Ina Garten’s Lemon Yogurt Cake
In this post...
Introduction to Ina Garten’s Lemon Yogurt Cake
Jump to RecipeThis past Sunday, we went over to our friends’ home for a day-after-Valentine’s-Day dinner.
My friend, Tammy, is a fabulous cook and baker, but I begged to bring dessert.
Since it was the “Chocolate Holiday Weekend”, I was going to go that route.
But then, Mr. G.Q. mentioned that it had been FOREVER since I had made a lemon cake.
I realized he was right, so I hopped out into my Californian backyard and grabbed a few lemons, right off the tree! (Yup, our home is in a former citrus tree grove!)
Let me show you how to make Ina Garten’s lemon yogurt cake.
It’s quick, moist, and delicious!
It can be made with just two bowls and a hand whisk.
We all know that ALL of Ina’s recipes are wonderful.
This Barefoot Contessa lemon cake is, however, a favorite of my husband and of my family.
***It’s PERFECT for the almost-spring season (fingers crossed) just around the corner. (I’m looking at you, cold, snowy weather in the Midwest and East Coast, where all of my kids and grandbabies live!)
I reviewed my blog archives to see if I had posted about this cake.
I did.
Five years ago and change!
What have I been thinking?
Take a peek at what I wrote then:
When I heard my daughter and her young family wanted to stop by for a visit on Labor Day (2021!!!). I forced myself to get out of bed (I had been down with a virus for 10 days!) to make a cake.
A Perfect Slice of Lemon Yogurt Cake (and a Glass of Milk!)
Grandbaby Rocker #1
There was another method to my madness. I had just picked up this red rocker from the needlepoint shop, and I wanted to give it to Baby Jack. (He’s now 7 1/2!).
Here’s how that story unfolded: In 2016, when I learned my first daughter was engaged, I decided to start a needlepoint cushion for a future grandchild.
So I started it, and was slowly stitching away…
And then I find out in the space of two months that I was going to have not one, but two grandbabies, three months apart!
(My oldest son and his wife were also expecting!) Yikes! So I stitched faster…
Grandbaby Rocker #2
Grandbaby Rocker #2
Below, Baby Jack is taking his virgin ride! He loved it!
More Yummy Ina Garten’s Lemon Cake!
And to make the visit even sweeter, this was the cake I made.
It’s from the Barefoot Contessa, and it’s her recipe for lemon yogurt cake.
For you yogurt haters, have no fear.
You can’t taste the yogurt.
(Just the mention of yogurt grosses out Mr. GQ).
All you taste is a yummy lemon cake that’s lighter than a pound cake but really lemony with a lemon glaze.
Perfect with a glass of milk.
Here’s the recipe: Ina Garten’s Lemon Yogurt Cake.
Ina Gartens’ Yummy Lemon Yogurt Cake
Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 8 1/2 x 4 1/4 x 2 12-inch loaf pan with baking spray. Line bottom of pan with parchment paper. Grease and flour with baking spray and flour.
- Sift together flour, baking powder,salt in a medium bowl.
- In another medium 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 and bake for about 50 minutes, until a cake tester placed in the center of the loaf comes out clean. (For this you could use a chop stick or the probe end of a cooking thermometer. I start checking at 45 minutes and keep adding time in five minute incremements until the tester is clean.)
- While the cake is baking, cook 1/3 cup of sugar with 1/3 cup of lemon juice in a small pan over low heat until the sugar dissolves and the mixture is clear. Set aside.
- When the cake is done, remove from the oven and let it cool in the pan for 10 minutes. Then, carefully remove from the pan and place it on a baking rack over a sheet pan to cool. Now, take the chop stick or thermometer probe and poke holes all over the cake. While the cake is still warm, pour the lemon-sugar mixture over the cake and allow it to soak in. Cool completely.
- For the glaze, sift and combine the confectioners' sugar and lemon juice until smooth (add extra lemon juice until the icing is pourable. Pour over the cake.
- Enjoy!
Barefoot Contessa’s Lemon Yogurt Cake
Ingredients:
1 1//2 cups flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp kosher salt
3 extra-large eggs
1 cup plain whole-milk yogurt
1 1/3 cups sugar (divided)
2 tsp lemon zest (2 lemons)
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1/3 cup lemon juice
1 cup powdered sugar
2 Tbsp lemon juice
(Note: the 1/3 cup plus 2 Tbsp of lemon juice both come from the two lemons you zest).
Steps for Ina Garten’s Lemon Yogurt Cake:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Spray an 8 1/2 “ x 4 1/4” x 2 1/2” loaf pan with cooking spray and line the pan bottom with parchment paper. Then spray the parchment paper with cooking spray and dust with flour.
In a medium-sized bowl, sift together flour, baking powder, and salt.In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, yogurt, ONE CUP of the sugar, lemon zest, and vanilla. Slowly add the dry ingredients to the wet, whisking constantly. Fold in the vegetable oil, stirring until it’s completely combined.
Pour the batter into the loaf pan and bake until a toothpick inserted in the middle of the cake comes out clean, about 50 minutes. (I start checking at 45 minutes.)
While the cake is baking (and the house is smelling incredible) combine the remaining 1/3 cup sugar with the 1/3 cup lemon juice in a small saucepan over a medium heat. Stir until the sugar dissolves and the syrup is transparent. Set aside.
When the cake is done, cool in the pan for 10 minutes. Then loosen the cake all around with a spatula. Transfer it to a baking rack placed over a sheet pan. Poke holes in the cake with a skewer and then pour the syrup all over the cake. Let it cool.
When cool combine the powder sugar with the 2 Tbsp of lemon juice in a small bowl and pour over the cake.
Enjoy!!!🍋🍋🍋!!!
- I hope you enjoy Ina Garten’s Lemon Yogurt Cake as much as we will at dinner with our friends!
Yum! What a fun visit to Grandma’s.
Now I’d better start stitching for the next baby.
He or she will be here before you know it!
(As of 2026, I have made 5 of these rockers!)
(These are similar, cute striped placemats. Here are wonderful red napkins. Here are similar sunflower plates, and they are 15% off! The tumblers are basic and so practical. As is the flatware. The mason jar vase is so fun! Mason jars are useful for many different things. I use them as vases, as shown here, and for making salad dressings. Just put all the ingredients in the jar and shake! After the meal, store the leftover dressing in the same container.)
XO,
Dr. Julie
PS Ina Garten’s Lemon Yogurt Cake is perfect ANY time of year! I love it most of all in the spring. But, truly, lemons are my jam, so any time you want a refreshing dessert that EVERYONE loves, this is the ticket!
PPS Here are a few other posts you might enjoy:
