Bright Yellow Squash Cake

I struggled over whether or not to post this recipe. I made it in an obstinate mood. I refused to look at any recipes even for guidance. I had a big Marina di Chioggia squash, which is a large, heirloom squash that looks like a very big pumpkin but instead of being round and orange, it has bumpy blue-green skin and is a bit more ovular than round. This squash was my last remnant from having worked at the Fort Greene Farmers Market for Hector Tejada at Conuco farms. It had sat on my counter for a number of weeks and so I thought it was ready to be processed. I cut the squash in half, crosswise, and scooped out the seeds of one half (the other half went into plastic wrap in the fridge... maybe soup later this week?). I roasted it on 375 for about 70 minutes, then let it cool before scooping out the flesh and putting it in a container in the fridge.

When I came home from my orientation at the Park Slope Food Coop (yes, I'm now a member! Awesome!), and I had four boys men in my livingroom watching football and screaming every few minutes, I thought baking a squash butter cake would be a good way to occupy myself. (And, I have to say, I had some report writing to do and you know me- what better way to procrastinate than to bake?)

Here is the recipe to the cake, which I devised out of thin air. It's very damp. Moist. I warn you. It's kind of like a kugel with no noodles, because of the egg, mashed squash, and yogurt. But it is freakin tasty. And bright orange-yellow in color. So here it is in case you decide you want to retrace my evening:

1/2 c softened butter
1 c sugar
1 1/2 c mashed squash (I bet you could use canned pumpkin, unseasoned or sweetened)
2 eggs
3/4 c vanilla or plain yogurt
1 t vanilla extract
2 c flour
1/2 t baking powder
1/2 t salt

In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar. Add squash, and mix until combined. Add eggs and beat well, then add yogurt and vanilla. In another bowl, mix dry ingredients together. Add the dry ingredients to the wet, and stir until combined. If the batter is too thin, add flour. If it is too thick to be poured into a loaf pan, add more yogurt. Bake on 350 for 40 minutes. Remove from pan and place on rack to cool.