Orange Walnut Cake with Greek Yogurt
In addition to cozy, my love (and yours) of which we’ve discussed at length, I have a thing for wholesomeness. This is why, I think, I find myself so drawn to My Antonia, Anne of Green Gables, and fresh baked cookies. There’s something about them that just seems so guileless and innocent, how could there really be anything wrong with them? Who cares about the loneliness, Matthew’s death, or all that butter?
This is also how I feel about a certain sort of cake. It’s a cake with fruit it in and a dense crumb. The kind of cake that goes magically with a cup of tea on a dreary afternoon. The kind of cake that a mother — real or imagined — ought to bake. And the kind of cake that is just right after a rich and boozy dinner. It will soak up all the wine and cream sauce, brighten the air with citrus, and set things right again. Oh, how I wish at this moment there were still a slice in the kitchen.
Orange Walnut Cake with Greek Yogurt
adapted from Body + Soul
Serves 8
1/2 cup olive oil, plus more for pan
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour (spooned and leveled), plus more for pan
1 cup walnuts
1 tablespoon freshly grated orange zest, plus 1 additional teaspoon
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
2 large eggs
1 cup packed light-brown sugar
3/4 cup fresh orange juice
confectioners’ sugar for garnish
1 cup low-fat Greek yogurt
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Brush cake pan with oil, line bottom with parchment; oil and flour parchment and pan. Place walnuts in food processor and pulse until finely ground (be careful not to overprocess); set aside.
In a large mixing bowl, whisk together orange zest, flour, baking powder, salt, and ground walnuts. Make a well in the center of flour mixture and stir in eggs, brown sugar, orange juice, and oil until just moistened. Be careful not to overmix.
Pour batter into prepared pan and bake until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean, 40 to 45 minutes. Let cool in pan 10 minutes; transfer to a cooling rack to cool completely.
In a small bowl, stir together yogurt with remaining teaspoon orange zest. Before serving, dust cake with confectioners’ sugar. Serve with yogurt.
Margaret: Oooh- yum! Pretty photo as well. I think this will go on the list for my dinner party next week as the ‘healthy’ dessert.
I love the smell of citrus in the kitchen (the real stuff, not the cleaning supplies)…1 year ago
Margaret, I’m very impressed that Sebastian managed to take such a pretty photograph in the midst of our dinner party last weekend. And this cake really does smell divine.1 year ago
Lisa (dinner party): This is so something I would love.1 year ago
Jessica: Hooray for literary wholesomeness! My mother had a scary car accident that left my family really shaken 2 years ago. My sister and I were both home and one night she came into my room and said she needed a book that would make everything feel safe. I suggested the Little House books, and we both re-read the entire series. Living in their world (never mind the blizzards and locusts!) for a while made everything feel so much more comfortable
And has inspired many lasting jokes about wanting to go live on a claim shanty when things get rough!1 year ago
Adrienne: Aaah, yes, citrus cake! I made the french yogurt cake (of organette fame) with a couple of meyer lemons the other day and I’ve been eating it for breakfast with plain yogurt. Delicious.1 year ago
Lisa, Yes, I believe it is!
Jessica, I can so identify with your story. I love to haul out those books when times are tough. In fact, Marie Howe wrote a great article about just this very thing recently that I think you’d like: http://www.oprah.com/spirit/Reading-Little-House-on-the-Prairie-With-My-Daughter-Marie-Howe
Adrienne, Molly’s cake sounds divine!1 year ago
lindsey clare: i love citrus and walnuts in baked things. and i love serving cake with yoghurt instead of cream. i think this is because i like my desserts on the not-overly-sweet end of the scale.
i look forward to trying this recipe one day!1 year ago
Samantha Angela @ Bikini Birthday: mmm… yoghurt with cake! sounds great. i’ve been all about putting plain yoghurt on things lately. yesterday it was on my mardi gras pancakes. tonight it was in a grilled veggie wrap.1 year ago
Christine H.: Mmmmmm, sounds delicious! I’ve got a bowl full of oranges & walnuts lying around—I do believe I will be making this sometime this week. You do know exactly what I love, Sarah.
1 year ago
Sara Rose: Mama loves orange cake. Mama must make this cake. NOW.1 year ago
CurvyGurl: Hi Sarah
I made this cake this morning, subing almonds for walnuts, using a gluten-free flour blend, and reducing the sugar by 1/3. It was a huge hit! I am happy (sorry?) to report every last crumb has been eaten by family and friends. Definitely a keeper. It was quick to make, to boot.
If I get courageous, I might even sub part of the oil for yogourt, to make it lower in fat.
In any case, this is one fantastic cake. Thanks so much Sarah! I am a loyal fan of your blog. (BTW — since you posted on sardines, I can’t stop eating them. Yum yum).
Curvy1 year ago
beth: does this book teach you self control? i.e., how to not EAT every single bit you cook and save some leftovers for the next meal?
that’s my problem…1 year ago
Ellen: Made this cake and really liked it. The yogurt was a good compliment to the orange zest. Thanks for sharing this recipe.1 year ago