French Yogurt Cake
★★☆☆☆
Ingredients
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- ½ cup ground almonds (or substitute ½ cup additional all-purpose flour)
- 2 teaspoons double-acting baking powder
- Pinch of salt
- 1 cup sugar
- Finely grated zest of 1 lemon
- ½ cup plain whole milk yogurt
- 3 large eggs
- ¼ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- ½ cup flavorless oil (canola or safflower)
- For the glaze:
- ½ cup lemon marmalade, strained
- 1 teaspoon water
Instructions
- 1. Center a rack in the oven and preheat to 350°F. Generously butter an 8½×4½-inch loaf pan and place on a lined baking sheet.
- 2. Whisk together flour, ground almonds (if using), baking powder, and salt in a bowl; set aside.
- 3. In a medium bowl, rub lemon zest into sugar with fingertips until sugar is moist and aromatic.
- 4. Add yogurt, eggs, and vanilla to the sugar mixture. Whisk vigorously until very well blended.
- 5. Still whisking, stir in the dry ingredients, then switch to a large rubber spatula and fold in the oil. The batter should be thick, smooth, and have a slight sheen.
- 6. Scrape batter into prepared pan and smooth the top.
- 7. Bake 50-55 minutes, or until cake begins to pull away from pan sides, is golden brown, and a knife inserted in center comes out clean.
- 8. Transfer pan to a rack and cool 5 minutes. Run a blunt knife between cake and pan sides, then unmold and cool completely right-side up.
- 9. For glaze: Heat marmalade with 1 teaspoon water in a small pot or microwave until hot and liquefied. Using a pastry brush, gently brush cake with glaze.
This cake improves after one day and can be stored at room temperature for at least 4 days when wrapped well. Traditional French serving includes sweetened crème fraîche, but it pairs well with fresh soft fruits, berries, lemon cream, or chocolate mousse. Can be frozen up to 2 months if unglazed. The recipe allows for substituting ground almonds with additional flour if preferred.
Wine Pairing: Dessert Wine