I haven’t baked in ages. I can also say it’s been a long time since I’ve cooked anything special. As I mentioned before, we’re moving, things are starting to be packed up and the kitchen is about to be boxed up. I want to post more frequently on my blog. After all, I squealed and acted like an annoying brat until I got my new dSLR back in November for my birthday. I haven’t used it as much as I would have liked. Hopefully, with the warmer weather coming up, I will spend more time with the camera. I’m looking forward to the summer months where produce will be abundant and I will have forgotten how long this year’s winter was. In all honesty, it’s still winter here. It’s only a few degrees above freezing today, not exactly what you expect on April 18th!
Where are the tulips and daffodils? My husband and I drove back from Toronto to Kingston last Friday, all the trees were barren-gray and more gray. The buds were not even visible yet. Is it December or April? To make myself feel better, I baked. Baking is a therapeutic process for me. My usual neat freak self takes a little break and I make a mess in the kitchen (only with baking). I did my thing, and in the process took pictures. I felt like I was back into the swing of things.
The cake tastes bright and fresh. It’s all lemony and cheery. I wanted it to be a swirl cake, but I learned that brown sugar just blends in. No swirls. That’s alright though, it tasted good. Super moist and not too sweet. Perfect with a cup of tea or coffee, but the child in me loves milk with cake. I also made a lemon zest sugar that I incorporated into the cake with cream cheese. It was divine. I had to stop myself from eating it as is. In the process, I also learned it could work as a great skin scrub (before the addition of cream cheese), food and beauty all in one. Yay.
In these 2 weeks before we move out, I hope I’ll manage to do some more cooking and photographing. Until then, this cake serves as a good start.
Lemon Brown Sugar Cake
Makes 1 loaf
Ingredients
1/2 cup sugar+ 2 tablespoons
1/2 cup brown sugar
zest of 2 lemons
4 ounces cream cheese, softened
4 tablespoons butter, softened
1/4 cup canola oil
2 large eggs, at room temperature
1/4 cup greek yogurt
1/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 1/2 cup cake and pastry flour, sifted
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
Method
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
Grease a 9″ by 5″ by 3″ loaf pan and line it with parchment paper.
In a food processor, add the lemon zest, 1/4 cup of brown sugar, and 2 tablespoons of the regular sugar and pulse until combined. Once combined, add in the cream cheese and vanilla extract and run the food processor until the mixture is smooth, set aside.
Using a stand mixer or hand mixer (and bowl) cream together the butter, oil, and sugar and 1/4 cup of the brown sugar, until light and fluffy. Next, beat in the eggs until combined, and then, add in the greek yogurt. Beat for a minute and then pour in the lemon juice and the remaining 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract.
Sift together the flour, salt, and baking powder in another bowl and gradually beat it into the egg and butter mixture. Once the flour is incorporated, swirl in tablespoonfuls of the cream cheese, lemon zest mixture into the batter. Once the cream cheese mixture is incorporated pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan and bake for 1 hour. Once cooked, allow to cool for 30 minutes and serve with a dusting of confectioners’ sugar.
…and here you go! gorgeous, so appetizing! now i want some 🙂
The cake looks beautiful and I love the yellow against the blue. Very pretty. I can’t believe it’s near freezing and it’s April already!
i am def. making this one!!!!
looks so light and fluffy with a tart lemony touch
…get ready for scorching hot temps in Dubai in a few weeks!!!
Yes this is the kins of we love in our family. with fresh light flavors! I thought you told the light was not good to take photographs, but they all look so beautiful Nadia!
I totally agree with what you mean with the weather and taking photos, it makes a massive difference when there is a bit of cheery weather around even to the photos themselves.. but still you manage to take great photos!
Love the lemon adding some colour to the plate, lovely presentation as usual and the cake looks nice and soft and yummy
Hope the move goes well!
Yum! Looks so melty in the mouthy…wish i could eat it!!!
This is just the kind of cake that I would love to have waiting for me as I move into a new place and a new town! You should take some of it with it as you move! 🙂
Nadia, this looks so fresh! And such great pics. Looks like the perfect way to kick off spring. going to have to try this one!
