Does anyone else feel like they had way too high expectations about what back-to-school would be like? In my head, I thought my windows would have already been washed by now, I would have already started a new exercise schedule and I would have already weeded my entire garden in preparation for the winter.
The kids started on Tuesday. And yesterday they were off, so that makes one day total of my being on my own. I may be a bit out of touch with reality.
I do feel out of touch with you guys – how are you? Here – I made some cake.
Gâteau au Yaourt, which means yoghurt cake, is probably the French equivalent to coffee cake, or pound cake. Everyone makes it. If you go to someone’s house for “le gouter” (this means “snack,” and is pronounced goo-tay) it will likely be sitting pretty on a dish, waiting to be eaten while you have your tea or coffee.
I won’t even bother trying to tell you how to pronounce “yaourt.” It’s about as easy as saying “en haut,” which means “upstairs.” Basically, in the first instance (yaourt) you spit at the back of your throat loudly, and in the second (en haut) you grunt through your nostrils in two different intonations. Et voila. You speak French now. And I’m sure that’s way more than you were interested in knowing.
You start with a plain yoghurt
and dump it in the bowl. For those of you who clean as you go, don’t chuck the yoghurt pot – you’re going to need it. When you bake in France, you measure by weight, not by cups and spoons. So this cake is easy for French people because they don’t have to weigh the flower and sugar, etc. They just measure it in the pot.
Like so. Two pots of sugar.
Three pots of flour. (Gluten-free works really well).
One pot of oil.
And then you add a teaspoon of baking powder
a half-teaspoon of salt
and … what would be vanilla sugar in France. They use that more often than liquid extract. But you can put a teaspoon of liquid vanilla. I didn’t have any, so I just cut open a vanilla bean and scraped out the seeds. I know, I know – I’m so glamorous.
Finally, you crack three eggs
and put the entire thing in a 9” cake pan.
In the pre-heated oven to 375°F (200°C) for about 25 minutes. I added another ten minutes with the oven turned off.
Oh, so what if the cake cracked on top. I’ll just squish it down a little. It’s still cute.
Now it’s cuter.
And voila – a way-easy, not-so-awful-for-you (I think about 325 calories for 1/8 of the cake, which is quite filling), fairly-tasty-in-a-non-chocolate-way cake to whip up for guests.
In other news, Young Knight started soccer.
Isn’t he handsome? I always wanted to be a soccer mom. As long as none of the matches take place when it’s raining or cold. Ever.
- 1 plain yoghurt
- 2 pots of sugar
- 3 pots of flour
- 3 eggs
- 1 pot of oil
- 1 teaspoon baking power
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- Combine all the ingredients without any particular order. Use the yoghurt pot to measure everything else. Preheat the oven to 375° and then bake in a 9" cake pan for about 30 minutes. You can turn the oven off and leave it in longer if you the center is still liquidy.
Looks delicious! I’d like to try it if I can figure out the whole container thing…
It’s a no brainer!
Incidentally, I thought of you this other day as I fumbled for my keys in the parking lot. he he
I want to make this!! And the measurements are easy for me, as I see that the pot of yogurt is 125gm which is how we measure over here.
And yes, he is handsome, your boy.
The great thing is that it doesn’t even matter the yoghurt container size since everything is in proportion to that (well, not the eggs, but pretty much everything else).
Oh yes! Dinner! What kind of food do you make? Yum yum.
I know it sounds far off, but let’s set a coffee date for early October. My mom is coming into town and I have tons of rentrée appointments lined up. It will be more peaceful in a couple of weeks.
A soccer mom in Paris? Talk about idyllic. Plus this cake in the mix? You are living my dream Jennie….
Hugs Ameena! 🙂
I hope you saved a piece for me. xo
It’s sitting right here along with the black coffee. Well no – I’d make the black coffee fresh. (And strong).
Yummy, and handsome, indeed!
{Oh, how I’ve missed you, girl!}
xo
I know Galit – I have not been around. I’m trying to climb back. 🙂
1) I want to make that cake!
2) The weather involved with soccer makes me shirk in terror.
You have a boy Angela. Your day might just be coming. 😉
That looks so delicious and the way you wrote it made it sounds so easy to make even for a lousy baker such as myself 😉
Anyone can do it! Anyone!
No better way to feel productive & check back into the world-cake? Love how easy this looks – going to add to “to bake with kids” list! Thank you!
Yes, it’s a perfect thing to bake with kids!
Another vote for yummy! And somehow the whole thing looks more decadent with the French labels. (I know, I’m weird.)
Happy Back to School and Start of Soccer. (Please think of me tomorrow on my boys’ first day of soccer which is supposed to be cold and rainy. Parfait.)
That’s part of the reason I photograph everything – I know the French labels are fun. How did your soccer game go? Dry?
Your French pronunciation lesson makes me feel better about not learning French!
You’re not missing a thing.
Bon courage avec le Football!
I once had to attend my son’s match in the RAIN on MOTHER’S DAY (because the fields were artificial turf and therefore games were NEVER cancelled for rain!)
You poor, courageous mother.
Thanks for visiting and for your comment. 🙂
Yummers, as my son used to say when he was two.
I was so happy I never had to pronounce yaourt when I was in France…impossible!
I hope your son doesn’t have to play in the rain much. The mud is unbelievable. Get tarps for your car!
Ah! Good idea about the tarps – thank you.
Looks delicious! Do you find that the gluten free flour tastes much different from AP flour?
This week I made a chocolate peanut butter pie. It’s like three of my most favorite things in one place. Heaven!
Ooh – I think I would like that recipe for chocolate peanut butter pie.
What is AP flour? Gluten free flour mixes usually taste better than wheat because they are lighter. But they don’t work as well for certain things. You usually have to toast the bread you make with it, except for the first day. Pie crusts are more crumbly. Brownies and bar cookies tend to taste better, and certain cookies work well (like peanut butter or cocoa), while others tend to flatten and turn thin and crispy, like chocolate chip. Cakes and cupcakes tend to be better, I think.
I love your recipes and the funny way you present them! And how you semper fi them. I mean simplify them. I’ve made two of your soups with that cool blender thingy you use that I didn’t even remember I had. It’s my new princess wand! Can’t wait to make this Yo! URT cake.
Aw cool – thanks Princess DVB. I’m so glad you’re trying the recipes.
Soccer without rain and cold? That’s probably more high expectations! Recipe sounds wonderful! I am just back from five days in France, though nowhere near you or I would have stopped by for a piece of cake and coffee! Maybe next time! 🙂 🙂 🙂
We should really have a bed and breakfast. That would suit us so well!
What a wonderful recipe! I wish to have a slice to my morning fresh brewed coffee 🙂
It would be a perfect simple morning cake.