Saturday, April 22, 2017

Portuguese Yogurt Cake #recipe #mystery @abbottmysteries





Here's a sneak preview of the chocolate chip version of today's recipe.






When we were in Lisbon this winter on vacation, we were thrilled with everything. Here's the quaint view view from our window on the third floor.


I’m including some pictures so you’ll get an idea of the exercise you get walking up stairs and hills in Lisbon and also how important food seems to be. Restaurants everywhere! And many of them put out tables and tablecloths in the narrow older streets of the area where we were staying. 

See the tables and umbrellas? You could be brushed by the wing mirrors!

Everything felt festive in the night sitting outdoors.



As it was March, they put out blankets too, in case you felt chilled.  We really enjoyed our meals on this trip.  We didn’t gain an ounce because we did so much walking including these stairs in an ancient castle.


And these on our way to our breakfast every morning. 




  So I guess it’s all right that I had cake for breakfast! Which brings me to today's topic.


One of the treats served by our Airbnb host Luis with breakfast (along with bacon, eggs, juice, yogurt, ham, cheese and fruit) was a delicious, light yogurt cake. 

Some of our breakfast! 

 It is lighter than a pound cake and reminded me a bit of our Zia Lina’s sponge cake, but with many fewer eggs and much less work. 

Cake at our breakfast table!

We did our best to wheedle the family recipe from our charming host, seen here with his terrific ‘team’ member, Ana, but failed. 

Luis and Ana kept the conversations going!

We did get interesting information about mixing in jam, chocolate, berries or fruit on the top before baking is complete. 


We love bringing home new ideas for cooking so naturally, I tried to duplicate it. This recipe is a combo of several I found on line and some hints from Luis.  I think it comes closest to the taste I remember. Plus it’s a snap to make! Of course, I made plenty to test it,



Instead of breakfast you may prefer to serve it as dessert with whipping cream, ice cream and fruit or plain with tea as an afternoon treat. That’s my choice! 

By the way, it freezes well and is very nice sliced and warmed, by itself or with whipped cream, custard or ice cream. 


Portuguese yogurt cake




Ingredients: 
 
¾ cup unflavored whole milk Greek yogurt, don’t use low fat.
12 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
4 extra-large eggs, room temperature
2 cups granulated sugar
2 cups unbleached, sifted white flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
Icing sugar for topping
½ tsp good quality pure vanilla extract or ¼ tsp almond flavoring
Optional: ½ cup of chopped chocolate or chocolate chips, or sliced fruit or jam added ten to fifteen minutes into baking. 
 

All you do is:

     Preheat oven to 375 F.

     Grease and flour a tube pan. Be generous, you don’t want the cake to stick.
In a stand mixer, cream yogurt and butter until smooth.

Add eggs one by one, beating well.
Add sugar, slowly, mixing well after every addition.
Combine flour and baking powder and mix well.
Add flour/baking powder to bowl and mix until blended.
Pour into your generously greased tube pan.

Bake 45 minutes at 375 degrees or until a tester comes out clean.  Sometimes it just takes longer. Who knows why? 

If you are adding the chocolate chips, remove cake after ten minutes, dot top with chips or chopped chocolate and stir into cake, about 1/3 down into batter. 


Or you could mix in some jam on the top or add some sliced fruit or berries. C

When cake is cooked, cool and then, loosen sides of cake and invert pan onto a plate until cake can be removed.  Place another plate on the bottom and flip over. Presto!  

We tested this cake three times and it popped out beautifully each time. 

When cool, use a small sieve to dust a tablespoon of icing sugar over the top.  This is the plain version with almond flavoring.


 And this is a slice of the chocolate chip version shown at the top of the post.



As I mentioned, the cake freezes very well and you can cut off a few slices and just warm then in the microwave for ten seconds or so if you have a sudden craving.  
Enjoy this little taste of Portugal!

In case you don't know, Victoria Abbott is a collaboration between Mary Jane Maffini and her daughter Victoria. Together we write the book collector mysteries.   We think that reading them is like taking a lovely trip to a mysterious place where books are everything and, yes, murder happens and great meals are served and some relatives are not to be trusted. Of course, justice prevails in the end. You see? You can have your cake and eat it too.





We like to think our book collector mysteries are fun, easy to read and surprising too!  All five titles are available in print, e-book and audio format. Don't miss out!




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12 comments:

  1. I think cake for breakfast is a wonderful idea, and since it has yogurt in it... I think Lisbon looks like a charming city. I love places where the best way to really experience them is by walking ~

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    Replies
    1. Thanks, Celia! I agree. Walking makes the best holidays. I'm glad you came by today. Hugs.

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  2. You Clan of the Cake folks are working on me...
    And isn't it great that some of the best foodie destinations are also great walking places?

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    Replies
    1. We'll win you over, Leslie! There's a good correlation between walkability and great food. New York! London! Paris! And many more. Lisbon was a surprise for us. Hugs.

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  3. What a fun trip! Love the pictures. ~ Daryl

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  4. Lisbon looks very tempting.

    What an interesting idea to put the add ins into the cake after it's started baking. Any idea why then, rather than at the beginning?

    Since many of these lovely cake goodies are freezable, we could have a Cake Club. You bake whatever calls to you, slice it, freeze the slices, and send a slice to club members. That way you get to try out any recipe you want without having the challenge of the whole cake sitting in your house calling to you to eat it all! (Unless it's drop dead fabulous and they can't get it out of your hands to freeze and mail!)

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    Replies
    1. I don't know why, Libby! That part was advice from Luis. Maybe it's to do with texture.

      Cake Club! Yes. Or ... Killer Cake Club!!! Hugs.

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    2. Shall we try baking it both ways to compare?
      Killer Cake Club it is!

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    3. Hm...Killer Cake Club or The Cake Club Killer
      We may have a new series here!

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  5. Yum! sounds like a yummy,um, i mean, delightful trip!

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  6. I missed this yesterday! I love recipes that will freeze (I like to slice and pull out the servings individually) and this one looks delicious. I think I'm going to try both versions, and maybe even chocolate AND fruit together. Thanks so much for sharing, ladies!

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