I hope you know by now that winter in California is my favorite season. Not necessarily because of the weather-though I do love the years of rainy winters-but because winter is the height of citrus season. Give me all the Meyer lemons, Eurekas, limes, blood oranges, Cara Caras, kumquats, Satsumas, and Navels!
Do you have a tree that prolifically produces citrus? Don't know what to do with the overabundance? Well, I'm your girl! I will happily take the overflow off your hands. What will I do with it? I'll tell you. I'll make curd, marmalade, have fresh-squeezed orange juice for breakfast, and bake a cake. Or two. Or three.
A cake recipe that I come back to repeatedly is the yogurt cake. I first came upon it while reading 'On Rue Tatin' by Susan Hermann Loomis. It is my favorite kind of recipe. One or two bowls, mixing with nary a hand mixer or Kitchen Aid in sight, pour batter into a pan, bake. A yogurt cake is also the kind of cake that tastes better the next day, is totally appropriate to have for breakfast, and gives you the best reason to take tea time in the afternoon.
Don't believe me? Grab some of that winter citrus and try it.
Do you have a tree that prolifically produces citrus? Don't know what to do with the overabundance? Well, I'm your girl! I will happily take the overflow off your hands. What will I do with it? I'll tell you. I'll make curd, marmalade, have fresh-squeezed orange juice for breakfast, and bake a cake. Or two. Or three.
A cake recipe that I come back to repeatedly is the yogurt cake. I first came upon it while reading 'On Rue Tatin' by Susan Hermann Loomis. It is my favorite kind of recipe. One or two bowls, mixing with nary a hand mixer or Kitchen Aid in sight, pour batter into a pan, bake. A yogurt cake is also the kind of cake that tastes better the next day, is totally appropriate to have for breakfast, and gives you the best reason to take tea time in the afternoon.
Don't believe me? Grab some of that winter citrus and try it.
Orange Yogurt Cake
Makes one 9 inch loaf
Adapted from Jo Cooks Lemon Yogurt Cake recipe
For cake batter:
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup plain yogurt
3/4 cup sugar
3 eggs
2 tsp orange zest
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 cup canola oil
For glaze:
1/3 cup orange or tangerine juice
1/3 sugar
Pre-heat oven to 350°. Line a loaf pan with parchment, leaving a bit of an overhang to easily remove cake from pan. Grease short ends of pan. Whisk flour, baking powder, and salt in a mixing bowl. In a larger bowl, add eggs, sugar, oil, and orange zest. Whisk until incorporated. Add extract and yogurt, making sure all ingredients are mixed well. Add dry ingredients to wet and mix. Pour batter into loaf pan.
Bake for 50-60 minutes until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. While cake is baking, make a simple syrup with the 1/3 cup orange or tangerine juice and 1/3 cup sugar. Heat over medium flame until sugar melts. Remove from heat and allow to cool.
When cake is done, allow to cool for at least 10 minutes before removing from pan. Place cake on a cooling rack over a cookie sheet. Poke a few holes into the top of the cake, then pour syrup over cake. Allow syrup to seep into cake.
Sprinkle with confectioners sugar and serve. You can make candied peel and garnish with that also.
