YOGHURT POUND CAKE

This is absolutely, hands-down, bar none the easiest, most foolproof made-from-scratch yellow cake you’ll ever find. It takes only minutes and has a wonderful flavor and delicate texture no box mix could ever come close to matching. I found the recipe on the back of a flour bag decades ago – so long ago that I can’t remember the brand of flour.

It’s also incredibly versatile. If you’ve eaten a yellow cake I made, it was undoubtedly this one. I’ve used it for sheetcakes, cupcakes, Mexican tres leches cakes, Bundt and layer cakes. I’ve added a tablespoon of lemon peel and 1/3 c. poppy seeds for poppy seed cake. I’ve used it for homey upside down cakes and fancy petit fours. I’ve filled it, glazed it, frosted it, dusted it with confectioner’s sugar, and served it plain with fruit.

And, of course, I used it for Anne and Ben’s wedding cake.

• 2 1/4 c. unbleached all-purpose flour
• 2 c. sugar
• 1 tsp. kosher or sea salt
• 1/2 tsp. baking soda
• 1 c. unsalted butter, softened
• 3 large eggs
• 1 c. plain yoghurt, whole milk preferred but not essential
• 1 tsp. vanilla

It’s essential that all ingredients be at room temperature.

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.

Grease and flour pan(s). Place all ingredients in the bowl of a mixer. Beat at lowest speed until ingredients are combined, then beat at medium high speed for three minutes. Pour into pan(s). Bake until a skewer or toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean.

For Bundt cake, bake 60-70 minutes

For 2 9-inch round cake pans, bake 30-35 minutes

For a 9-inch x13-inch rectangular cake pan, bake 45-50 minutes.

For cupcakes, bake 25-30 minutes