Sometimes I go shopping not really knowing what I’m looking for and then I stumble across something that is a true gift.  Something so great I simply can’t picture my life before this item was in it. 

I feel this way about my Midwest is Best Tshirt.  I also feel this way about Meyer Lemons.

Midwest IS Best

I checked out the new Plum Market and there they were- Meyer Lemons.  A  Meyer Lemon is a lemon that made out with an orange and we’re all glad they did. 

Meyer Lemon Yogurt Cake with Pine Nut Crumble

This is from Butter Me up Brooklyn and let me say this person really knows what’s up.   I mean I love the crumbly gobs of heaven that go on my Raspberry Crisp– but why  are these gobs only ever on fruit piles? Why can’t I just stack them right on top of a cake? And why does it always have to be walnuts or almonds- why not go big and just pile it up with some pine nuts?

You’ll need:

Pine nut pile:

0.5 cup flour

0.5 cup brown sugar (I used dark)

0.5 teaspoon salt

1/3 cup toasted pine nuts, roughly chopped (I was a little shy of 1/3 a cup so I added in a few walnuts)

4 tablespoons cold butter cut into small pieces

Zest from two meyer lemons

Cake:

1.5 cup flour

0.5 teaspoons salt

1 cup Greek Yogurt (I used 0% fat Vanilla Yogurt)

0.75 cup sugar

3 eggs

Zest and juice from two Meyer Lemons

0.5 teaspoon vanilla

1/3 cup vegetable oil

Powdered Sugar

Combine all the pine nut pile ingredients except the butter.  Then work the butter into the ingredients until it gets kinda clumpy.  This does not need to be perfect and that’s one of the great things about this cake.  Set this pile in the fridge while you make the rest of the cake.

Mix together the flour, baking powder and salt.  In a separate bowl whisk the yogurt, sugar, eggs, zest, juice, vanilla and oil.  Fold the dry ingredients into the yogurt mixture BARELY.  Let there be clumps remaining, let there be flour- no one cares- just don’t overmix!

Pour into a buttered and floured springform pan.  Spread the pine nut pile mixture on top and bake at 350 for 55 minutes. 

See how easy that was? No special equipment or anything? I broiled the cake for a hot second at the end to brown the top.  Then I let it cool and topped with powdered sugar.  This cake is INSANE.  There is something salty and citrusy about the topping that kinda makes me think of margarita… not sure if that is more a reflection on me rather than the cake but either way it’s delicious.  Super moist, very simple and perfect for summer- make it!