Easy Lemon Yogurt Cake

I've been waking up early on the weekends. It's just in my blood at this point. I can't help it. And I enjoy it! I wake up, tip toe out of bed, and put something cheesy on Netflix. I make myself a cup of tea, cozy up on the couch, and I'm set. But this past Sunday I had a hankering for something sweet. Not french toast- too boring (if I'd had challah that would be a different story). Not pancakes (too similar to the Chinese scallion pancakes I made the night before). A quick look in the fridge told me what was possible. I had a quart of vanilla yogurt that was a week past its expiration. Now, you may read that line and think EW THROW IT OUT! But come on, everyone knows that for many things, the expiration date is actually a "sell by" date. Not a date on which the product will "expire". This applies especially to yogurt, which can be good for at least two weeks beyond said date. But anyway, it's just as good if you have fresher yogurt; yogurt-past-the-expiration-date is not a requirement for this recipe.

And yes, this satisfied my sweet tooth as a terrific early morning breakfast treat to enjoy as I vegged out on the couch. Reminiscent of my early days as a child in front of the television watching Mickey Mouse Club (those were the days...).

Lemon Yogurt Cake

1 c flour
1/2 c sugar
1/2 t baking powder
1/2 t salt
1 1/3 c yogurt
1/3 c oil
1 egg
1 t vanilla
zest and juice of 1 lemon

Mix dry ingredients in a large bowl. Add the rest of the ingredients and stir well until combined. Bake on 350 for 20-30 minutes, until golden brown on top and inserted toothpick comes out clean.
Cool in pan for 5-10 minutes, then on a cooling rack. Yum.