Orange Yogurt Loaf Cake

I’m a bit short on words today.  Perhaps it’s because I’ve been using so many elsewhere.  I’m currently working on a food styling article for Pixiq, so be on the lookout for that very soon!

In the meantime, here’s my new favorite everyday cake.  Make it when you’re in dire need of sunshine.  It’s an instant mood changer!

Orange Yogurt Loaf Cake                            [click to print]

Loosely adapted from Epicurious

Cake:

1 1/2 cups all purpose flour

2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 cup sugar

1 cup yogurt (I used Chobani plain Greek yogurt)

3 eggs

1/2 tsp vanilla extract

Zest of 2 large oranges, or 2 Tbsp orange zest

1/2 cup oil (I used extra light olive oil for baking)

Glaze:

1/4 cup freshly squeezed orange juice

1 cup powdered sugar

Preheat oven to 350F.  Grease a loaf pan with shortening and set aside.

Sift flour, baking powder and salt together. In a large bowl, whisk together yogurt, sugar, eggs, orange zest, vanilla and oil; gradually whisk in dry ingredients until well blended.  Transfer batter to prepared loaf pan.  Bake for 50 minutes or until a tester comes out clean.  Let the cake cool slightly and  remove from the loaf pan, then immediately return it to the loaf pan.  

In a medium bowl, whisk together orange juice and powdered sugar.  Pour over the loaf cake and let stand until glaze has seeped around the sides and into the top of the cake.

Orange simple syrup:

*This is optional, but I think it makes a pretty presentation and it is a tasty accompaniment too.  

2/3 cup granulated sugar

1 cup water

1 vanilla bean

5-6 citrus fruits (navel oranges, blood oranges, clementines- whatever makes you happy) 

 Wash the whole citrus fruits and pat dry.  Cut away the peels and reserve a few pieces for boiling. (3-4 large).  Place the peeled citrus fruit in a serving bowl, set aside.

In a saucepan, combine the sugar and water and heat over medium-high until sugar has melted. Split vanilla bean and add seeds to the syrup.  Add the bean hull too; boil for 1 minute.  Add the orange peels and boil for 3 minutes. Remove the saucepan from heat, discard orange hulls from the syrup.  

Pour hot syrup over citrus fruit in the serving bowl.  Garnish with vanilla bean hull.  Spoon syrup over orange yogurt loaf cake and serve with slices of citrus.

Note: The type of yogurt you use will determine the texture of the cake.  I used a thick Greek yogurt which made the cake dense like pound cake. You can also get creative and use sweetened and flavored yogurts, but you will need to decrease the sugar content in the batter.