Sunday, February 17, 2013

Whole Wheat Cake

With a patisserie in every neighborhood French women, I am told, are not bakers. Yogurt cake, a beloved French snack, is the exception. There are endless variations but the basic yogurt cake formula uses yogurt, flavored or not and then the empty container as a measure to add 2 parts sugar, 3 parts flour and 1/2 part oil. Mix the wet ingredients together with 2 (or sometimes 3) eggs and then add in the flour already mixed with 2 tsp baking powder and a pinch of salt. The cake, either in loaf pan or 9 inch round bakes at 350) for 50 - 60 minutes. The batter is a perfect base for experimentation -- flavoring with ground almonds, berries, lemon or even chocolate.
My yogurt cake tonight was whole wheat -- much to my dismay I had no white flour in the house. But, we still needed cake. I mixed up the standard batter flavored with orange zest (no lemons in the house either). When the cake had cooled a bit I brushed the top with a syrup of orange juice and powdered sugar to soak some extra flavor and moisture into the cake. Whole wheat flour absorbs moisture readily and can make baked goods dry. I poured a thicker glaze (also of orange juice and powdered sugar in different proportions) over top and garnished my quick cake with toasted almonds. Easy dessert.

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