That looks so tasty. I love that it calls for brown sugar.
Yum…so springy and fresh! It snowed in my city today, so I’d at least like some spring food if the weather won’t cooperate.
This looks like such a great way to wait and hope for summer soon! And what a lovely way to say goodbye to your kitchen for a while. Can’t wait to see what you come up with in the new place (safe travels, friend)! 🙂
Its my kind of cake would love a slice with my hot cup of Tea right now.
I had to bookmark this before I even commented! Love this cake and I love your measuring cups!
Pretty pretty pictures Nadia.I love the turquoise & yellow contrast..both are my fav colors.Its so cold out there? Yest we were already into 90s..almost hot here.I love this light cake..almst all my fav flavors.All thes best for the move..take care n settle soon.
The cake looks very yummy. I usually make lemon mint cake a lot and this looks similar except you used yogurt which sounds amazing 🙂
This looks amazing…I am not a baker at all but I love cakes in loaf form with milk too! I love that the ingredient list is not at all complicated and that I probably have all the ingredients. Thanks for the cheery pictures, too, we are still cold here in Pennsylvania but hopefully a little more spring-like!
That looks so yummy! I love it with a cold glass of milk
NADIA OMG I’ve been really busy recently and haven’t had time to sit down and visit but MY GOODNESS LADY your pictures are beautiful. The shot of the cup of flour with the lemon zest in the background — it’s my favorite. I am excited for your move! My aunt lives in Toronto so when I vist I know who to look up 🙂
I love lemon anything — the bright citrus flavors and aromas are so addictive so I can imagine how much I’d eat of this cake in one sitting…So good to be back on track, loved this post!
Looks beautiful. I, too, love milk with cake,too. Sometimes I compromise by making my tea really milky when enjoying cake.
If I was moving there is no way I’d find time to bake anything…least of all a lovely cake like this one. The perfection of this loaf just amazes me! I’m sure the lemony flavor helps beat the chilly temps of Canada. I’m sending some warm vibes your way though, just in case. 🙂
This looks so beautiful and fresh! I adore anything with lemon (and greek yogurt!), so I’m definitely adding this recipe to my list. Luckily here in NYC the weather has behaving itself… it actually finally feels like spring!
Sorry about your weather…this cake looks like Spring though, and so moist. I bet it’s fantastic 🙂
Yum! Your lemon loaf looks delicious…and very spring-like.
How gorgeous and lovely the cake look! Glad to have found this space following a Tweet.
i just found your blog, and i’m so glad i did! it’s been such a joy to look through. just subscribed via e-mail and i look forward to more beautiful things to come.
i’m a lemon fanatic, so this cake is right up my alley, too.
I looove the pictures! And the cake just sounds fantastic! Me wants to bake now 🙂
I really love the top photo. Lemon cake is the best isn’t it! Looks delicious by the way, but I’m sure you knew that already.
WIsh I had a slice now! Gladly, I have the ingredients on hand and look forward to baking it tomorrow. Just came across your site and am enjoying my visit! Will be back for more recipe inspiration. Thank you.
What a beautiful cake…the light yellow touch is so appealing…like a daffodil 🙂 The top photo is simply lovely as well.
this looks gorgeous !! even the name sounds heavenly! thank you for sharing this.
Hai Dear
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I made this cake and the flavor was out of this world. My only comment is that it seemed like the two different elements (mixer bowl mixture and food processor mixture) didn’t blend together completely and actually separated during the baking process. I think this may be because of the instruction to “swirl” them together. I was thinking next time I would just beat it all together before pouring it into the bake pan. Did you experience anything like this at all?
Hey Emily,
Thanks so much for your comment and feedback! I swirled in the cream cheese mixture and didn’t experience any separating. You can definitely incorporate the cream cheese mixture into the batter completely rather than just swirling it in. I hope when you try that technique the cake will come out uniformly. I swirled it in because I like the pockets of cream cheese and lemon zest, but either way the flavor will be the same. Thanks again for trying out the recipe. 🙂
Nadia