David Rocco's Apple Yogurt Cake
David Rocco: a master chef in the kitchen and man who has a life I wouldn't mind living on occasion. I mean, he lives in Italy part-time (yes, please!), has his own cooking show, several cookbooks and visits fun places where he cooks and eats with friends. I wouldn't hesitate to sign up for that!
He's got so many great recipes to choose from. This particular cake recipe comes from his book, "Made in Italy." It's the perfect dish for a weekend brunch. It's also very easy and quick to put together. Prep only takes about 20 minutes and then it bakes for about an hour. That's it!
As for the flavor and texture of the cake, it's perfection. The cake is moist on the inside, and flakey and sugary on the outside with a bit of tartness from the yogurt and lemon zest. I liked to serve it for brunch, but if you'd rather serve it for dessert, add a scoop of vanilla ice cream or freshly whipped cream.
Look at how the cake crackles on the top. Isn't it gorgeous?!
My favorite part of this cake was picking fresh apples with my littles. We all loved it, and now that we live in an area close to apple orchards, we'll definitely be making this a tradition each fall.
OK, back to the cake... a few more pictures so you can see the inside.
I hope you get a chance to make this over the weekend. And as always, let me know what you think!
Enjoy!
David Rocco's Apple Yogurt Cake
Yield: one, 8-inch round cake
Ingredients
1 1/3 cup (150 g) all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup (115 g) granulated sugar
7/8 cup (200 g) unsalted butter, melted, plus a little extra for buttering the pan
2 large eggs
1/2 cup (125 ml) yogurt (I use plain greek or 2.5% fat yogurt)
2 medium sized apples, peeled, cored and thinly sliced
Zest of 1 lemon
1/3 cup (75 g) granulated sugar (for topping)
Instructions
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Butter or spray an 8-inch round cake pan.
2. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, cinnamon and salt.
3. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the 1/2 cup of sugar and melted butter until it has lightened.
4. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating between each addition and scraping down the bowl as needed.
5. Reduce the mixer speed to low and add the flour mixture alternately with the yogurt, beginning and ending with the flour.
6. Stir in the sliced apples and the lemon zest, and pour the batter in the prepared pan.
7. Sprinkle the 1/3 cup sugar evenly over the top of the cake.
8. The original recipe suggests a baking time of 40 minutes, but mine takes an hour (until a tester inserted into the center comes out clean.
9. Let cool completely before serving.