lighter lemon yoghurt cake

I’d never made a lemon cake before last weekend despite it being one of my favourites, oh heck! who am I kidding? nearly all cake is my favourite that’s why I’m not a size 8. But after getting sick last week with a cold I was left with a glut of lemons, so I decided to make a lemon cake.
I opted for this one from Lorraine Pascale which was featured in the ‘good to know’ magazine as it sounded quite delicious and healthy too at 159 calories a slice. I have to say the second one I made came out better than the first but was still delicious all the same. I’ve altered the recipe slightly as I like my lemon cake a bit zingier and used dairy free spread so I think it could be lower in calories still.

ingredients for lighter lemon yoghurt cake

Ingredients

  • 75g butter (I used dairy free spread)
  • 100g caster sugar
  • 165g self raising flour
  • 2 eggs + 1 egg white
  • 1tsp baking powder
  • 1tsp vanilla essence
  • zest of 1 lemon
  • juice of 1/2 lemon
  • 4 tsp fat free greek yoghurt

For the icing

  • 50g icing sugar
  • 2 tbsp lemon juice

    • Method

    • 1. Preheat the oven to 180C/Gas Mark 4. Grease a 1kg loaf tin and then line it with parchment paper or use cake liners like I did.

      • combining butter and sugar

    • 2. Beat together the butter and sugar until combined, then add the eggs, egg white and Greek yoghurt until quite smooth.

      • adding the eggs and yoghurt

    • 3. Add in the flour, baking powder, vanilla extract, lemon zest and juice. Mix all together until combined and then spoon the mixture into the loaf tin and bake for 20-25 minutes although I did mine for just over 30. Put a skewer in the cake and if it comes out clean it should be ready.

      • lemon yoghurt cake

    • 4. Leave the cake to cool down and start getting the icing ready and then put aside for later.

      • lemon yoghurt cake drizzled with icing

    • 5. Once the cake is completely cooled, pour the icing over the top.