Fail-proof yogurt cake recipe: From kitchen flops to dessert delight

This cake is light, fluffy, and soft as a pillow you rest your head on after a tough day. It effectively lifts your spirits on a gloomy day, sweetens the afternoons, and has guests raving. Plus, you won't spend a fortune on ingredients or long hours on preparation.

In an ideal world, we'd always have time to spend long hours in the kitchen, browsing through recipes, selecting ingredients, mixing, baking, and decorating elaborate cakes. However, in reality, we often lack time. In such moments, yogurt cake comes to the rescue.

Preparing this cake is incredibly simple. After trying the first slice, you'll understand what we mean by its extraordinary softness. It's like reaching for a dessert straight from heaven, reminiscent of a fluffy cloud from fairy tales. This might be a far-fetched comparison, but you'll change your mind once you finish baking this yogurt cake.

Ingredients:

                                      
• 2 cups of wheat flour
• 1 cup of sugar
• about 11 oz of cottage cheese
• about 2/3 cup of natural yogurt
• about 1/2 cup of vegetable oil
• 5 eggs
• 4 tablespoons powdered sugar
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• a pinch of salt

Preparation:

                          
1. Crack the eggs into a bowl, add the sugar and salt, and beat into a fluffy, light mixture.
2. Add the natural yogurt, mixing constantly.
3. Pour in the vegetable oil, then sift in the flour, baking powder, and baking soda, and combine into a smooth batter.
4. Pour into a springform pan lined with parchment paper.
5. Crush the cottage cheese in a container, add one egg, powdered sugar, and blend into a smooth mass.
6. Pour it over the cake in the springform pan and gently smooth it out.
7. Bake in an oven preheated to 350°F for about 45 minutes. Once cooled, sprinkle with powdered sugar.

Although the cake is delicious on its own, you can elevate it with tasty toppings. Simply decorate the top with cherry compote, roasted apples, or, in a quick version, spread with your favorite jam.

Ingredients:

                  
• about 14-18 oz of pitted cherries (fresh or frozen)
• 2-4 tablespoons of sugar (to taste)
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon potato starch or corn starch
• 2-3 tablespoons cold water

Preparation:

                  
1. Place the cherries in a saucepan, add the sugar and lemon juice. Mix and simmer over low heat. If using frozen cherries, heat them first without any additions until they thaw.
2. Cook for a few minutes until the cherries soften and release more juice.
3. In a small bowl, mix the potato starch with cold water.
4. Reduce the heat under the saucepan with cherries. Pour in the prepared starch mixture, stirring constantly to prevent lumps.
5. Cook, stirring, until the compote thickens and becomes glossy. Remove from heat.

Pour the finished compote over the cake once cooled. Enjoy!