My parents are going to visit my Grandmother for Easter this year.  Alas, I am unable to go (*shakes fist at plane ticket prices*), so in my stead I will be sending with them a tasty loaf’o'lemon cake.  I think that’s an appropriate substitute for my presence.

EXTREME CLOSEUP

(Sorry for the incredible yellow-ness of these pictures by the way; I didn’t have time to take them in natural light, so this is what food looks like with all the lights turned on in my apartment.)

I wanted to do something a little different for a dessert; I love chocolate, but have more and more recently been open to other flavors and a lemon cake/loaf sounded just right to me; yellows and lemons make me think of springtime and Easter.  Besides, my Grandmother always has cookies at her house, and I’m not sure how well a frosted cake or cupcakes would have handled an eleven hour drive, so I thought a simple loaf of cakey goodness was the most logical choice, logistically.

I nabbed this recipe from Kim at Liv Life; she made Limoncello recently and since has been occasionally posting recipes using it.  I have no limoncello of my own (not living in citrus-convenient California), but she said lemon juice would work just fine instead.  Just to be clear, this recipe is not adapted…I didn’t change it one iota (except for its name…isn’t there something pleasant about alliteration?) – it didn’t need to be.  I’m totally just being a copy cat today. *lazy dog stretch-and-yawn*

It's keeping out the aliens.

Since this was a gift I was unfortunately unable to sample it, though I did take a few strong whiffs – it was definitely lemony.  It also pleasantly sprung back to the touch, so I think this will be a winner.

This is also, I just realized, another recipe using Greek yogurt.  I’m starting to really like the texture it grants in a cake…plus I can pretend I’m being healthy.  Double bonus (fruit AND yogurt??  This dessert is the epitome of health foods)!!

Lemon Loaf Recipe

From Liv Life.

Ingredients:

• 2 eggs
• 1 cup vanilla Greek yogurt
• 1 cup sugar
• 1/4 cup canola oil
• zest of 1 lemon
• 3 Tbs Limoncello (or lemon juice)
• 2 cups flour
• 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1/4 tsp salt

Instructions:

1. In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, yogurt, sugar, oil, lemon zest and 3 Tbsp limoncello or lemon juice.
2. In another bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
3. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, stirring just until incorporated, 15-20 stirs, being careful not to over mix.
4. Spray an 8.5 x 4.5-inch loaf pan (or alternatively 3 mini loaf pans, 5 3/4 x 3 inch) with cooking spray.  Pour the batter into the pan.
5. Bake about 40 minutes for the larger loaf pan or 30-35 minutes for the smaller loaf pans, or until a tester comes out clean and the top of the cake is golden. Cool the cake in the pan for about 5 minutes.  Remove from pans and continue cooling on a wire rack.
6. Consume!  Or wrap in tin foil and give to your grandparents.

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