Save The Cup

"Ask not what you can

do for your country,

ask what's for lunch."

Orson Welles

Imagine making a cake where the directions suggest that after using the yogurt in the recipe reuse the container. One yogurt container is equal to 1/2 cup and can be used to measure all the rest of the ingredients for this cake. 

In France this cake is called Gateau au yaourt, translated to English: French Yogurt Cake. The May 2012 issue of bon appetit magazine devotes the issue to the Insider's Guide to Paris food and places to eat.  Andrew Knowlton, food editor, posted the following recipe French Yogurt Cake in this current issue. The simplicity and versatility of this cake recipe got my attention. Plus I still had a few lemons left over from another recipe. This cake can be put together in 15 minutes and there are lots of options for adding other ingredients.

   Cook's Notes: I added 2-TB. lemon zest , 3 TB. lemon juice, 2 TB. poppy seeds that were not in original recipe. When the cake was done I poked holes all along the top and sprinkled on powdered sugar. A lemon glaze could be substituted for powdered sugar. This recipe can also be found online and after reading several reviews other suggested options that can be added are at end of recipe.

 French Yogurt Cake

Ingredients:

• 1-1/2 cups flour
• 2 tsp. baking powder
• 3/4 tsp. kosher salt
• grated lemon zest 2 TB.
• 3/4 cup Greek yogurt
• 1/2 cup oil
• 2 large eggs
• 1 tsp. vanilla
• my additions: 3 TB. lemon juice-2 TB. poppy seeds

Directions:

• Preheat oven to 350
• Spray PAM to a loaf pan
• In a large bowl whisk flour, baking powder, salt, lemon zest
• Whisk together in another bowl yogurt, oil, eggs, vanilla, lemon juice 
• Using a whisk just till blended combine dry and wet ingredients together 
• Pour into prepared pan and bake 40 minutes-check center with a wooden toothpick
• Slice cake, top with diced strawberries and a dollop of whip cream

Some added options before baking

• 1 cup frozen blueberries or raspberries
• 1-1/2 cups dried cherries simmered in 1/3 cup brandy