It's officially November! Let's raise a glass to surviving October. The past month has been so busy with classwork, school organizations, fashion shows, and baby showers galore. This past weekend, I noticed blotches of golden orange peeking from the bottom of my family's satsuma tree. My baker instincts immediately set in and I quickly began dreaming up possible concoctions.
If you're not familiar with the satsuma, it is a small and very sweet citrus much like a tangerine. With origins in Japan, the fruit is mostly found stateside throughout the Gulf Coast and California. Much easier to peel than most citrus, satsumas are one of the best healthy fall snacks. With that said, I have a tendency to take healthy things, douse them in sugar and flour, and make them totally UNhealthy. Case in point: satsuma yogurt cake.
To be fair, I've baked plenty of cakes that were much less healthy than this one. It's only one layer, butter-less, and it's not swimming in a pool of super-fattening cream cheese icing. That's an improvement, right? Right?!
All jokes aside, this cake was so simple and delicious. The cake layer was teeming with vanilla and had a consistency a bit lighter than pound cake. I soaked the cake in a homemade satsuma syrup and then covered it in a tart glaze, increasing the notes of citrus throughout. If you like citrus cakes, you'll love this recipe!
Satsuma Yogurt Cake
- 3/4 cup greek yogurt (I used vanilla for extra flavor)
- 1 cup sugar
- Zest of 3-4 satsumas
- 3 large eggs
- 1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1 tsp vanilla
- 1/3 cup vegetable oil
Satsuma Syrup
- 1/4 cup satsuma juice
- 2 tbsp sugar
Satsuma Glaze
- 2/3 cup powdered sugar
- 5-6 tsp satsuma juice
Preheat oven to 350F. Grease and flour a 9” round cake pan.
In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
In a large bowl, mix together the yogurt, sugar, and zest with a whisk or large spoon. Whisk in the eggs and vanilla. Add the flour mixture and stir until just combined. Add the vegetable oil and mix until smooth.
Pour the batter into the prepared cake pan. Bake for 25-30 minutes. Allow the cake to cool in the pan for about 15 minutes before transferring it to a wire rack or cake plate.
For the syrup, combine satsuma juice and granulated sugar in a small sauce pan. Stir over medium heat until the sugar is dissolved.
For the glaze, whisk together the confectioner’s sugar and fresh satsuma juice in a small bowl.
Using a skewer, straw, or chopstick (anything this size will do), poke holes throughout the cake. Brush on the syrup and let soak for a few minutes — the longer the better! Finish by topping cake with the glaze. Cut and serve.