Yogurt Cake

Yogurt Cake
Source: Maida Heatter's Book of Great Desserts (Andrews & McMeel Publishing, 1999 ed.), pg. 117.

A simple and delicately flavored pound cake that would be great with ice cream or fruit. I served it with Mandarin oranges. The Grand Marnier adds a wonderful touch but an orange glaze would also work well.

If you are using a stand mixer and have two bowls, it will save you some time. The egg whites can be mixed in the second bowl (store it in the freezer to chill the bowl and the whisk while you mix the cake ingredients). If you have only one mixer bowl, you will have to clean it and transfer the cake batter before mixing the egg whites. (The cake can also be made with a hand-held mixer). 

3 cups sifted all-purpose flour
2 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt
1/2 lb. (2 sticks) butter, softened
2 cups sugar
5 eggs, separated
1 cup unflavored yogurt
Finely grated rind of 2 large, deep-colored oranges

Preheat oven to 375. Butter (or spray) a 9 x 3 1/2 inch tube pan. Line the bottom with paper cut to fit. Butter or spray the paper and dust with bread crumbs.  

Sift together the flour, baking powder and salt. Set aside.

Beat the butter slightly.

Reserve 1/4 cup of the sugar and set aside. Gradually add the remaining 1 3/4 cups to the bowl. Beat at medium speed for about 8-10 minutes until the mixture is almost liquid.

Add the egg yolks one at a time, beating well.

Add the yogurt.

Beat well, scraping the bowl to make sure all is mixed well.

On the lowest speed, gradually add the flour mixture.

Remove the bowl from the mixer and stir in the orange rind.

In a clean bowl, beat the egg whites until they hold a soft shape. (A chilled bowl and whisk make the job easier. I always use a whisk attachment when beating egg whites. Start the speed on low for the first 10-20 seconds before increasing the speed to high).

Add the reserved 1/4 cup sugar and continue to beat the egg whites until they are stiff but not dry.

Fold the egg whites into the batter in two separate additions.

Transfer the batter into the prepared pan.

Rotate the pan briskly to level the top of the batter.

Bake for 55 -70 minutes until a cake tester comes out clean. (Check the cake to make sure it is not browing too much on top - if it is, loosely cover it with foil for the last 15 minutes of baking time.) Cool in the pan on a rack for about 15 minutes, then carefully invert the pan to remove the cake. Let the cake cool completely. (If using Grand Marnier, sprinkle the cake with a few tablespoons as soon as the cake comes out of the oven).