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Happy Birthday to Lis!
Date: Nov. 8th 2007
Category: Cakes, Cheesecakes, Cupcakes and Muffins
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Today is the spectacular Lis’ birthday!
I regularly thank my lucky stars for the day that I first met one of the nicest people I’ve ever had the pleasure of knowing. Lis of La Mia Cucina is a friend, a sister, a confidante, a problem solver, a listener, a buddy and a sweetheart.
For her birthday, I want to share with her (and all of you) a yogurt cake for the ages. Like Lis, this cake is warm, wholesome, comforting and oh-so-sweet.
Happy birthday, Lis!
Ciao!
The Best Yogurt Cake
From Dorie Greenspan’s Baking: From My Home to Yours (with a few tweaks).Note: I’d never heard of yogurt cake until shortly after I received my copy of Dorie’s book. Of course who else but the great Dorie Greenspan to inspire one to take a glorious cake and make it even more glorious?! I’ve changed the lemon flavour of the original to an orange flavour, enhanced with the addition of Grand Marnier. This cake will serve 6 to 8 (or one very greedy Cream Puff) and will keep for several days.
For the cake:
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup cake and pastry flour (sifted)
2 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup vanilla sugar (if you don’t have vanilla sugar, just use a whole cup of granulated sugar)
grated zest of an orange
1/2 cup plain yogurt (don’t use low fat yogurt)
3 large eggs
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
2 tbsp. Grand Marnier
1/2 cup canola oilPreheat the oven to 350 degrees F. and butter a small loaf pan (8 x 4 inches or similar size).
In a bowl, combine the flours and the baking powder.
In another bowl, combine the sugar and the orange zest. This is an interesting way of introducing zest into a cake. Rub the zest into the sugar so that it’s fragrant.
Add the yogurt, eggs, vanilla extract and Grand Marnier to the sugar/zest mixture. Whisk until smooth.
Slowly add the dry ingredients, whisking all the while to ensure there are no lumps.
Add the oil mixing carefully until the you have a smooth batter.
Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake for 45 to 50 minutes, testing for doneness with a cake tester or a toothpick.
Transfer the cake to a wire rack and let cool for about 10 minutes before carefully unmolding. Once unmolded, glaze the cake.
For the glaze:
1/2 cup apricot jam (or any jam or marmalade of your choice)
1 to 2 tsp. Grand Marnier (enough to make it a smooth glaze that will pour rather easily)Heat the jam and the Grand Marnier in a small saucepan. Stir until you have a smooth mixture that will pour easily.
Immediately pour it over the unmolded cake, using a brush to make sure that you reach all the little nooks.
I like to serve this cake warm, but it’s also very good at room temperature.
Enjoy!
Technorati tags: 
la mia cucina, 
cake, 
yogurt cake, 
dorie greenspan
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11/9/07 at 1:38 am
Hi!
I love yogurt cake!!!
The addition of Grand Marnier seems very good. I’ll try it!
11/9/07 at 4:59 am
I’ve been making Barefoot Contessa’s lemon yogurt cake, which is absolutely sinful with a double glaze. But of course I must try this recipe now, too — if only to taste and compare. Happy birthday, Lis!
11/9/07 at 5:58 am
A yoghurt cake, hum yummy ! Made one two days ago with cocount in it. Happy Birthday to Lis !
11/9/07 at 6:16 am
What a gorgeous cake and a lovely birthday wish.
11/9/07 at 6:19 am
Lovely sweet cake and beautiful Birthday wishes for Lisa!
11/9/07 at 6:49 am
The cake looks great, and aren’t you a wonderful friend. So thoughtful of you!
11/9/07 at 7:38 am
Happy belated Birthday, Lis!
That cake looks gorgeous!
Cheers,
Rosa
11/9/07 at 8:16 am
Lis is lucky to have a friend like you! This looks scrumptious.
11/9/07 at 9:05 am
Happy Birthday, indeed, Ms. Lis. What a lovely birthday gift this post is.
