[Yogurt Cake]

As I’ve mentioned before, Maxence is a big advocate of the adage “if it ain’t broke don’t fix it”. In other words, when a classic recipe is fabulous, don’t meddle with it, and just do what you’re told. Obviously I have trouble following that piece of advice, and more often than not I’ll surrender to the urge and tweak a little something here and a little something there — substitution is my middle name.

But Maxence had been craving the glorious simplicity of a Gâteau au Yaourt for a while (his grandmother’s gâteau au yaourt to be specific), and on Sunday afternoon he decided to bake one for us. Gâteau au yaourt, as its name implies, is a cake which calls for yogurt: very easy to make and even easier to love, it is often the first cake that French kids learn how to bake.

It is a fluffy, cloud-like and moist affair, not too sweet, and just perfect for any time of day — breakfast, dessert, afternoon snack, any time at all, trust me. It is particularly tasty fresh out of the oven when it is warm and crusty (do let it cool for about half an hour), but it will keep delightfully well wrapped in foil for a few days, as the flavors develop and the top crust softens and turns a little melty on your tongue.

And well, I have to admit, however much I liked the raspberry almond variation I made a year ago, this is definitely a cake that’s worth eating in its most innocent version. Oh, I’m not saying I won’t keep building on it and using it as a base recipe for other cakes — that’s just who I am — but I will keep pressing Maxence for him to bake me more of this one!

This tried-and-true recipe will soon become a family favorite. It freezes very well and is great to store in batches for quick, nourishing, hearty cold-day meals or for medicinal purposes!

Good basic chicken soup. Vegetables should be thrown out at the end, not kept.