Lemon Yogurt Cake

I have had this recipe for several years.  I love it.  I usually prefer desserts with chocolate, but this cake is light and moist, and hard to resist.  I found it from the Food Network from Ina Garten.  http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ina-garten/lemon-yogurt-cake-recipe/index.html  I love her show The Barefoot Contessa.  I  made this today because Aldi had lemons on sale and I thought it would be a nice dessert for Father's Day tomorrow.

The first time I made it I accidentally left out the oil.  To our surprise the cake was still really good.  I leave the oil out on purpose sometimes, or use half of what the recipe calls for.

Here's the recipe:

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 cup plain whole-milk yogurt (I use vanilla)
• 1 cup sugar
• 3 extra-large eggs
• 2 teaspoons grated lemon zest (2 lemons)
• 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil (I use 1/4 cup, if any)

For the lemon syrup:

• 1/3 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice (bottled works great too)
• 1/3 cup sugar 

For the glaze:

• 1 cup confectioners' sugar
• 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice (bottled is great too)

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease an 8 1/2 by 4 1/4 by 2 1/2-inch loaf pan. (I use 9x5)  Line the bottom with parchment paper. Grease and flour the pan.  (I don't use parchment paper or flour.  The grease spray is all I've felt it needs.)

Sift together the flour, baking powder, and salt into 1 bowl. In another 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, or until a cake tester placed in the center of the loaf comes out clean.
Meanwhile, cook the 1/3 cup lemon juice and remaining 1/3 cup sugar in a small saucepan until the sugar dissolves and the mixture is clear. Set aside.
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 mixture over the cake and allow it to soak in. Cool.
For the glaze, combine the confectioners' sugar and lemon juice and pour over the cake.

Variation

I haven't made this variation, but I saw it on Pinterest, and it sounds delicious.  Add 1 1/2 cups blueberries fresh or frozen (and thawed and rinsed).  Everything else in the recipe stays the same.  Simply mix the blueberries with 1 Tablespoon of flour (this should help keep all of the berries from sinking to the bottom, I think) and mix the blueberries in as the final step before putting the batter in the loaf pan.  I'd guess the time to cook will be slightly longer.