Make Ahead
Lemon Yogurt Tea Loaf
- Prep time 1 hour
- Cook time 35 minutes
- makes 5 small tea loaves
Author Notes
I got the original version of this recipe from a woman named Christine when we were both working at a small vegetarian restaurant in Paris more than 40 years ago. Christine was an American also, and she was a terrific cook. (I worked with her in the kitchen on Saturday mornings and waited tables at lunch in exchange for a free meal. Ah, those student days!)
Christine made this cake with whole wheat flour, and she glazed it with a lemony sugar syrup. I found it highly addictive at the time. I’ve adapted the recipe, using white flour and dispensing with the sticky glaze, to make it lighter and simpler. It’s perfect for afternoon tea, and these small loaves are great for giving. For the best flavor, make it a day ahead. —Margot Mustich
What You'll Need
Ingredients
-
2 ½ cups
unsifted all-purpose flour
-
1 ½ teaspoons
baking soda
-
1 pinch
fine sea salt
-
8 ounces
(2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
-
1 ¾ cups
granulated sugar
-
3
large eggs
-
8 ounces
plain low-fat yogurt
-
1 ½ tablespoons
fresh lemon juice
-
1 tablespoon
grated lemon zest
Directions
- Preheat the oven to 350° F. Position the oven rack in the lower third of the oven.
- Rub the insides of five 2½" x 5½" x 2¼" loaf pans with solid vegetable shortening. Be sure to coat all sides and corners. Dust lightly with some all-purpose flour, tilting pans in all directions to cover all greased surfaces. Invert the pans and tap to free excess flour. Set aside.
- Sift the flour, baking soda, and salt together. Reserve.
- In an electric mixer, using the paddle attachment, cream the butter on medium speed until smooth and creamy, about 1 minute. With the mixer running, add the sugar in a steady, slow stream. When all the sugar has been added, scrape down the sides of the bowl and up from the bottom. Beat until the mixture is light and fluffy, about 5 minutes more.
- In a large measuring cup, beat the eggs lightly with a fork. Adjust the speed of the mixer down a notch to medium-low and pour the eggs in a little at a time. If the mixture begins to separate or curdle, stop adding the eggs and increase the speed of the mixer just long enough to make the mixture smooth again. Then, back on medium-low speed, add the rest of the eggs. Scrape down the sides and up from the bottom of the bowl and mix once more until light and smooth.
- Remove the bowl from the mixer, and add the remaining ingredients by hand: Alternate the flour mixture and the yogurt, beginning and ending with the flour. Stir the ingredients in with a light hand, taking care not to overwork the batter. Stir in the lemon juice and zest.
- Spoon the batter into the prepared pans and bake for 30 to 35 minutes in the lower third of the oven until the cakes begin to pull away from the sides of the pans and a toothpick inserted into the center of the cakes comes out clean.
- Allow to cool in pans for 5 to 10 minutes. Then loosen the sides with a thin spatula or knife. Tap the pans on all sides to loosen the cake from the bottoms of the pans. Cakes should drop out of the pans easily when inverted. Cool on a rack.
- Note: As with most other cake recipes, it’s best to take the butter, eggs, yogurt, and lemons out of the refrigerator ahead of time so that they’re all at room temperature when you start.
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