STRAWBERRY-LEMON YOGURT CAKE
As much as I love going over the top when it comes to baking, shoving dozens of steps into the creation of a solitary dessert, there are days when only simple will do. No mixer, loaf pan kinda simple. Today's that day.
But let's get one thing straight, I didn't skimp on delicious. All the delicious is there in this dump and stir wonder of a supple and moist (ugh) cake. I've not been entirely true to the origins of the French staple upon which this is based, either. I messed with a few ratios and added a few things. Even then, it's dead simple. And delicious. Let's not forget about the delicious.
And in case you've ever wondered what to do with hulled strawberry tops, my top three choices are: (1) freeze them for smoothies, (2) put them in the compost pile or, the last and best option, (3) give them to your chickens. There's nothing better than watching a chicken's goofy run when you tell it they're getting a strawberry snack.
STRAWBERRY-LEMON YOGURT CAKE
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour (I use King Arthur all-purpose)
2 1/4 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup non-fat greek yogurt
1/2 cup neutral oil, such as canola or organic grapeseed oil
2 large eggs, room temperature
1/4 cup whole fat buttermilk
2 tablespoons honey
zest of 1 lemon
1 teaspoon lemon extract
1/2 cup strawberries, hulled and cut into small pieces
Preheat oven to 350ºF. Spray an 8" x 4" loaf pan with a very light coat of non-stick baking spray. Set aside.
Add the lemon zest to the oil and stir to distribute. Set aside.
In a small bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt for about 30 seconds to distribute the leavening. Set aside.
In a mixing bowl, combine the sugar, yogurt, oil with zest, eggs, buttermilk, and lemon extract. Whisk to combine. Sift the flour mixture over the wet ingredients, folding the flour into the batter as you add. Continue folding until the flour is distributed, being careful not to overmix. Fold in the strawberries and transfer the batter to the loaf pan.
Bake for 55-60 minutes on the middle rack, checking the cake at about 45-50 minutes. Insert a toothpick into the middle of the cake to check for doneness. If a few moist crumbs take a ride on the toothpick, it's done. If there's wet batter, bake a few minutes more and test again. If the top gets too brown during the bake, tent with foil.
