*the* Cake

This will become your go-to basic cake recipe if you think a cake [or muffins or cupcakes] should be moist and rich, leaning towards the texture of a coffee cake. If you're a chiffon and angelfood cake person then stick with your old dry recipe. The secret is vanilla yogurt. The added bonus is what the yogurt does to the nutritional profile of the cake. I don't like this cake specifically because it is "healthier" than others. It's just one of those cases where you never miss the fat! This recipe is a good start for all sorts of culinary creativity. Experiment with different mix-ins, different flavors of yogurt, and different formats. Chocolate chip cake? Blueberry muffins? Lemon-poppyseed muffins using lemon yogurt? Cinnamon-raisin-praline coffeecake? Just remember to keep the mix-ins as small as possible [mini chocolate chips, finely chopped nuts] so they don't sink in the batter. I'm telling you, it will be your go-to base for all sorts of baking!

• Ready In: 50 mins
• Yields: 1 cake

Ingredients

• 3 1⁄2 cups flour
• 1 1⁄2 cups sugar
• 2  teaspoons baking soda
• 2 1⁄2 teaspoons baking powder
• 3 (6 ounce) containers non-fat vanilla yogurt, light
• 3  eggs
• 3⁄4 cup  oil
• 2  tablespoons vanilla
• 1 1⁄2 cups  mini chocolate chips or 1 1⁄2 cups blueberries

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
2. In large mixing bowl, combine flour, sugar, baking soda, and baking powder.
3. In separate mixing bowl, combine yogurt, eggs, oil, and vanilla.
4. Dump wet ingredients into dry ingredients and stir.
5. Stir in chocolate chips.
6. Pour into a greased bundt pan, cake pans, or muffin pans.
7. Bake until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean, about 40 minutes for a bundt cake, less for shallower cake pans or muffin pans.