Lemon Yogurt Cake with Blueberry Sauce

How I miss reading food blogs. Lately my Google reader-ship has been taken over with wedding blogs and articles. Delving back into my food blogs this weekend yielded a treasure of "to try" recipes. I found one on my favorite Smitten Kitchen that begged me to go out and bake it that day. Hers was lime/blackberry, I adapted to include the fresh blueberries and home grown lemons I had on hand.



My baking endeavors started with me looking for the springform pan for a good 10-15 minutes. Lovely. But I was determined to make this cake. Mother's Day was around the corner so I got to baking Saturday night so I could surprise my mom in the morning, and also bring an extra cake to church for lunch. A note for those who don't have a microplane to zest your lemons...a serrated knife works decently, but it definitely is a labor of love. One that is serrated but not too deeply notched works best for scraping .


This recipe requires both baking soda and baking powder. Be sure not to mix them up in your measurements. =) One it's added to form the cake batter, you'll notice the batter might look airier/fluffier. This is probabbbbly because the acidity int he lemon and the yogurt will begin reacting with baking soda immediately. So don't wait too long before you pop it in the oven.

A note on the blueberry puree. I had one 6 oz. box, and I started out with adding just a bit of sugar until it was sweet enough. The original recipe called for more sugar and a bit of water, but perhaps blackberries are more tart. I felt that the blueberries had enough liquid to not need extra water.

Voila! Lest you worry that this cake is lacking because of the yogurt...fear not....it's full fat yogurt. =) The cake is moist and the tanginess of the yogurt adds something nice to the cake. It's sweet but not too sweet and it's got a bit of a dense crumb but without being too heavy. It's got a nice almost...chew to it. I don't know how to describe it or if it was because of the yogurt, but it's yummy and got a great texture. Bon appetit!

Lemon Yogurt Cake with Blueberry Sauce
Adapted generously from Smitten Kitchen

Cake:
1 cup whole milk plain unsweetened yogurt
1/3 cup olive oil (or vegetable oil)
1 cup sugar
zest of one lemon
1/4 cup lemon juice
2 eggs
1 2/3 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/8 teaspoon salt

Sauce:
6 ounces fresh blueberries (either fresh or frozen is okay; feel free adapt with any other berry)
2-3 tablespoons sugar
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
water (if needed)

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease the sides of a 9-inch round cake pan or springform pan with oil and completely line the bottom with parchment paper if the pan is not springform. You’ll need the parchment paper to get the cake out so don’t forget it! A 9-inch cake pan will likely yield a thicker cake than a larger springform. I used a springform in the photos below.
2. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the yogurt, oil, sugar, lime zest and juice. Add the eggs one by one, whisking well after each addition. Sift flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt together; stir into yogurt batter until just combined.
3. Pour the batter into the prepared cake pan and bake for 35 to 40 minutes, until the top is golden brown and a knife inserted in the center comes out clean. Transfer the pan to a cooling rack and let stand for 10 minutes. Run a knife around the pan to loosen. If you’re using the springform pan, unclasp the sides. Otherwise, flip the cake onto a plate and flip it back on the rack. Serve slightly warm or at room temperature.
4. Combine blueberries, sugar, and lemon juice in blender or food processor. I recommend adding half the sugar and the rest a bit at a time until desired sweetness is reached. Purée until very smooth, and add water if sauce if not to the consistency you desire. If you like, you can press the sauce through a fine mesh strainer to yield a completely smooth sauce, but I liked the look of the sauce without straining. Refrigerate until serving with cake.

Note: I believe the cake should keep well for about 2-3 days, wrapped in plastic at room temperature. The sauce can be made up three days in advance, as well. It can also be frozen for future use, or mixed into any leftover yogurt you might have! Yumyum.