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Maple Yogurt Pound Cake

Wildcard Contest Winner!

Maple Yogurt Pound Cake

Photo 1 of 3
by Sarah Shatz

Maple Yogurt Pound Cake

Photo 2 of 3
by Rivka

Maple Yogurt Pound Cake

Photo 3 of 3
by Brotha Percy

  • A&M's Testing Notes: This pound cake drops the pounds of butter and sugar in favor of oil and maple syrup, creating a springy texture and glistening, shellacked exterior. The oil folded into the batter at the...

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  • Chef

    Rivka's Notes: I made up this recipe to satisfy a serious maple craving I had a couple weeks back. The cake is extremely moist; unless eating it just out of the oven, toast your slice to get some contrast...

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Serves 1 cake

  1. Position rack in center of oven and preheat to 350°F. Generously butter 8 1/2×4 1/2×2 1/2-inch metal loaf pan.

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  2. Combine syrup, yogurt, eggs, sugar, vanilla, and lemon zest. Stir or whisk to combine. In a separate bowl, combine flour, baking powder, and salt. Add to wet ingredients and stir to incorporate. Add oil, and fold gradually until oil absorbs into the batter.

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  3. Pour batter into prepared loaf pan. Place pan on baking sheet in oven and bake until tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 50 minutes. Cool cake in pan on rack 5 minutes. Cut around pan sides to loosen cake. Turn cake out onto rack. Turn cake upright on rack and cool completely.

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I finally got around to making this cake with one improvisation; added sliced and sugared rhubarb (leftover from something else) on top of 2/3 of batter and covered with the rest of the batter. Excellent!

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You could try 'light' olive oil for baking -- which is not light as in calories, but light in OO flavor. I use it in my granola all the time with no detection of olives.

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It sounds like a wonderful recipe but I think I'll try butter instead of the oil as I try to avoid using any oil other than olive oil in cooking. I imagine that olive oil would pollute the taste. Most of the other healthful oils are not meant to be heated so are inappropriate for cooking. I would recommend against using canola oil if you are in the U.S. because I understand that all of the canola grown in the U.S. is from GM seeds unless labeled organic.

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I just made this with brown rice flour for a gluten free friend and it was delicious! It didn't form a crust quite as golden as the picture, but it was still beautiful and made the kitchen smell incredible. Looking forward to making it again with all-purpose!

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Two brief questions before I try this (it does look delicious!) When you say 'grade b' maple syrup, I'm confused what that means as I live in the UK. Here they say 'number 1' and 'number 2'. I understand 'grade b' is the stronger one? Which here in the UK would probably be the 'amber no.2 maple syrup'...it seems to have a darker colour than number 1 (Sounds confusing, hope it isn't).

Also: what oil do you use for this cake? Vegetable? Sunflower?

Wedding_pictures_162 Reply

It is delicious! Grade B maple syrup is probably what you call number 2. It has a stronger maple flavor. I've made it with vegetable oil and canola oil.

Profile Reply

I too have used vegetable oil and canola oil. It IS delicious.

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I made this with a couple of adjustments: We wanted a strong maple flavor, so I omitted the lemon zest, used dark amber maple syrup, and used maple sugar instead of white sugar. The result is a scrumptious moist bread that tastes like pancakes imbued with delicious dark maple syrup. Will definitely make again - perhaps with raisins and/or walnuts added. Great for a breakfast in place of pancakes, or maybe even for dessert, topped with maple walnut or vanilla ice cream! Really yummy - exceeded expectation.

136_3638 Reply

Wow, Janet! I like how you made yours. I am going to do this again, but follow your adjustments.

136_3638 Reply

So very easy to make and soooo good!

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I have made this a number of times and always get the same response: delicious!
Over Xmas I made the cake for my mom- a dyed in the wool Vermonter. She was so happy.

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I made this on the weekend and it is very good. I will be making it again for sure. Thanks for posting it.

Chocolate_peppermint_truffle_cookies_032 Reply

This was delicious!! I made this today for a potluck I went to tonight. I came home with one piece for my husband. The rest: all eaten! Thanks for a great dessert. It's so light and flavorful!

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So glad you liked it! This reminds me that it's totally maple season. I think I'll make a couple of these for Tday breakfast.

Tk_033 Reply

I am so making this cake! I love anything maple syrup and adding yogurt to baked goods make them so moist. Beautiful!

Profile Reply

PS - I substituted whole fat vanilla yogurt from Liberte.

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Bevi, so glad you enjoyed the cake! I bet the Liberte yogurt fit right in.

