Lemon Yogurt Olive Oil Cake
Serves 8 to 10
Julia Childs once said, “A party without cake is just a meeting.” I would say, “What is life without cake?” It’s just plain boring to tell the truth. I preach healthy eating, the use of one-ingredient, fresh foods, and cooking at home instead of processed foods, fad diets, and expensive superfoods. So, you must be asking how I could be advocating for cake.
Follow my two basic rules. Buy fresh simple ingredients and cook at home then cake is a lot healthier than a store-bought cake that is packed with the following ingredients:
Lemon Cake: “Ingredients: Maltitol* And Sorbitol* Syrup, Eggs, Enriched Flour (Bleached Wheat Flour, Niacin, Reduced Iron, Thiamine Mononitrate, Riboflavin, Folic Acid),W Ater, Soybean Oil, Egg Whites, Wheat Flour, Maltodextrin, Modified Food Starch, Pan Release (Soybean Oil, Soya Lecithin (Contains Soybean), Tbhq (Antioxidant), Citric Acid (Chelating Agent), Dimethyl Polysiloxane (Antifoam Agent)), Lemon Juice Concentrate, Lemon Pulp Cells, Lemon Peel, Lemon Oil, Soybean Oil With Glyceryl-Lacto Esters of Fatty Acids, Mono- And Diglycerides, And Tbhq to Help Protect Flavor, Sodium Acid Pyrophosphate, Baking Soda, Salt, Natural And Artificial Flavor, Monocalcium Phosphate, Monohydrate, Propylene Glycol Monostearte, Monoglcyerides, Sodium Steroyl Lactilate, Calcium Silicate, Ascorbic Acid, Citric Acid, Turmeric (For Color), Sorbic Acid (Preservative), Soybean Lecithin, Xanthan Gum, Guar Gum, Acesulfame Potassium, Sucralose. Allergy Information: This Product Was Produced On Equipment That Also Processed Products That Contain Tree Nut Products. *Maltitol And Sorbitol Are Polyhydric Alcohols That Metabolizes Slower Than Sugar. Diabetics Should Consult Physician Before Incorporating New Foods Into Their Meal Plan”.
Yes, this is the actual list of ingredients for a store-bought cake purchased at a neighborhood store.
So yes, you can have your cake and eat it to.
Ingredients:
1 ½ cups white whole wheat flour
¾ cup sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
¼ teaspoon fine salt
2 lemons, finely grated zest and juice of
½ cup plain Greek yogurt (I use Siggi’s® Triple Cream Icelandic-Style Strained Yogurt Vanilla)
½ cup extra-virgin olive oil
½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
2 large eggs
How to make:
Preheat the oven to 350◦F. Line a 2lb loaf tin with parchment paper. Sieve the flour, baking powder, sugar and salt into a medium bowl.
Place the lemon zest, juice, yogurt, olive oil, vanilla and eggs into a large bowl. Whisk until well blended. Fold the flour mixture into the egg mixture until just incorporated.
Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Bake until a cake tester inserted in the center comes out clean, about 50 to 60 minutes. Cool in the pan on a wire rack for 5 minutes. Unmold and cool to room temperature. Slice and serve.