Makes one 8 1/2-inch loaf
Author Aleksandra Crapanzano, who lived in Paris as a child, has written a charming new book about French confections. In “Gateau: The Surprising Simplicity of French Cakes,” he tells the story of a yogurt cake that schoolchildren learn to make at an early age. They empty a small jar of yogurt sold at each market and use the pot as a measuring cup for all the other ingredients that go into the dough. Crapanzano remembers the formula as “1, 2, 3, then 1, 2, 3,” which means 1 cup of yogurt, 2 cups of sugar, and 3 eggs, followed by 1 cup of oil, 2 teaspoons of baking powder, and 3 cups of flour. Here are the cup and tablespoon measurements. The cake is easy and delicious.
| Butter (for pan) | |
| Flour (for pan) | |
| ½ | cup of plain full-fat yogurt |
| 3 | eggs, at room temperature |
| 1 | a teaspoon of vanilla extract |
| Grated zest of 1 lemon, lime or orange | |
| 1 | a cup of sugar |
| 1½ | cups all-purpose or cake flour |
| 2 | teaspoons of baking powder |
| ¼ | a teaspoon of fine sea salt |
| ½ | a cup of canola or grapeseed oil |
1. Set oven to 350 degrees. Butter an 8 1/2 x 4 1/2 inch loaf pan. Sprinkle the pan with flour, tap off the excess.
2. Whisk the yogurt and eggs in a bowl. Beat in the vanilla and lemon, lime or orange zest. Add the sugar and beat to combine. Add flour, baking powder and salt. Beat until smooth. Add the oil and beat until smooth.
3. Pour the batter into the pan and smooth the top. Tap the pan firmly on the counter once to settle the air pockets. Bake the cake for 50 to 55 minutes, or until a notch in the top of the cake is firm to the touch and a skewer inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean.
4. Cool the cake in the pan for 20 minutes. Turn out and place right side up on a wire rack to cool completely.
Sheryl Julian. Adapted from “Gateau: The Surprising Simplicity of French Tarts”
Makes one 8 1/2-inch loaf
Author Aleksandra Crapanzano, who lived in Paris as a child, has written a charming new book about French confections. In “Gateau: The Surprising Simplicity of French Cakes,” he tells the story of a yogurt cake that schoolchildren learn to make at an early age. They empty a small jar of yogurt sold at each market and use the pot as a measuring cup for all the other ingredients that go into the batter. Crapanzano remembers the formula as “1, 2, 3, then 1, 2, 3,” which means 1 cup of yogurt, 2 cups of sugar, and 3 eggs, followed by 1 cup of oil, 2 teaspoons of baking powder, and 3 cups of flour. Here are the cup and tablespoon measurements. The cake is easy and delicious.
| Butter (for pan) | |
| Flour (for pan) | |
| ½ | cup of plain full-fat yogurt |
| 3 | eggs, at room temperature |
| 1 | a teaspoon of vanilla extract |
| Grated zest of 1 lemon, lime or orange | |
| 1 | a cup of sugar |
| 1½ | cups all-purpose or cake flour |
| 2 | teaspoons of baking powder |
| ¼ | a teaspoon of fine sea salt |
| ½ | a cup of canola or grapeseed oil |
1. Set oven to 350 degrees. Butter an 8 1/2 x 4 1/2 inch loaf pan. Sprinkle the pan with flour, tap off the excess.
2. Whisk the yogurt and eggs in a bowl. Beat in the vanilla and lemon, lime or orange zest. Add the sugar and beat to combine. Add flour, baking powder and salt. Beat until smooth. Add the oil and whisk until smooth.
3. Pour the batter into the pan and smooth the top. Tap the pan firmly on the counter once to settle the air pockets. Bake the cake for 50 to 55 minutes, or until a notch in the top of the cake is firm to the touch and a skewer inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean.
4. Cool the cake in the pan for 20 minutes. Turn out and place right side up on a wire rack to cool completely.