11/9/07 at 9:10 am
Yes, Happy Birthday Lis!! You are lucky you get this yogurt cake to celebrate! It looks delicious!!
11/9/07 at 10:09 am
Fabbo! Printed this off, am definitely going to make this next week. Thanks!
11/9/07 at 10:23 am
What a gorgeous looking yoghurt cake. I must try this version.
Yoghurt-based cakes are one of the few types of cake that you can bake successfully at high altitudes - a great tip for those who like skiing holidays!
11/9/07 at 10:45 am
Oh how I love me some yogurt cake. And a big Happy Birthday to Lis!!!
11/9/07 at 10:58 am
Holy crap!
You’ve made me cry! But in a good way! =)
Thank you so much, my dear sweet sister! You’ve definitely made my day. =)
Love you!
xoxo
PS - Thanks everyone!
11/9/07 at 11:05 am
How sweet of you to bake a cake for Lis. The yogurt element sounds fantastic and I love how you’ve decorated it with a bright pink flower!
11/9/07 at 2:44 pm
I love this cake.
Happy Birthday!
11/9/07 at 4:45 pm
Yum… that looks so good! I first had yogurt cake when I was fourteen and was living in France. I think I could eat the whole thing by myself…
11/9/07 at 4:51 pm
Happy Birthday, Lis! Delicious-looking cake, Ivonne.
Paz
11/9/07 at 6:30 pm
Yummy!
11/10/07 at 8:13 am
That looks delicious! I love how moist yogurt cakes are.
11/10/07 at 9:51 am
Ivonne, what a wonderful cake you baked for your wonderful friend! It looks divine.
Happy Birthday Lisa!
11/10/07 at 9:19 pm
What a wonderful cake. I love how it glistens. I could have gone for a slice of that on this chilly Seattle day!
11/11/07 at 1:21 am
Happy Birthday Lis!
11/11/07 at 7:53 am
Happy Birthday to Lis..and your cake is lovely, as always
11/11/07 at 9:34 am
Both a nice cake, and a nice birthday dedication.
11/11/07 at 12:01 pm
What a lovely yogurt-cake in honor of Lis’ birthday!! You’re such a great friend to share this recipe with Lis (and everyone in the blogging world)!
11/12/07 at 9:22 am
A best cake for one of the best gals I know from one of the best bakers I know.
11/12/07 at 3:28 pm
Just wanted to double check about the ingredients. You mentioned 1/2 cup cake and pastry flour. Is that 1/2 cup each? Where can I find pastry flour?
11/12/07 at 3:54 pm
The glaze looks oh so good on your moist looking cake!!!
11/12/07 at 4:39 pm
Oh my this cake looks gorgeous. Must try it! I haven’t made a yoghurt cake before but I have made a sour cream one. The cake looks so moist and utterly scrumptious. I love the flower on it! I am a sucker for presentation.
11/14/07 at 9:51 pm
It’s gorgeous! I love the texture of a yogurt cake. It would never ‘keep for several days’ in my house!
11/18/07 at 7:33 pm
This is gorgeous… Look how moist it is~wow!
11/21/07 at 8:45 pm
HI! Tomorrow is my parents’ anniversary (and Thanksgiving)
and I made them this cake. I glazed it with an orange glaze instead of apricot jam and Grand Marnier. It smelled fantastic and unfortunately, my mom and dad smelled it and they came to investigate the oven. The cat’s out of the bag, but I can’t wait to try it tomorrow!
11/22/07 at 7:02 pm
That is one moist and delicious and beautiful looking cake!
12/17/07 at 1:16 am
[…] since I baked it 3 weeks back I have made them 4 times till now! Real hit isn’t it ? Its a buttermilk cake but the variations I made are as below: 1. I skipped the syrup part and the following *grated […]
01/22/08 at 4:55 am
This looks really inviting & yumm. Have bookmarked to try it ASAP