The first weekend of 2012 arrived with freshly shucked oysters, crisp California wine, warm sunshine, and some of the best company a person could hope for. It felt like a small coastal celebration: local oysters, fires in the backyard, plentiful burritos and, notably, an abundance of backyard-grown Meyer lemons.
California citrus in a backyard is one of the many small reasons this place is special. Meyer lemons in particular are beloved for their juiciness, slightly sweet flavor and warm golden skin. I was lucky to receive two bags of these freshly picked Meyer lemons and set out to bake.
I had long been imagining a cake that paired lemon with toasted pine nuts. I like simple, flavorful cakes that come together with just a whisk and a bowl, so I wanted to preserve that simplicity while adding a crunchy, buttery pine nut crumble on top. The result is a cake with bright lemon notes, a dense yet tender crumb, and a nutty, crunchy finish from the crumble.
This cake is ideal for a morning treat, an afternoon with tea, or a quiet late-night slice. The ingredients are straightforward but the flavors sing when Meyer lemons and toasted pine nuts come together.
Meyer Lemon Yogurt Cake with Toasted Pine Nut Crumble
Makes one 9-inch cake
Inspired by Ina Garten
For the crumble:
1/2 cup flour
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup pine nuts
4 tablespoons cold butter, cut into small pieces
zest from one Meyer lemon
For the cake:
1 1/2 cups flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup Greek yogurt
3/4 cup sugar
3 eggs
juice and zest from two Meyer lemons
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1/3 cup vegetable oil
Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Generously butter and flour a 9-inch springform pan. Lightly toast the pine nuts in a dry skillet over medium-high heat for 3 to 5 minutes, stirring frequently, until they are fragrant and lightly browned. Transfer to a plate to cool, then roughly chop.
In a small bowl combine the flour, brown sugar, salt and chopped pine nuts. Rub the cold butter into the dry ingredients with your fingertips until large clumps form. Chill the crumble in the refrigerator while you prepare the batter.
In a medium bowl whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt. In a larger bowl whisk the Greek yogurt, sugar, eggs, lemon zest, lemon juice, vanilla and oil until smooth. Gently fold the dry ingredients into the yogurt mixture until just incorporated. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and sprinkle the chilled crumble evenly over the top.
Bake for about 55 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean and the top is lightly browned. Allow the cake to cool slightly before releasing from the springform pan and slicing.