This recipe is from "Lunch in Paris" which is a self-described love story with recipes. This is one of the first things French children learn to bake.
Ingredients:
1 cup plain yogurt (whole milk, please!)
1 cup sugar
A large pinch of sea salt
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/3 cup vegetable oil
2 large eggs
1 2/3 cups flour
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
Zest of 1 lemon
One 16-ounce can apricots, drained and quartered
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Lightly oil a 10 inch round cake pan and line it with parchment paper.
In a medium mixing bowl, combine the yogurt, sugar, salt and vanilla, whisking until smooth. Add the oil in a steady stream, whisking to incorporate after each addition. Add the eggs one by one, whisking to incorporate after each addition.
Shift together the flour, baking powder, and baking soda; add to the yogurt mixture; whisk lightly to combine. Stir in the lemon zest.
Transfer the batter to your cake pan; top with the chopped apricots. Bake on the center rach of the oven for 40-45 minutes, until golden brown and slightly risen. A toothpick in the center should come out clean.
Lift with cake by the parchment paper onto a wire rack to cool. Serve slightly warm or at room temperature. This cake actually gets moister with age, so it tastes great the next day. Simply cover the fully cooled cake with aluminum foil; an airtight container or plastic bag will make it soggy.
Yield: Makes one 10-inch cake
Seasonal tip: Yogurt cake is like a blank canvas. Feel free to experiment. Instead of apricots, try fresh raspberries or chopped pears mixed with a bit of brown sugar. You can even use a streusel topping as well.
