Tuesday, March 17, 2009

TWD: French Yogurt Cake - Comparing 2 Mixing Methods

cakeyogurtlemon (3)

I've wanted to bake a French yogurt cake for the longest time, but never got to it because I couldn't decide which recipe to choose (how typical...haha). Every recipe I found called for folding in the oil in the last step, which seemed kind of different from most cake recipes (non yogurt). Could it be a crucial step to making yogurt cakes and provide some improvement in texture that can benefit other oil based cakes as well? I just couldn't resist making this cake the way it was written (loaf #1) as well as whisking the eggs and sugar and then whisking in the oil until they were completely combined (loaf #2) to see if there would be a difference. Luckily, this recipe was easy to divide in 3's so I made 1/3rd of the recipe for each mini loaf pan and weighed everything to be as fair as possible.

cakeyogurtlemon

Left: folding in oil at end; Right: whisking in oil with eggs and sugar

Loaf #2 rose slightly higher and was more pebbly on the surface than loaf #1. Loaf #1 was also denser, chewier and greasier (almost like a Costco muffin kind of way) while loaf #2 was slightly more tender and ligher. Judging by the P&Q, I think I'm in the minority with this one because I wasn't too crazy about the French yogurt cake. It was a little too springy, dense and low fat tasting for me. I'll probably make the glaze next time to get the full effect and use the method for loaf #2 (whisk the oil in beforehand with the eggs and sugar). That way, we won't have to worry about overmixing or greasiness. I actually liked the cake a little better the next day flavourwise, however, the differences were even more noticeable and loaf #1 was drier and became even denser. I think it's so cool how the same amount of fat, but added differently can affect moistness and texture.

Thanks to Liliana of My Cookbook Addiction for choosing this recipe. The recipe can be found on her site and here. Don't forget to visit the TWD Blogroll!

43 comments:

  1. Oooh, I just love a taste test! Or a method test. How cool that you checked out both ways - and that the traditional way worked better. CI does a "reverse creaming" for its sugar cookies which it claims turn out better than the traditional mixing method.

    Sorry you didn't like this cake more; I guess I've cooked lowfat for so long that I'm brainwashed!
    Nancy

    ReplyDelete
  2. Aw you didn't like this cake? I loved it. Then again, I love lemon, and mine was definitely lemony. Glad you took the time to try out both methods because it was definitely an unusual method.

    ReplyDelete
  3. That was very interesting. Another reason why I am skiddish with baking, everything is so exact. I like how cake #2 came out too.

    ReplyDelete
  4. I loved this cake (I'm so sorry that you didn't) but you have made a wonderful contribution by sharing your mixing method test! Mixing in the oil at the end was just kind of yucky somehow...I'll enjoy making it even more now. Thanks!

    ReplyDelete
  5. No worries, Steph!! I still love it :-D

    ReplyDelete
  6. oh thank goodness you did a study on that. I was wondering what would the additioal effect be if you added in the oil last. Sadly it didn't work out for me cause I forgot to put in the sugar and wound up having to mix everything in the end as a final step.

    ReplyDelete
  7. Love the comparison! I LOVED this cake, it smelled so good while cooking and tasted wonderful :) I paired it with simple lemon curd. YUM!

    ReplyDelete
  8. I love the side by side comparison! It's like a commercial for cake making methods! Or like an article from Cooks Illustrated! Sorry you weren't crazy about it! IT looks beautiful though!

    ReplyDelete
  9. I, too, love your CI-like methods! (It's like CSI for baking, LOL.)

    I did like the cake and will have to try the traditional method next time.

    ReplyDelete
  10. Love the comparison baking you did! Sorry it wasn't your favorite!

    ReplyDelete
  11. I love how you compared methods. And I was also in the minority in not entirely loving this cake... guess it's just not our thing!

    ReplyDelete
  12. Great test! I love your results. It is interesting to see the differences. They both look delicious!

    ReplyDelete
  13. I whisked in the oil with my eggs too.

    I wasn't about to do an extra step.

    ReplyDelete
  14. It never occurred to me to mix the oil in beforehand. Thanks for trying it out. Sorry you didn't care for this cake, it was really good with lemon curd :)

    ReplyDelete
  15. I love your experiment. Thanks for sharing your results. Interesting how moving the oil earlier in the process changed things.

    ReplyDelete
  16. How smart of you to ponder the mixing of the oil, I'd never have thought of that! I did double check the directions because it didn't seem right that the oil didn't go in with the eggs and sugar but after that I just blindly went on with it. I am going to make this again and whisk in the oil at the beginning. Cake #2 sounds better to me.

