Yogurt cake – Torta allo yogurt
Yogurt cake is one the most common Italian cakes, and I should add the one of the easiest to prepare. With this cake you can measure everything with the yogurt tub as a measuring cup and the cake is done in a blink of an eye.
What I personally like of this cake is its simplicity and the absence of butter, which makes a lighter and healthier but none the less tasty cake. I prefer to use extra virgin olive oil, but if you think it gives the cake a too strong of a taste, you can use vegetable oil instead. I also prefer raw cane sugar instead of granulated white sugar, but again this is up to you.
You can simply make and eat it plain like this or you can use your creativity and add other ingredients that might appeal to you. I’m a classic kind of person so I prefer the original version, however sometimes I like to add thinly sliced apples on top and give them a nice vortex shape. Then I sprinkle them with brown cane sugar and here you have a whole different cake. A friend of mine likes to add chocolate chips in the batter and the result is a richer version. Imagination is the only limit. Try it and please let me know how you prefer it classic or re-elaborated.
Ingredients:
3 extra large eggs
1 cup or 2 yogurt tubs granulated white sugar or raw cane sugar*
1/2 cup or 1 yogurt tub (ml. 125 or 4 oz.) unsweetened plain whole milk yogurt
1/2 scant cup or a scant yogurt tub extra virgin olive oil or vegetable oil
1-1/2 cups or 3 yogurt tubs unbleached all purpose flour (plain flour)
1/2 tsp. grated lemon zest
1/2 tsp. natural vanilla extract
1 tsp. aluminum free baking powder
1/4 tsp. baking soda
powder sugar (optional)
Instructions:
1. Preheat the oven to 350°. Grease a 9-inch spring-form pan with oil. Line the bottom with parchment paper.
2. Beat the egg whites until stiff peaks will form then refrigerate them.
3. Beat the egg yolks with the sugar until lighter in color. The batter won’t be too smooth because there’s not enough liquid yet.
4. Sift the flour, baking powder and baking soda together. Add the first 1/2 cup of flour to the batter, beat at medium speed then switch to high speed.
5. Add the oil then 1/2 cup flour and beat until smooth.
4. Add the last 1/2 cup flour, the vanilla extract, the lemon zest, the yogurt and beat until all the ingredients are well combined. Don’t overwork the batter.
5. Gently fold the egg whites, 1/4 at the time, into the batter until incorporated.
6. Pour the batter into the cake pan and cook for 35-40 minutes. An inserted toothpick comes out clean when the cake is done.
7. Allow the cake to cool, sprinkle it with powder sugar and serve.
Notes:
*If you use raw cane sugar the cake will be less sweet.
Store the cake at room temperature and cover with a plastic wrap to keep it moist.
This Yogurt Cake is now one of our favorites. Its so easy to make and always gets compliments when Gigliola serves it. We like to include strawberries or blueberries with it. Thanks for putting it up on your site.
Dear Michael and Gigliola,
I’m really glad you liked it. Last time I made it I cut the cake in two, I added some sweetened strawberries cut in chunks and then I added ricotta cream. It was simply delicious. Whipped cream would be good too.