Spring Bling Meyer Lemon Almond Cake #SpringSweetsWeek #Sponsored

This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of Nancy's Yogurt, Adams Extract and Spice, 
Melissa's Produce, Dixie Crystals, and SprinklePop, sponsors of #SpringSweetsWeek.
I received complimentary product for the purpose of review and recipe development,

but all opinions are honest and they are my own. This page may contain affiliate links.

Here we are at Day Three of #SpringSweetsWeek. You can read more about the prizes and enter the giveaway at the bottom of this post. Today I will be sharing a recipe made with items from several of our event sponsors, including: Nancy's Yogurt, Adams Extract and Spice,  Melissa's Produce, Dixie Crystals, and SprinklePop.* But first, all of today's posts...

• Baked Carrot Cake Donuts with Cream Cheese Glaze by House of Nash Eats
• Buttermilk Carrot Cake by The Crumby Kitchen
• Carrot Cake Macaron by A Kitchen Hoor's Adventures
• Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars by The Speckled Palate
• Coconut Cream Sweet Rolls by Cooking With Carlee
• Crêpes with Orange Caramel and Mascarpone by Karen's Kitchen Stories
• Easter Dipped Sugar Cookies by A Savory Feast
• Easy Pina Colada yogurt parfaits by Creative Southern Home
• Frozen Yogurt Pie with Cake Mix Crust by Our Good Life
• Key Lime Tart by Sweet Beginnings
• Krispy Peeps Treats by A Day in the Life on the Farm
• Lavender Blueberry Cheesecake Bars by The Gingered Whisk
• Lemon Blueberry Baked Donuts by Palatable Pastime
• Lemon Blueberry Scones by Blogghetti
• Lemon Shortbread Bars by Strawberry Blondie Kitchen
• Lemon Totos by Jolene's Recipe Journal
• Marshmallow Chick Cupcake by Simply Inspired Meals
• Peeps Snack Mix by Home Sweet Homestead
• Rainbow Cookies by Kate’s Recipe Box
• Spring Bling Meyer Lemon Almond Cake by Culinary Adventures with Camilla
• Spring Sugar Cookie Bars by Cookaholic Wife
• Strawberry Cheesecake Brownies by The Tip Garden
• Strawberry Chocolate Chip Buckwheat Pancakes by Crumb Top Baking
• Tres Leches Cake by Kelly Lynn’s Sweets and Treats
• Vegan Raspberry Dark Chocolate Energy Bites by The Baking Fairy
• Welcome Spring Gravity Drip Cake by Hezzi-D's Books and Cooks

Fun, Natural Colors

Adams Extract & Spice is one of the #SpringSweetsWeek sponsors and I was a little sad to find out that they were no longer able to ship to bloggers in California. Something about California regulations. I wasn't surprised by my state's rules, but a little shocked at the timing. I had taken part in two events last year and received product just fine from them. So, maybe it's a new-to-2019 restriction. In any case, I was happy that I still had the food dyes and some of the extracts from a previous event.

So, while I can't get these in California anymore, I loved this set of natural food dyes. I am excited that the green and blue were made with spirulina extract and the yellow made with turmeric. That's definitely my kinda dye. But, as with everything you are using for the first time, there was a learning curve. For instance, the red is a beautiful carmine hue...until you heat it...because it's made with beets. I tested it and it went from red to purple, which was not what I had in mind. Whoops. And everyone commented that the colors fade in the sunlight. So, these aren't as vibrant as colors made with Red No. 40 or Blue No. 1, but I love that they are naturally derived!

I used the spirulina-derived green dye for this and kept the cake away from the sunlight!

Spring Bling Meyer Lemon Almond Cake

Ingredients makes one 9" cake layer (I doubled this for the cake I photographed)

Cake

• 1-1/2 C flour
• 1/2 C ground almonds or almond flour
• 1 t baking powder
• 1 t salt
• 1/4 t baking soda
• zest from two lemons (I used Meyer lemons from Melissa's Produce)
• 3/4 C whole milk plain yogurt (prefer Nancy's Yogurt)
• 1/4 C freshly squeezed lemon juice, approximately from 1 to 2 lemons (I used Meyer lemons from Melissa's Produce)
• 1-1/4 C brown sugar (I used brown sugar from Dixie Crystals)
• 3/4 C olive oil
• 2 large eggs
• 1 t vanilla extract (prefer Adam's Extract & Spice)
• Also needed: butter for greasing pans, parchment paper, 9" cake pan

Meyer Lemon Glaze

• 1 C powdered sugar + more, as needed (I used powdered sugar from Dixie Crystals)
• 2 to 3 T freshly squeezed lemon juice (I used Meyer lemons from Melissa's Produce)
• food coloring, optional (prefer Adam's Extract & Spice)

Finishing

• two marzipan tubes
• sprinkles (prefer SprinklePop)

Procedure

Cake
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Butter a 9" round cake pan and line the bottom with parchment paper. Set aside.

Whisk together all of the dry ingredients in a medium mixing bowl. Whisk together the yogurt, lemon zest, and lemon juice in a separate bowl until very smooth. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the brown sugar and olive oil until well-combined. Add the eggs to the olive oil mixture, one at a time, whisking very well after each, then stir in the vanilla extract. 

Add the dry ingredients and yogurt mixture to the olive oil mixture and whisk until well-combined. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, approximately 40 to 45 minutes. 

Let cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then turn out onto to a wire rack to cool completely.

As I mentioned, I double the cake recipe. To finish, roll the marzipan tubes together to form a disc and place it between the cake layers.

Meyer Lemon Glaze
Add the powdered sugar and lemon juice to a medium mixing bowl and mix until it comes together into a spreadable glaze. If the glaze is too thick, add a couple drops of water until it's thin enough to spread. If it's too thin, add more powdered sugar. Whisk in the food coloring, if using.

To decorate: Spread the glaze over the top of the cake, then scatter with Spring Bling also known as sprinkles!

Let the glaze set before serving. Slice into small slices as this is a rich cake.

The Giveaway*
Click to read all about the prizes at my kick-off post: A PEEP Into Upcoming #SpringSweetsWeek.

a Rafflecopter giveaway Thank you #SpringSweetsWeek Sponsors: Dixie Crystals, Swiss Diamond, Nancy’s Yogurt, Barlean’s, Sprinkle Pop, PEEPS, Melissa’s Produce, and Adams Extracts for providing the prizes free of charge. These companies also provided the bloggers with samples and product to use for #SpringSweetsWeek recipes. All opinions are my own. The #SpringSweetsWeek giveaway is open to residents of the United States who are 18 years of age or older.   All entries for the winner will be checked and verified. By entering you give the right to use your name and likeness. The number of entries received determines the odds of winning. Six (6) winners will be selected. The prize packages will be sent directly from the giveaway sponsors. The #SpringSweetsWeek Bloggers are not responsible for the fulfillment or delivery of the prize packages. Bloggers hosting this giveaway and their immediate family members in their household cannot enter or win the giveaway. No purchase necessary. Void where prohibited by law. This promotion is in no way sponsored, endorsed or administered by, or associated with Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, Twitter or any other social channel mentioned in the #SpringSweetsWeek posts or entry.