    ReplyDelete
  17. Your cakes look beautiful and I LOVED the comparison!

    ReplyDelete
  18. I used all flour because I wasn't spending more money on almonds haha

    ReplyDelete
  19. I love reading about all of your experiments, Steph! I used only flour, I forgot to write that in my post. In my opinion, this was a good cake, but I've had better!

    ReplyDelete
  20. Wow I'm surprised that such a small change can make such a big difference! I would never have know that without your test. Both cakes look yummy to me :D

    ReplyDelete
  21. Bummer you weren't crazy about it. I loved mine! Can't wine em all... But very interesting experiment, thanks for sharing!

    ReplyDelete
  22. Ambitious.
    Interesting.
    Beautiful loaves...Thanks for writing it up this way.

    b

    ReplyDelete
  23. Hi Steph, thanks for visiting my blog!

    I love your blog! So fun!

    I also love the fact that you experimented with two loaves. It's nice to meet ambitious bakers!

    Great job and I'll visit you again soon. :)

    ReplyDelete
  24. that is SO interesting about how oil added in at different times may contribute to a difference in texture and taste! wow! thank you for writing this.. ill be sure to remember it :)

    ReplyDelete
  25. Wow! Great work to sniff out the best way to mix in the oil - your instincts were right. As you know, I was not a huge fan of this one either but I think it's great that you did the research on best way to make it.

    ReplyDelete
  26. What a great experiment - I'm a scientist, so I love stuff like this!

    ReplyDelete
  27. Sorry these didn't wow you, Steph, but they both look great, and I do so love a good kitchen test! Keep them coming -- I eat them up like candy (or lemon cakes).

    ReplyDelete
  28. Thanks for answering that question. I was puzzled. I also thought the written method was a little oily. Also, I think I didn't mix the oil enough because the outside of my cake became way more golden than expected. Your work is very helpful. Thanks Steph!
    AmyRuth

    ReplyDelete
  29. I hate it when things taste "low fat." So gross. I must say, you can definitely see a difference in the texture/crumb from the pictures of the loaves. Goes to show that method really is important!

    ReplyDelete
  30. Steph,

    I made this cake as well and what I got looked exactly the same as your loaf 1# which is, hoenestly, not my ideal type of cake..I think I prefer your 2# loaf !!

    ReplyDelete
  31. You've definitely answered my question on the method, as I thought the step with the oil at the end was pretty unusual. Thanks for sharing!

    ReplyDelete
  32. well that happens...
    I'll take what you don't like though?

    ReplyDelete
  33. How cool that you tested out the two different methods? They both look wonderful, although there is a clear difference.

    ReplyDelete
  34. That's cool that you would even think to wonder about how changing up the mixing method would effect the cake. I'll be honest they both look good but tastes is obviously the deciding factor.
    ~ingrid

    ReplyDelete
  35. Good to know the differences in the mixing method. Sorry this one wasn't your fav!

    ReplyDelete
  36. What a great experiment. As a science nerd I love doing things like this!

    ReplyDelete
  37. I LOVE comparative recipes/methods! Thanks for posting this! <3 I wonder why they suggest folding the oil in last... Do you think they even tested it different ways first?

    ReplyDelete
  38. I just made this, and I followed your advice about mixing the oil with the eggs and sugar. It's still cooling, so I haven't tasted it yet. But mine is sooo much more brown on top! It's not overdone cuz I was checking it religiously and I even took it out about 7 minutes before the time according to the recipe. I can't wait to taste it! I'll post about it either tonight or tomorrow :D

    ReplyDelete
  39. Sorry you did not like this cake, it looks great! We really liked the cake topped with a cream cheese glaze.

    ReplyDelete
  40. Ahhh everytime I read your posts it makes me feel like oh no I didn't think of that and how that might affect the way something bakes. I think I came to the conclusion a while ago that I like most different versions of baking times and styles of adding things in. For example I like underbaked, regular baked AND overbaked cookies. It's hard to choose... anyway. I've never made a yogurt cake but have wanted to but also couldn't decide on a recipe.

    ReplyDelete
  41. I like that you compare methods, I was wondering if it would make a big difference. Your cakes look great! This recipe was a big hit over here. :)

    ReplyDelete
  42. what an interesting experiment!

    ReplyDelete
  43. OH MY GOD! Deja vu up in here... I just made Ina's yogurt cake recipe this weekend, and my results were less than successful. The cake came out springy and dense. I used the oil folding method :( So disappointing!

    ReplyDelete

LinkWithin

Related Posts with Thumbnails