Greek Lemon Yogurt Cake is a wonderfully moist cake called Yaourtopita in Greece and it tastes even better the day after it’s made!

I love our Culinary Journey, today’s the last week we will be exploring the country of Greece.  I hope you’ve been able to try our Greek Feta and Red Pepper Spread with Flat Bread, Greek Fasolatha Soup, or last weeks Greek Lamb Burger with Yogurt Mint Sauce?  They’re all beyond amazing and beautifully simple to make, but if dessert is your thing, then today’s Greek Lemon Yogurt Cake will not disappoint!

Although most Greek meals end with sun-ripened fresh or dried fruit they do have a sweet tooth too!  Buttery-rich pastries filled with nuts, melt-in-your-mouth butter cookies, and moist cakes abound.  Homemakers have their own cherished recipes handed down from mother to daughter.  Holidays are special occasions and they enjoy all these sweets plus special breads that are only made at certain times of the year.

Sweets are an important symbol of hospitality in Greek homes and are usually served with strong, thick coffee or an herbal tea.  Flavorings from nature such as honey, lemon, and cinnamon are very prevalent and appear in most dessert recipes.

A few weeks ago when my friends and I went to the Greek Festival that was held in our city.  We bought a variety of the delicious pastries and desserts they had available because sharing and taste testing with friends is the fun part.  We all agreed that the butter cookies were divine 🙂

A meal in Greece is made with the utmost care, most home cooks buy only the food they need for that day to assure that it’s as fresh as possible.  Most neighborhoods and villages have a variety of food stores and shops that specialize in one thing; like the local bakery, the butcher, the greengrocer, the fish monger, and so on.  Buying locally from small shopkeepers ensures they get the best value for their money.  Although shopping every day may not be practical for us, we can learn something from the Greek way of cooking and be conscious of buying the freshest ingredients and supporting local merchants.

I’m SO in love with Greece.  It’s a little sad this our last week in Greece, I wanted to share some of the more well known cities of Greece with you.  They’re magical!  I really have got to visit one day, it’s on my never ending list.

Greek cities combine both morphologically as well as culturally, various features that make them alluring.   Most coastal cities are more often than not situated only a stone’s throw from mountain destinations.  Athens, Thessaloniki, Kavala, Alexandroupolis, Volos, Kalamata,Patras, Nafpaktos and many other cities are singular in that they combine proximity both to the sea as well as to the mountains.  The visitor can enjoy countless experiences, become familiar with places of incomparable beauty and delight in totally different aspects of nature, in the minimum amount of time and by traveling only short distances.

Lets take a look a some sites in Athens. . . the photo below is of the Athens National Gardens on Patission street.

The “core” of the historic centre is the Plaka neighborhood (at the eastern side of the Acropolis), which has been inhabited without interruption since antiquity.  When you walk through the narrow labyrinthine streets lined with houses and mansions from the time of the Turkish occupation and the Neoclassical period.

Monastiraki, a characteristic area of “old” Athens, with narrow streets and small buildings where the city’s traditional bazaar (Yousouroum) is held.  Close to it is the Psyrri area, a traditional neighborhood which during the past few years has evolved into one of the most important “centres” of the town’s nightlife, with scores of bars, tavernas, ouzeris, clubs, etc.

Athens is a city that fascinates every visitor, during all seasons.

Next, lets check out Thessaloniki it’s the second largest city of Greece and the most important centre of the area.  It’s filled with amazing sites and museums.  Rotunda Galerius Museum looks so amazing!  I love to visit art museums in Europe, I get lost in there for days!

The host of Byzantine monuments (due to it’s significance during the Byzantine period), justifiably is considered an open-air museum of Byzantine art. Wandering through the city, it is worthwhile to see. . .

Last, lets take a look at Patras, a bustling student city, a place where entertainment, history and culture mingle together to create a destination filled with wonderful discoveries.

This photo is of the Patras Port View. . .

A visit to Spinney, the pine-tree-covered hill, the so-called “Veránda” of Patras will certainly uplift your senses.  Its specially formed paths and the shade offered by the tall trees make it an ideal place for you to enjoy leisurely walks, or even go jogging.  There you can also find a Municipal tourist kiosk from where you can admire a breathtaking view of the city, the port and the Patras Gulf.

Saint Andrew Church, one of the biggest churches in the Balkans. . .

Patras is one of the Greek cities that never sleeps.  Follow its rhythm.  Spend your morning walking around the city’s squares: Georgiou, Olgas, and admire the city’s beautifully restored neoclassical buildings.  Visit the city’s museums, shopping districts, and then the night life starts!

Everything looks so dreamy!  I just want to jump on a plane and backpack the whole country. . . what I wouldn’t give! Hahaha.  One day 🙂

Soooo, lets get back to our beautiful Greek Lemon Yogurt Cake and the grape leaves and grapes are a lovely addition but not really editable.  It’s moist and flavorful and has a lemon simple syrup that’s applied while cooling so it’s doesn’t really need much else to go with it.  But, of course, whipped cream or ice cream are always delightful with any cake.

Greek Lemon Yogurt Cake is moist and every bite a delight! Enjoy!

Have a wonderful Wednesday!

Much Love and Peace~

Ruthie

Click here for more information about Greece.

Yield: 12

Greek Lemon Yogurt Cake

Print

Prep Time 20 minutes

Cook Time 55 minutes

Total Time 1 hour 15 minutes

Ingredients

• 3/4 cup butter, room temperature
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• grated zest of 1 lemon
• 5 eggs, separated reserving both parts
• 1 cup plain greek yogurt, room temperature
• 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
• Lemon Simple Syrup:
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1 1/2 cups water
• 3 tablespoons honey
• 4 small strips of lemon peel
• 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Coat an 8-inch or 9-inch tub pan with cooking spray; set aside.
3. In a standing mixer cream butter, add sugar and lemon zest, mix for 4-5 minutes or until light in color and fluffy; scrape bowl.
4. Add egg yolks; one at a time, beating well and scraping after each addition.
5. Add yogurt; mix until combined.
6. Sift together flour, baking powder, and baking soda.
7. Fold into the butter mixture and fold until well combined.
8. Beat egg whites with sea salt until stiff; fold into batter.
9. Spoon batter into prepared pan and bake 50-55 minutes or until cake is golden and toothpick inserted in center removes clean.
10. Lemon Simple Syrup:
11. While cake bakes combine sugar, water, and honey in a small sauce pan.
12. Bring to boil over medium high heat, add lemon peel, reduce to low heat and simmer uncovered for 10 minutes.
13. Remove from heat and allow to cool to room temperature and then add lemon juice.
14. Remove cake from oven to cooling rack and allow to cool 5 minutes in pan.
15. Invert and place on serving platter, slowly and evenly spoon or brush simple syrup all over cake.
16. Allow cake to cool to room temperature serving.
17. Enjoy!

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