Recipe: Orange Yogurt Cake
I have been reading a lot of recipes lately and I have been trying to experiment with different ingredients. I love the combination of regular flour with semolina flour that makes the texture a bit gritty. Usually, these orange yogurt cakes with semolina all the recipes call for the substitution of butter with olive oil. In my home that was totally rejected. Butter is the champion for all desserts. I have to say that I totally agree being a lover of butter. This is not very different from other recipes, but I have been enjoying the new flavors and textures. I have also enjoyed the pleasure this cake has given to my family and friends.
Orange Yogurt Cake
Makes: 1 cake (8” x 3”)
Preparation: 20 minutes active | 50 minutes hour baking
1 ½ cups flour 3 eggs
½ cup semolina flour 8 Tbsp. (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
2 tsp baking powder ¾ cup Greek Yogurt, at least 5% fat
3/4 cup sugar 1 orange + 1 lemon, zested
½ tsp salt 2 oranges, pulp and juice (remove rind of zested fruit)
1 tsp vanilla
Preheat oven to 350 F.
Cream the butter and sugar together for approximately 10 minutes. Then add the eggs one at a time as well as the vanilla.
Sift together both flours with all the other dry ingredients. Then add the lemon and orange zest. Use clean hands to rub the zest into the flour so that as much as possible the pieces separate into the flour. Your hands will warm the zest so that the oil will seep into the flour enhancing the flavor. (You can skip this if you like and add zest together with the orange pulp).
Gradually add the flour mixture to the wet mixture, alternating with the yogurt. Finally, the orange pulp and juice, making sure that it is fully incorporated into the batter.
Pour into a pan prepared with butter and breadcrumbs (or wax paper including around the sides, or a non-stick cooking spray. Bake, testing for doneness after the specified time. Put back in the oven if the skewer comes out moist for another 5 – 10 minutes. If done, continue to poke holes with a thin bamboo skewer all over the top of and through the cake, remove from pan immediately. Turn cake over in a plate, remove parchment paper if using then poke holes all over the bottom of and through the cake. Bathe while the cake is still hot the bottom and sides with half the hot citrus syrup. Carefully flip the cake back over into another plate – for serving. Using the rest of the hot syrup bathe the top and sides of the cake.
Decorate as you wish once cool. My family likes just powdered sugar or a light citrus glaze.
***Note: You can change up the recipe by adding for example 2 very ripe bananas and only using 1 orange (pulp and juice) that are mashed and added together with the pulp. You will need to leave in the oven an extra 10 minutes as the banana adds additional moisture.
Citrus Syrup
Makes approximately 1 ½ cups of syrup | Preparation: 15 minutes
1 cup orange and lemon juice
1cup sugar
Cook at low heat, stirring frequently until the sugar dissolves. Cook for another 5 minutes until the syrup thickens. Pour immediately approximately ½ of the syrup over the bottom of the hot cake, leaving the other ½ to moisten the top and sides of the cake.
