The Perfect Lemon Cupcake Recipe

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Oh, how I love Ina Garten!  You may know her as Food Network’s “Barefoot Contessa”.  She has authored an incredible series of cookbooks, has the cutest little hubby ever, and gets to cook all day in her east coast studio kitchen.  Yes, I wish I were her!

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.

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