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I made this last weekend served with macerated strawberries and vanilla ice cream. It was delicious! The hint of maple flavor and the moist texture were the real hits for our crowd. I think this is a great alternative to July 4th biscuits, and I am thinking of serving it this weekend with grilled nectarines and whipped cream.

My guests asked to take the leftover cake with them for their long ride home, and I also included the recipe!

Thanks, Rivka! I love your recipes.

Copy_of_me Reply

FYI...I made this recipe right after you posted it; and since played with the recipe, just posted my tweaked versions...yes, I tweaked it in two ways. Posted under Jalapeno-Cornmeal Poundcake, if you care to take a peak. Thanked you before but thanks again for sharing your recipe.

Profilepic Reply

That sounds fantastic. I love that food52 inspires people to build on good recipes to develop more good recipes. It's like the wiki of recipe development.

Annalbu Reply

I cut a thick slice into 1-inch chunks and layered the cake pieces with Peach Yogurt (Brown cow, full-fat version), and it was a marriage made in heaven, almost an English trifle. I am curious about the baking powder instead of baking soda, in view of the yogurt?

Profilepic Reply

That combination sounds wonderful! As for the powder vs. soda, I didn't know if there was enough yogurt to counteract the soda, so I stuck with baking powder, and didn't get any of that unused-baking powder taste the first time I made it so I knew I was in the clear. I bet it'd work with soda, though...

Imag0055 Reply

It's a pleasant cake, good with some roasted rhubarb. It stays moist for a long time, too. It doesn't really taste of maple, however, and I even used granulated maple sugar in place of the cane sugar. That's the tricky thing about maple---as a flavor, it often does a disappearing act in baked goods.

Copy_of_me Reply

Congratulations and thanks for sharing this recipe. Made it yesterday, moist, delicious, and the aroma; a hint of lemon and maple goodness lingered through the night…this is what I call “sweet dreams”!

Aromes_logo Reply

The Maple yoghurt flavor has got to be a great idea.
I will try this recipe. I just hope it will look as great as on that picture and as tasty as it surely did turn out to be ;p

Dsc00426 Reply

i have this cooling on the window sill and even thought it just came out of the oven 6 minutes ago, i couldn't wait to taste it. it's great! i love that it isn't too sweet, and the texture is amazing-- so moist and tender! congrats and thanks for a great recipe!

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my pleasure -- the texture really is killer. Glad you enjoyed!

Dsc_0019_2 Reply

This looks delicious, I love the flavors. This will please everyone in our household, can't wait to try it!

Img_1045_2 Reply

Rivka, I made this for my butter-and-sugar-avoiding husband. He's loving it, as am I. Great recipe, thanks so much.

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so glad you/he like it!

White_pickles_b_b_-_flav Reply

How timely, I just received my annual maple syrup delivery. The cake is in the oven - Can't wait! It is a very similar cake to Dorie Greenspan's Simplest Sour Cream Cream Cake - http://www.parade.com/export/sites/default/food/recipes/parade/123-bake-simple-loaf-cake.html.

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You're right, it is similar -- I bet sour cream would be a great substitute for yogurt here. But IMHO, the maple really makes the cake. Hope you like it!

White_pickles_b_b_-_flav Reply

Rivka - It is so delicious. Being in Maine, we love any sort of maple syrup treat, this cake certainly fits the bill quite nicely. I enjoyed it toasted this morning with some vanilla Greek yogurt and toasted almonds - DELISH!

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Made this last week because I had lots of plain lowfat yogurt and maple syrup on hand...it has been a great breakfast treat since then!

Newliztoqueicon-2 Reply

Your recipe looks wonderful - guess many of us missed it... Thank goodness A & M didn't!

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This look sooo delish! Can't wait to try. Thanks Rivka.

Lobster_001 Reply

Congratulations! I'll make this over the weekend. I wish I had some right now!

186003_1004761561_1198459_n Reply

This sounds so simple and very creative! Congratulations!

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um, shocked! thanks ladies -- I love this cake and am delighted it'll be in the book.

Mrs Reply

This sounds so very yummy! Somehow, I missed it too. congrats, Rivka!!

Wedding_pictures_162 Reply

I missed this when you posted it--congratulations on the Wildcard win! Sounds like my kind of cake!

Monkeys Reply

Oh I love this. A pound cake without butter! I hope to try it this week.

Monkeys Reply

I did make this and enjoyed it! A+M's description is right on. I'd consider some sauteed bananas and even ice cream with it. The cake is so light and flavorful.

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