Next week – 19 to 25 May – is National Yogurt Week, the UK’s first celebration of all things yogurt! Humans have been eating yogurt for thousands of years and it’s a big part of the British diet. That’s a good thing – not only is yogurt delicious, it contains both protein and a range of nutrients that make it a really healthy choice.
The Yogurt Council are celebrating Yogurt Week with a Food Stylist Competition for UK readers. There’s a £1000 prize up and a styling master class up for grabs! To find out more click here.
There are lots of ways to use yogurt besides enjoying it straight from the pot. I particularly like to use it for baking and in desserts.
This Apple and Cinnamon Yogurt Cake is one of my favourite recipes. The yogurt gives the cake a moist, tender crumb and the easy apple decoration on top means the cake looks gorgeous with very little effort.
Leaving the skin on the apple slices gives the cake a wonderful colour, and if you use free range or organic eggs and butter as well as organic yogurt, this cake can be a very wholesome treat.
Quick and easy to throw together, this is the perfect cake for absolutely any time of day; I’ve even taken to having a slice for breakfast with a dollop of yogurt alongside! Delicious with a cup of tea, it’s also lovely a la mode or warm with custard or cream for dessert.
- For the cake
- ½ cup butter, softened
- ¾ cup granulated or caster sugar
- 2 eggs, at room temperature
- 2 teaspoons vanilla
- 2 cups all purpose (plain) flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon, divided
- 1 apple
- 1 cup plain yogurt
- For the topping
- 2 red skinned apples
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon
- 2 tablespoons granulated or caster sugar
- Preheat to oven to 350°F or 170°C.
- Grease and flour an 8 inch round loose bottom or springform cake pan. I like to line the bottom of the pan with a circle of baking parchment as well.
- Sift together the flour, baking powder, salt and 1 teaspoon cinnamon.
- Peel, core, quarter and chop one of the apples into small pieces.
- Stir the apple pieces into the flour mixture. Set aside.
- In an electric mixer, cream together the butter and sugar. Beat in the eggs and vanilla thoroughly.
- Using a wooden spoon, stir in the flour and apple mixture.
- Add the yogurt and beat together thoroughly.
- Pour into the prepared pan, smoothing the top.
- Core, quarter and thinly slice the two apples. (Don't peel them!)
- Arrange the apple slices on top of the cake in a circular fashion.
- Combine the topping ingredients, 2 tablespoons sugar and ½ teaspoon cinnamon.
- Sprinkle over the apples on top of the cake.
- Bake for 25 to 30 minutes or until a skewer inserted in the centre of the cake comes out clean.
- Allow to cook in the pan for at least 20 minutes before carefully removing the cake from the pan and cooling completely on a wire rack.
You can learn more about Baking with Yogurt in this post and don’t miss my Lemon and Ginger Cake, Cupcakes and Mini Bundt Cakes!
Disclosure: I was compensated by The Yogurt Council for the ingredients to develop a recipe using yogurt.
Winnie says
May 17, 2014 at 10:40 pmIt’s a very beautiful cake!
My family loves all kinds of apple-desserts, and I loooooooooooooove cinnamon, so this is the perfect cake for us 🙂
April Harris says
May 19, 2014 at 4:53 pmThank you, Winnie 🙂
Pauline Wiles says
May 18, 2014 at 7:59 pmI dimly recall a chocolate cake recipe made with yogurt. It, too, came out lovely and moist. I like the idea here of the apples on top.
April Harris says
May 19, 2014 at 4:54 pmThank you, Pauline 🙂 Chocolate cake would be lovely with yogurt too!
Couscous & Consciousness says
May 19, 2014 at 9:00 amI’m totally hooked on the health benefits of eating yoghurt, and I just don’t feel right unless I’ve had my daily dose of a generous dollop in some form or another. Like you I like to use it in baking and cooking, as well as “straight-up”, and I know I would love this cake.
April Harris says
May 19, 2014 at 4:55 pmThank you, Sue. It’s funny because I didn’t think I liked yogurt until a few years ago, and now I love it and eat it pretty much daily 🙂
Clare says
May 19, 2014 at 4:46 pmYou had me at quick and easy! I love your recipes, all so simple and tasty looking 🙂
I’m actually dropping by to let you know that I nominated you for a Liebster Award – here’s the details: http://www.supermommyclub.com/getting-to-know-you/
April Harris says
May 19, 2014 at 4:57 pmThank you, Clare 🙂 And thank you for the nomination. I’ll be sure to visit!
Chris at Hye Thyme Cafe says
May 20, 2014 at 7:13 pmVery pretty! I’m with you. I love cooking/baking with yogurt when I can, especially when I’ve been good about making my own yogurt. When I do, it’s usually a big batch, so that gives me an excuse to use some in baking so it’s not sitting around for too long. Think I’ll try to find different colored apples of the same firmness so I can alternate the color slices but they bake at the same rate. Pinning! [#TastyTuesdays]
April Harris says
May 20, 2014 at 9:33 pmThank you, Chris! I think it’s wonderful that you make your own yogurt too. I hope you enjoy the cake when you bake it!
Tara says
May 22, 2014 at 5:07 pmWhat a glorious looking cake, and I sure do love my yogurt, just had one 🙂
Kathy says
September 16, 2015 at 11:57 amWhat a lovely cake. It’s really pretty and sounds delicious. Thank you for sharing at the Recipe Swap.
April Harris says
September 16, 2015 at 6:35 pmI’m so glad you like it, Kathy 🙂