugar, or at least that is what I find to be true!



You get a real double blast of lemon in the topping, which is where it really shines, both with an undercoating of a sugar lemon syrup and a final crowning of lemon drizzle icing.



Oh my, but this is some good. So good in fact that I am going to skip summer tonight and just have some more of this luciously scrumdiddlyumptious loaf!!



I know . . . ME <=== BAD. But in a good way, doncha think? ☺ I'm with Marie Antoinette. Cake for supper . . . it's a very good thing!



*Lemon Yogurt Loaf*
Makes one large loaf
Printable Recipe

Moist and lemony, with an underglaze of sweet and tart lemon syrup, topped with a lemon glaze drizzle icing!

210g of plain flour (1 1/2 cups)
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
200g of full fat Greek yogurt ( 1 cup)
7 ounces of sugar (1 cup)
3 large free range eggs
the finely grated zest of 2 unwaxed lemons
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
4 ounces vegetable oil (1/2 cup)

For the sugar glaze:
the juice of 1 lemon
5 TBS sugar

For the Drizzle Icing:
140g of icing sugar, sifted (1 cup)
2 TBS fresh lemon juice

Preheat the oven to 180*C/350*F/ gas mark 4. Butter a large loaf tin. Line with parchment paper and butter the paper. Set aside.

Sift the flour, baking powder, and salt into a bowl. Whisk together the yogurt, and sugar in another larger bowl. Beat in the eggs, lemon zest and the vanilla. Slowly whisk the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients. Fold in the oil, using a rubber spatula, making sure to get it all in smoothly. Pour into the loaf tin. Level off and then place on a centre rack in the heated oven.

Bake for about 50 minutes, or until well risen and a toothpick inserted into the centre comes out clean. Whhile it is baking, heat the lemon juice and sugar for the glaze together until the sugar is completely dissolved.

Allow the cake to cool in the pan for about 10 minutes before removing. Place on a wire rack over a baking pan and spoon the glaze over top, allowing it to soak in a little at a time. Allow to cool completely.

whisk the icing sugar together with the lemon juice and drizzle over the top of the loaf. Allow to set. Cut into slices to serve.