Lime Yogurt Cake

I love St. Paddy's day and every year I usher in spring with a St. Paddy's day lunch for some girl friends and family. I almost skipped it this year. I have been so busy. At the last minute I decided I needed to be with my girls. I am so grateful I kept this yearly date. It was a blast. We giggled, ate and dreamed of green. (We are a little sick of the white stuff here in Southern Utah.)

I served up my typical fare, Chicken Pesto Alfredo, salad and yummy bread but I changed up the dessert to include this Lime Yogurt Cake with lime sherbet and hot fudge sauce. It was refreshingly decadent and surprising. I actually got the recipe for Lemon Yogurt Cake from the "All You" magazine but I decided to give it a little kick by changing a few of the ingredients.

This cake was so easy to make. And while it plays to the green theme, it also has ambitions to be used as a spring dessert in homes everywhere. Give it a try and don't forget to top it with some lime sherbet and hot fudge sauce (preferably dark chocolate).

1 1/2 Cups all-purpose flour
3 TB cornmeal
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
2 tsp poppy seeds
3/4 Cup sugar
1/4 Cup lime juice
3/4 Cup lowfat lime yogurt
1/3 Cup vegetable oil
1 large egg
1/2 tsp vanilla

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9x5 loaf pan.  Mix together flour, cornmeal, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Mix in poppy seeds. In a separate bowl whisk, sugar, lime juice, yogurt, egg, and vanilla. Stir flour mixture into yogurt mixture. until just combined.

Pour batter into pan and bake for 45 to 50 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Let cool in pan on wire rack for ten minutes. Then remove from pan and let cool completely. Top with a scoop of lime sherbet and hot fudge sauce.