mmmmm....Yogurt Cake

Ok, so start the drum rolls.....  Here is the first recipe.  The lucky one out of all of my recipe children.  It is a traditional French cake that is light and simple.  I made it for a church potluck.  It is from the cookbook, "Chocolate and Zucchini" by Clotilde Dusoulier.  She is my inspiration for this whole blog.  I started reading her blog about a year ago and fell in love with the concept and the idea.  Her pictures are elegant. Her style of writing is sophisticated and quite enjoyable to read.  I purchased her cookbook and it is one of my favorites.  She took the pictures of the recipes in it herself.

 This is called Gateau Au Yaourt (yogurt cake), and it is very easy to make.  I had almost all of the ingredients on hand and had to purchase the whole milk yogurt and the very small amount of rum.  Those small bottles are a brilliant idea!   Of course I baked the cake in 90 degree weather and I spilled almost my entire bottle of vanilla extract, but I think the cake came out looking delicious!  I did use all the ingredients that were called for.  I usually forget one of the ingredients at the store and throw the recipe together anyway.  But not this time!  I did it all the right way.

GATEAU AU YOAURT ( Yogurt Cake)




½ cup vegetable oil, plus 1 tsp to grease the pan
1 cup plain unsweetened yogurt, preferably whole milk
1 cup sugar
2 large eggs
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
1 Tbs light or amber rum (optional)
1 2/3 cups all-purpose flour
1 ½ tsps baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1 good pinch of fine sea salt




1.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Grease the sides of a 10-inch round cake pan or spring form pan with oil and line the bottom with parchment paper if the pan is not spring form.

2.  In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the yogurt and sugar.  Add the eggs one by one, beating will after each addition.  Add the vanilla, oil and rum, if using, and whisk again.

3. In another bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.  Pour the flour mixture into the yogurt mixture, and whisk until just combined.

4.  Pour the batter into the prepared cake pan and bake for 35 to 40 minutes, until the top is golden brown and a knife inserted in the center comes out clean.  Transfer the pan to a cooling rack and let stand for 10 minutes.  Run a knife around the pan to loosen.  If you’re using a spring form pan, unclasp the sides.  Otherwise, flip the cake onto a plate and flip it back on the rack.  Serve slightly warm or at room temperature.