Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Coat a loaf pan with cooking spray and then dust with flour, tapping out the excess.
In a small bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt.
In a medium bowl, using your fingers, rub the sugar together with lemon zest until sugar is moist.
Add yogurt, vegetable oil, eggs and vanilla extract to sugar mixture and whisk until well blended.
Fold in dry flour mixture just until blended and fully incorporated (do not overmix).
Pour batter into prepared pan and , and smooth top. Bake until top of cake is golden brown and tester inserted into the center comes out clean, about 50-55 minutes (every oven is different so check with cake tester at 40 - 45 minutes to not overcook). Let cake cool for 15 minutes before inverting onto a wire rack to finish cooling.