I wrote this post while participating in a blog tour conducted by Clever Girls on behalf of Dannon. I have been compensated for my time commitment to the program but my opinions are my own.
For more information and recipe ideas, visit www.oikosyogurt.com or www.Facebook.com/oikos. I was selected for this sponsorship by the Clever Girls Collective, which endorses Blog With Integrity, as I do.
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| Raspberry Lemon Breakfast Cake made with Dannon® Oikos® vanilla yogurt |
Greek Yogurt --
WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN ALL MY LIFE?
I grew up loving yogurt -- plain, fruit on the bottom, fruit mixed in, in smoothies, frozen, and as a breakfast parfait with fresh fruit and granola.When I started watching my weight in my early twenties I was disappointed to find that the lower-fat yogurts often lacked the creamy texture and richness that I had enjoyed as a child. I had all but given up on yogurt until just around a year ago when I was introduced to Greek Yogurt. Creamy? Yes! Rich? Yes! Hard to find? It was. When the unbelievably delicious Greek yogurt first caught my fancy, I was only able to find it in expensive gourmet grocery stores.
THE REVIEW
I was thrilled when I found out that Dannon®, the top-selling brand of yogurt worldwide, was offering a line of Greek yogurts. Dannon® Oikos® is created through an authentic Greek straining process which gives it a rich and creamy-thick texture. My family had the opportunity to enjoy some complimentary samples of Dannon® Oikos® fruit on the bottom (0% fat) and Vanilla (0% fat) yogurts. My husband and I genuinely enjoyed our blueberry and peach fruit on the bottom 5.3 oz. cups. I typically shy away from fruit on the bottom yogurts because the fruit in so many popular brands tastes syrupy, processed and cloyingly sweet. Both the peaches and the blueberries in the Dannon® Oikos® had a fresh, light and healthy taste that were the perfect compliment to the lightly sweet, tart and creamy yogurt.
My girls, 10 and 6, took a fruit on the bottom 5.3 oz. cup to school in their chilled lunchboxes. The yogurts stayed nice and cool, didn't separate or get weepy, and the girls asked for them again the next day!
An excellent source of protein and calcium, Dannon® Oikos® Yogurt makes a great compliment to a healthy breakfast or lunch and makes a perfect snack.
THE FREE OFFER
Dannon Oikos is offering a coupon for a free cup on www.facebook.com/oikos.**
THE RECIPE
While I've only recently come back to eating yogurt as a stand-alone treat (thanks to Greek yogurt), I've been a long-time proponent of using yogurt in baking. I couldn't wait to whip up an original recipe using the Dannon® Oikos® 24 oz. Vanilla 0% fat yogurt. I am pleased to present my Raspberry Lemon Breakfast Cake. This cake is so moist and delicious! The flavors of the lemon and raspberry shine through, but don't overpower the vanilla flavor and slight tang of the Dannon® Oikos® yogurt. The yogurt adds additional protein and calcium to the cake, making it a healthier alternative than a classic coffee cake.
Raspberry Lemon Breakfast Cake
(Serves 24-36)
3 cups all purpose flour
1 Tablespoon baking powder
2 teaspoons salt
2 cups Dannon® Oikos® Vanilla yogurt
2 cups granulated sugar
6 large eggs
The zest of 3 lemons
1 cup canola oil
1 12 oz. bag frozen whole raspberries
1/4 cup granulated sugar
For the lemon syrup
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1/3 cup fresh lemon juice
For the lemon cream cheese frosting
1 cup powdered sugar
2 Tablespoons fresh lemon juice
4 oz. cream cheese
Preheat oven to 350 F
Step 1: Coat a 13x9 baking pan with nonstick spray, then line with parchment paper so that parchment extends over the 13" sides by several inches (allowing you to simply lift the cake from the pan once it has cooled).
Step 2: In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt. Set aside.
Step 3: In the bowl of an electric mixer, whisk the sugar and eggs until pale yellow. Add yogurt, lemon zest and oil and beat on low to combine.
Step 4: Add dry ingredients to the wet. Stir just to combine, so that no white streaks remain and batter is smooth.
Step 5: Pour half of the batter in to the prepared pan and evenly spread with a silicone or offset spatula.
Step 6: Remove frozen raspberries from the freezer. Rinse in a colander under cold water to remove frost. Transfer to a medium bowl and gently toss with 1/4 cup sugar.
Step 7: Evenly distribute the frozen sugared raspberries over the layer of batter. Top with remain half of batter and use a silicone or offset spatula to evenly distribute.
Step 8: Bake for 55-60 minutes (until a toothpick comes out clean of batter, or cake springs back to the touch). Remove cake from oven and cool on a wire rack for 10 minutes.
Step 9: While cake is cooling, combine the 1/3 cup fresh lemon juice and 1/3 cup sugar in a small saucepan. Cook over medium-high heat until sugar dissolves and mixture is clear. After cake has cooled for ten minutes, pour lemon syrup evenly over the entire cake (while still in pan). Continue to cool the cake on a rack for 30 minutes.
Step 10: Once cake is cool, prepare the frosting by melting the cream cheese in a medium bowl over low heat in the microwave (or a saucepan). Whisk in the powdered sugar and lemon juice until smooth. Using a silicone or offset spatula, spread the frosting over the entire cake.
Step 11: Using the overlapping sides of the parchment as handles, gently lift the cake from the pan. Cut in to squares and serve.
Disclaimer: I have partnered with Dannon® to help promote the Dannon® Oikos® Greek Yogurt Series. I have been compensated for my time commitment to the program, which includes writing about the promotion and product. However, my opinions are entirely my own and I have not been paid to publish positive comments.
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