Lemony olive oil and cornmeal snacking cake

Somewhere between olive oil cake and cornbread, this is the perfect companion to a cup of coffee.

1 lemon, zested and juiced
1/2 cup granulated sugar (100 grams) + 2 tablespoons for topping
2 eggs
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 cup plain whole milk yogurt
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1 cup cornmeal (120 grams)
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour (180 grams)
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda

1. Preheat your oven to 350°F. Lightly grease a loaf pan.

2. Zest lemon (it should yield ~1 tablespoon of zest) into a large bowl. Add juice from the lemon too (roughly 1/4 cup). Whisk in sugar, eggs, olive oil, yogurt, salt, and cornmeal.

3. To the top of the cornmeal mixture, add flour, baking powder, and baking soda. Use your finger to gently stir them together before combining with the cornmeal mixture below. Avoid overmixing - just mix until no dry spots remain.

4. Pour batter into the prepared pan and sprinkle the top with 2 tablespoons of granulated sugar (don’t skip this part!).

5. Bake for about 45 minutes, until the top springs back when you tap it. The sides will look deeply golden. It’s a moist cake, so it’s easy to under-bake… you may want to pull out a toothpick to double-check that it’s truly done.

6. Allow the cake to sit for 5 minutes in the pan before turning it onto a wire rack to finish cooling. Serve as is, or toasted with salted butter. Store in an airtight container.