Chocolate Yogurt Cake + A Baking Secret

Ever since we started this blog I’ve been dying to try using yogurt in my baking. Yesterday, it was pouring rain in London (not unusual for this summer!) but there is something so comforting about baking when its miserable outside, especially when it is something as decadent as chocolate cake!

 

I had never baked with yogurt before and didn’t really know what to expect but after making probably the moistest and most delicious chocolate cake I’ve ever tasted this will not be the last time!

This cake has such a velvety, ‘melt-in-your-mouth’ texture, with a very subtle but lovely tartness from the yogurt. I dare you to try and have just one piece!

 

Ingredients:

Cake:

6 tbsp. butter (at room temperature **see baking secret below**)

1 ¼ cups granulated sugar

2 eggs

1 ¾ cups white flour

2/3 cups cocoa

1 ½ tsp. baking powder

½ tsp. baking powder

¾ tsp. salt

6 ounce container of rich vanilla yogurt

1/3 cup water

1 tsp vanilla

Glaze:

1 ½ cups powdered sugar

2/3 cup cocoa

2 tbsp .plain yogurt

1-2 tbsp. milk

1 tsp. vanilla

Directions:

 

Pre-heat oven to 350°F. In a large bowl, combine flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Set aside. Meanwhile, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy.

 

Add Eggs one at a time and beat until combined.

Add half of flour and cocoa mixture to butter, sugar and eggs. Add yogurt, water and vanilla.

 

Finally, mix in remaining flour and cocoa mixture.

 

Pour batter into a baking dish a bake for 1 hour, or until toothpick comes out clean.  Let cool for 20 minutes.

 

Meanwhile, combine powdered sugar, cocoa, yogurt, milk and vanilla. This should be quite thin as the mixture is meant to be a glaze.

 

Drizzle glaze over cooled cake.

 

BAKING SECRET!

Have you ever had one of those moments when you want to bake something but you forgot to take butter out of the fridge to make it room temperature? Well, I was watching a cooking program the other day and discovered the simplest way to solve this!

3 Steps:

1.     Place butter between two pieces of parchment paper

2.     Using a rolling pin (or weapon of choice) smash butter until flat

3.     Open paper and refold butter, repeating step 2 until butter is soft

THE Guacamole

First, I must express my guacamole 'pet peeve'. Whoever decided that you should put sour cream in guacamole had no appreciation for the absolute amazing natural richness and buttery-ness that avocados already have! So, I’ve provided a recipe that is of course ‘au natural’. However, if it is your preference and you must add some creamy substance to your guacamole I will reluctantly support the addition of a dollop of Greek yogurt (We are the yogurt sisters after all!) especially if using slightly under-ripe avocados.

Secondly, about three years ago I tasted a guacamole recipe that changed the way I make guacamole (and the way you probably will too) forever! One word: CUMIN. This spice absolutely adds another dimension to the dip, creating a delicious south-western taste!

This recipe is an absolute summer staple. Whenever I make it for my family it is gobbled up in minutes, especially with those delicious lime flavoured tortilla chips!

Ingredients (Serves 3-4)

2 ripe avocados

2 limes juiced

1 small tomato diced

½ redi chilli chopped finely

1 tsp. ground cumin

¼ tsp.  cayenne pepper or chilli poder

Salt and Pepper to taste

Directions

Core and remove inside of avocados into a bowl. Chop and mash avocados to preferred consistency (I like mine quite chunky!). Fold in tomatoes, chillies, spices and salt and pepper

Fast Focaccia

In a recent effort to try and use up ingredients in the fridge, I noticed (as you often do…) halves of onions and bits of lovely fresh herbs from previous recipes. I thought, what a better way to use up these delicious ingredients than on top of a delicious Focaccia Bread!

As we’ve already pointed out I’m the baking sister… I love to bake and there is just something to be said about that amazing feeling you get when bread rises is there? But, if you’re a bread baking virgin… don’t write this recipe off because this is the perfect place to start!

This recipe I have actually kept from my High School Home Economics class so it’s easy enough for a teenager to make and it can basically be made in under an hour. …And if it doesn’t turn out perfectly there will be more than enough flavour on top to compensate!

As I said, I used this recipe to use up ingredients in the fridge so use your imagination when it comes to the toppings!

Ingredients (Serves 4)

Bread Base:

1 ½ tsp. yeast

1 ½ cup warm water

2 tbsp. olive oil

½ tsp. sugar

2 ½ cups flour (extra for kneading)

Toppings: (suggestion!)

½ onion sliced

4 cloves garlic smashed and sliced

1 tsp. each of Basil/Oregano/Thyme (Double if using fresh herbs)

Coarse Salt

Olive Oil

Parmesan Cheese

Directions

Combine sugar. water, yeast and olive oil. Let sit until yeast begins to bubble to the top. Meanwhile, measure out flour into a large bowl and make a small well in the centre. Pour water mixture into well and, using a fork, incorporate surrounding flour until dough begins to form a ball.

Empty dough and remaining flour onto a clean surface and knead dough for 8-10 minutes until smooth and ‘elasticy’. (Note: incorporate any additional flour only if dough is sticking to your hands)

Pre-heat oven to 375° F. Let dough rise for 15-30 minutes. This recipe does not need to rise for very long to work however that being said, the more you can let the dough rise (like with most bread) the better!

While dough is rising you can prepare the topping! Heat a skillet with a generous amount of olive oil. Add onions and garlic and cook until almost caramelised. If using fresh herbs add to skillet and cook for another 1-2 minutes. Remove from heath and let cool.

After the dough has risen, remove from the bowl and place onto a pan lined with baking paper. Roll into preferred shape (circle or square) until dough is approx. ¾ inch thick. Puncture with a fork so that any air can be released from the bottom while baking and poke bread with finger making small holes. Add onions, garlic and (if using fresh…) herbs, spreading evenly on top of dough. Sprinkle any dry herbs, coarse salt and Parmesan cheese on dough and finally, drizzle with olive oil.

Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until base is golden brown. Enjoy with olive oil and balsamic vinegar.