You have to love a good cookbook. You have to really love a regional cookbook. I remember my grandmother having a small stack of regional cookbooks that were either from her christian friends that were selling homemade collections for church, or just a cookbook she’d found at the store that contained recipes she hadn’t tried yet. I’ve said it time and time again, I get my culinary spirit from that woman. When the family and I went on a weekend trip to Lancaster, PA last year, I had to grab a small Pennsylvania Dutch cookbook. I tore through it as soon as we got it, but never made anything from it. Last week, that all changed. I found a recipe for Cinnamon cake and loved the premise. But, since it’s me, I knew that I had to jazz it up and change around the ingredients to fit our taste. This recipe for cinnamon yogurt bundt cake is perfect with marinated seasonal fruit and fits any season.
Confession: the original recipe for this cinnamon cake was not of the bundt variety. When it comes to spring, I always think of bundt cakes. I think it’s because strawberries are in season, so I envision pound cake topped with those delicious rubies, along with a dollop of whip cream. Spring needs a good bundt.
When I decided to change the recipe to cinnamon yogurt bundt cake, I knew that it would be a key player in our spring and summer dessert. The yogurt was added to help create a light crumb, since I didn’t want to spend the extra money on cake flour. Yogurt is magical.
You can leave the cake plain, or top with a powdered sugar/nutmeg mixture. I used 1/4 cup powdered sugar and 1 teaspoon of ground nutmeg.
Cinnamon Yogurt Bundt Cake
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/1 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 pinch nutmeg
1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
1 cup sugar
2 large eggs, room temperature
1/2 cup plain whole milk yogurt
Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
Sift the first 5 ingredients together into a medium bowl. Set aside.
Add butter to your stand mixer or large bowl, and cream on medium speed. Gradually add sugar, creaming until the butter and sugar mixture os fluffy and light.
Crack eggs and add in one egg at a time, waiting until the first egg is fully incorporated before adding the next one.
Alternately add the dry ingredients in thirds, and the yogurt in halves. Start with the dry ingredients first, and make sure the section you’re adding is fully incorporated before adding the next section.
Once all ingredients are mixed together, place cake batter in a greased (and floured, if you’re paranoid like me) bundt cake pan.
Bake for 35 to 40 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean when inserted into the middle of the cake. Let the cake cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then turn out onto a cake stand or large plate. Sniff, smile and enjoy.