One-Bowl Yogurt and Honey Olive Oil Cake

It’s been…quite a while since I’ve baked.  Or cooked.  Or gone grocery shopping, to be honest.  Life’s been a bit nuts.

And last Sunday I had every intention of actually cooking a real meal that I could use for lunch all week, but as the hours flew by on Sunday I lost all my motivation.  I ended up getting Uber Eats and actually getting to sit and read for a half hour, which was lovely, but then I decided that I needed to bake something to prove that I wasn’t entirely lazy.

Yes, I realize that’s a weird justification, but it was very compelling so I went with it.

The key was, it had to be super easy and fast.  I had just found this recipe on The Kitchn and it checked a lot of boxes for me.  One bowl (and not even the mixer), yay.  Lemon, check.  Add some herbs, check.  Super moist because of the yogurt, check.

I literally threw it together in about 15 minutes, while a hair deep-conditioning treatment was soaking in.  It was fast, easy, and tasted amazing.  My house smelled divine, and it made for lovely leftovers.

The flavor combination is very subtle (very much my style), and a bit of homemade whipped cream or mascarpone cream provides a great texture counterpoint.  I’m looking forward to taking this base recipe and trying some different flavor combos…I’ve got my eye on orange and rosemary next.

Preheat the oven to 325°F.  Yes, 325.  Grease a 9-inch round cake pan or springform pan lightly with oil.  Line the bottom with parchment paper and grease the paper if using a cake pan (going to be honest, I skipped this step and didn’t have any issue).

In a bowl (not with a stand mixer), whisk together the yogurt, olive oil, honey, thyme, and lemon zest.

Add the eggs, one at a time, whisking well after each addition.  Then add the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.  Stir briefly until the batter is almost smooth with just a few small lumps, but don’t overmix.

Pour the batter into the cake pan, and spread it out evenly.  Bake until the top is lightly browned and a tester comes out clean, 35 to 45 minutes.  For me this was closer to 35, so keep an eye on it.

Transfer the cake to a cooling rack and let it cool for 10 minutes before removing it from the pan. Run a knife around the pan to loosen.

Serve warm or at room temperature.  I made a mascarpone cream topping with honey that was awesome on top.  The nectarines aren’t really related, I just happened to find a ripe one at the store (miracle!) and decided to get some vitamins along with my cake 🙂

One-Bowl Yogurt and Honey Olive Oil Cake

• 1 cup of whole or 2% plain Greek yogurt
• 2/3 cup of extra-virgin olive oil
• 2/3 cup of honey
• 1 tablespoon of finely chopped fresh thyme leaves
• 1 teaspoon of finely grated lemon zest
• 3 large eggs
• 1 1/2 cups of all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon of baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon of baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon of salt

Arrange a rack in the middle of the oven and heat to 325°F.  Yes, 325.  Grease a 9-inch round cake pan or springform pan lightly with oil.  Line the bottom with parchment paper and grease the paper if using a cake pan.

In a bowl (not with a stand mixer), whisk together the yogurt, olive oil, honey, thyme, and lemon zest in a large bowl.  Add the eggs, one at a time, whisking well after each addition.  Add the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.  Stir briefly until the batter is almost smooth with just a few small lumps, but do not overmix.

Pour the batter into the cake pan, and spread it out evenly.  Bake until the top is lightly browned and a tester comes out clean, 35 to 45 minutes.

Transfer the cake to a cooling rack and let it cool for 10 minutes before removing it from the pan. Run a knife around the pan to loosen. Serve warm or at room temperature.  I made a mascarpone cream topping with honey that was awesome on top.

Original recipe from The Kitchn

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