Ina Garten had a good idea. I made it better (IMHO). She called it “Lemon-Yogurt Cake.”

Okay, fine. But this cake is sooo much more. Silky, moist, sweet, tart, great crumb, high and mighty…

I’m not a baker, but this is gooooood!

And the lemons were grown right in my living room!

Off the success of my ML marmalade, I decided to grow my own. I got a mail-order tree two years ago, and now it’s giving me lemons. This cake was made with my first two lemons. The tree now has three more, and lots of flowers I just pollinated this morning. Success!

I had to make something special with these first lemons, and believe me, this cake is special. You simply must try it. But don’t wait two years to grow your lemons. Store bought are fine, but hurry. Meyer Lemon season is almost over. Regular lemons will work too, but the cake won’t be as good.

But with my own home-grown Meyer lemons, it’s a total home run.

Here’s the plan…

Meyer Lemon-Rosemary-Yogurt-Olive Oil Pound Cake

Ingredients:

Procedure:

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F.
2. Grease an 8- by 4- by 4-inch loaf pan. Line the bottom with parchment paper. Grease and flour the pan.
3. Sift together the flour, baking powder, and salt into 1 bowl.
4. In another bowl, whisk together the yogurt, 1 cup sugar, the eggs, lemon zest, rosemary, and vanilla.
5. Slowly whisk the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients. With a rubber spatula, fold the olive oil into the batter, making sure it’s all incorporated.
6. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake for about 75-90 minutes, or until a cake tester placed in the center of the loaf comes out clean.
7. 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 the lemon syrup aside.
8. 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 syrup over the cake and allow it to soak into the cake for a half hour.
9. For the glaze, combine the confectioners’ sugar and lemon juice and drizzle over the cake.
10. Allow to cool completely before serving.

NOTE: You can find Ina Garten’s original recipe here: https://pin.it/48%2Fv6Rq