VANILLA YOGURT COFFEE CAKE

Vanilla Yogurt Coffee Cake image

Successful Baking for Flavor and Texture (1934) won me over with its gorgeous pink cover. I found a simple coffee cake recipe there and I substituted oil for the butter and added a couple of egg yolks to make it as moist as possible. With Greek yogurt so popular these days, I decided to use it instead of buttermilk--it gives the cake a wonderful tang. I also added a generous amount of vanilla (strangely, the original recipe called for none!). A buttery brown sugar-cinnamon crumb that goes both inside and on top of the cake (and can be doubled if you're all about the topping and swirl) rounds out this perfect breakfast treat.

Provided by Jessie Sheehan

Categories dessert

Time 2h10m

Yield 16 servings

Number Of Ingredients 16

Ingredients

1/2 cup [110 g] unsalted butter, melted and cooled slightly
1 1/4 cups [175 g] all-purpose flour
1 cup [200 g] packed dark brown sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Cooking spray, for the pan
3 1/4 cups [455 g] all-purpose flour, plus more for the pan
1 1/4 teaspoons baking powder
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
3/4 teaspoon table salt
2 1/3 cups [465 g] granulated sugar
1 cup [240 ml] mild olive oil or vegetable oil
1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
2 eggs
2 egg yolks
1 3/4 cups [420 g] plain whole Greek yogurt
Confectioners' sugar for dusting

Steps:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F [180 degrees C]. Generously grease a 10- to 12-cup [1.4- to 2.8-L] tube pan with nonstick cooking spray or softened butter and dust with flour, knocking out any excess.
For the topping and swirl: Mix all of the ingredients together in a medium bowl with a fork until thoroughly combined. Refrigerate, covered in plastic wrap, until ready to use.
For the cake: In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the granulated sugar, oil and vanilla on medium-low speed until well combined, stopping and scraping the bowl with a rubber spatula, as needed, 2 to 3 minutes. On low speed, add the eggs and yolks, one at a time, stopping and scraping the bowl after each addition.
Add the dry ingredients on low speed in three additions, alternating with two additions of the yogurt, scraping the bowl as needed with a rubber spatula. Stop the mixer and remove the bowl when there are still streaks of flour in the batter. Finish mixing by hand.
Transfer half of the batter to the prepared pan and smooth the top with a small offset spatula or butter knife. Sprinkle half of the crumb mixture evenly over the batter. Add the remaining batter and smooth the top again. Using your fingers, sprinkle the remaining crumb mixture evenly over the top of the cake, pressing down lightly.
Bake for 60 to 70 minutes, rotating the pan at the halfway point. The cake is ready when a cake tester inserted in the center comes out with a moist crumb or two. Let cool to room temperature before removing from the pan. Run a paring knife around the edges to release the cake from the pan.
Dust with confectioners' sugar before serving. The cake will keep, tightly wrapped in plastic wrap, for up to 3 days on the counter.