But for now I will have to be satisfied to just cook like her.  These cupcakes are lemony scrumptious.  They are light and airy.  Easy to put mix and very versatile.

This recipe can be used to make a round layer cake or a bundt cake (double the recipe).  It can be baked in loaf pans and would also make fabulous mini cakes (perfect for the Bundt mini cake pans).

But my favorite has to be using this as a cupcake recipe.  These would be the perfect dessert for a bridal shower.

The recipe is easy to make.  I would recommend zesting the lemon and squeezing the juice before you get started.  After that bit of work, it’s all down hill.

Lemon Yogurt Cake
this is my adaptation of a recipe from Ina Garten

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup Greek yogurt
1 1/4 cups sugar, divided
3 large eggs
2 teaspoons grated lemon zest (2 lemons)
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice (from 2 lemons)

Optional:

2 tablespoons of poppy seed
1/4 cup of frozen blueberries (more if you are making a big loaf cake)

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and flour an 8 1/2 by 4 1/4 by 2 1/2-inch loaf pan or the mini loaf pans.

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.

Add in your preferred add on ingredients (poppy seed or blueberries) and bake for about 50 minutes, (if you are using the big loaf pan) about 25-30 minutes (if you are using smaller pans),or until a cake tester placed in the center of the loaf comes out clean.

Meanwhile, cook the 1/4 cup lemon juice and remaining 1/4 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.

My notes:  The recipe calls for a glaze to be poured over the cake after it has been removed from the pan.  I thought the glaze would have a better chance of soaking into the cupcakes if I poured it on while they were still in the pan.  I made the glaze as soon as I put the cupcakes in the oven.  When they came out, I immediately spooned the glaze over the tops.  I let them cool ten minutes in the pan and then removed them to the cooling racks.   That worked perfectly.

The cupcake wedding cakes pictured above were from the wedding of “the youngsters” over at This Young House. Be sure to check out their blog as it is fabulous.  It details all of the stylish home improvements they do to in and around their 50 year old ranch.  These folks have some serious style going on!  They have been featured in many magazines and even on CNN.

When you visit their blog, be sure to check out the tab at the top that says Wedding Album.  They had a very intimate wedding in their own back yard and the page is FULL of fabulous DIY wedding tips and money-saving ideas for your wedding.

They chose to purchase their cup cake wedding cakes at a favorite local bakery.  Using a simple cupcake recipe, this can easily be done at home as well.  The youngsters chose to forego the cupcake stand and arranged the cupcakes for their wedding on one long table.  Don’t they look divine?!

I was really anxious to try these out as “Recipe Girl” does some mighty fine cookin’. So here’s my take this Chocolate Cupcake Recipe.

I loved that it is made with buttermilk, especially because I had a full quart ready to go bad in the fridge.

The recipe went together quite simply.. until I got to the cocoa mixture.  The recipe says to cover the cocoa and boiling water and set it aside while you make the batter.  I wasn’t sure why it needed to be covered (but I did so using a plate over the top of the bowl).  I don’t know whether that made it turn to chocolate glue or not… but that’s what it became.  When I had to incorporate the cocoa mixture, I had a hard time.  It just would not mix into the batter.  And talk about thick and adhesive-like!  It was hard to clean the darned bowl afterwards!  Thick chocolate glue I tell ya’.

You’ll see that they bake up quite nicely.  I would NOT recommend making these without the liners (the whole chocolate glue thing).  The tray above is headed to the freezer for a “flash freeze”.  I put the pan (uncovered – exactly as you see it) in the freezer for a few hours.  I then removed the cupcakes and put them into gallon sized Ziploc bags.  This is a great way to make your Cupcake Wedding Cake in advance.

Here’s a shot of the inside of the cupcake:

These babies were good – still not my favorite though.  The search for the perfect Chocolate Cupcake Recipe continues!

CHOCOLATEY CUPCAKES DIPPED IN CHOCOLATE GANACHE
adapted from www.RecipeGirl.com

CUPCAKES:
¾ cup boiling water
¾ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
6 ounces butter, at room temperature
2 cups granulated sugar
1 tsp salt
1 tsp vanilla extract
3 large eggs
2½ cups cake flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
1 cup buttermilk

1. Prepare cupcakes: Preheat oven to 350°F. Line cupcake pans with liners (or not)- your choice.

2. Whisk together boiling water and cocoa; cover and set aside.

3. With a mixer, cream together butter, sugar, salt and vanilla extract. Add eggs, one at a time, and continue creaming until light and fluffy.

4. Sift together flour, baking soda, & baking powder and add this mixture, alternately with the buttermilk. Add cocoa/water mixture and mix until thoroughly combined. Scoop into cupcake pans (fill half full) and bake for 15 to 20 minutes, or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.

5. Let cupcakes cool completely before frosting.

Yield: About 36 cupcakes

Recipe Source: Adapted from Food Network

The first cupcake recipe I tried was the “One Bowl Chocolate Cupcakes”. This recipe has received a lot of fanfare on the Internet.  It has been listed by many cooking bloggers as their favorite chocolate cupcake.  Needless to say, that was enough for me to try it out.

I am a huge fan of Martha Stewart… but not a huge fan of these cupcakes.  I would go so far as to say that I have made many cakes from a box that I liked better (gasp!).

Now, in Martha’s defense, I should note that I have read that there are many variations of this recipe floating around.  The recipe in the magazine is supposed to be different from the one in her baking book…which is not the same as the one she has in another cookbook.

Typically, I would not make these again.  However, sooooo many bloggers have remarked that these cupcakes are outstanding.  Did I make a mistake in the production of these dark little treats?  Maybe I should try the one in her baking cookbook. I owe that to Martha .

If you want to see what you think, here’s a link to the recipe:  Martha Stewart Living One Bowl Chocolate Cupcakes