Yogurt Loaf Cake with Coriander and Orange
An easy yogurt cake often baked by French children, with a moist crumb and an added fragrant, zesty lift.
- Makes1 8½-inch loaf cake
- Cook Time1 hour
- Active time plus cooling15 minutes active, plus cooling
- 20
In France, gâteau au yaourt, or “yogurt cake,” is a dead-simple anytime cake that uses an entire container of yogurt, then employs the empty container as the measuring device for the flour, sugar and oil. The crumb is fine and moist, similar to a pound cake, but not nearly as rich. Since there is no standardized sizing for yogurt in the U.S., we devised a recipe with conventional measurements, and we flavored the cake with ground coriander and grated orange zest. Toasting the coriander softens its flavor and brings out its aroma; in a small skillet over medium, toast the spice, stirring often, until fragrant, 3 to 5 minutes, then transfer to a small bowl or plate to cool. Macerated fresh berries are the perfect accompaniment to the cake. Toss sliced fresh strawberries, raspberries and blueberries with a little sugar and let stand until juicy. Tightly wrapped and stored at room temperature, the cake will keep for up to three days.
Don’t forget to flour the loaf pan after misting it with cooking spray to ensure the cake doesn’t stick. Make sure to invert the baked cake out of the pan after about 10 minutes of cooling. This also will help prevent sticking as well as prevent the sides from becoming too moist. And the cake will cool faster, too.
Step 1
Heat the oven to 350°F with a rack in the middle position. Mist a 8½-by-4½-inch loaf pan with cooking spray, dust evenly with flour, then tap out the excess.
Step 2
In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, coriander and salt. In a large bowl, whisk the eggs, sugar and orange zest until well combined and lightened in color, about 1 minute. Add the yogurt and vanilla, then whisk until well combined. Add the oil and whisk until homogenous. Add the flour mixture and whisk just until no streaks remain. The batter will be very fluid.
Step 3
Pour the batter into the prepared pan and sprinkle evenly with the remaining 2 teaspoons sugar. Bake until a toothpick inserted at the center of the cake comes out with few crumbs attached, 40 to 45 minutes.
Step 4
Let the cake cool in the pan on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Invert the cake onto the rack, lift off the pan and turn the loaf upright. Cool completely, about 1½ hours, before slicing and serving.
