photographed by liz riccardi

Life

how to have your cake and eat it too

the best 4th of july recipe ever!

I love baking, because I love eating sweets. (Also it makes you popular.) But I can't get down with any recipe that's too complicated or time consuming. Like, I need to be able to want a piece of cake and have a piece of cake within a couple hours, preferably less. I can't be chilling dough or hunting down weird spices. Ain't nobody got time for that!

This cake wins because I usually have all the ingredients on hand. And if you want to have the best Fourth of July, ever you're going to have to make it!

LEMON YOGURT AMERICAKE

Here's what you need:

- Baking music - I find everything tastes better if I make it while blasting Tswift. Know what works for you.

- 2 six inch round cake pans

- 1 cup of sugar

- 1/2 cup of yogurt

- 3 eggs

- 1 1/2 cups flour

- 2 teaspoons baking powder

- 1-2 teaspoons grated lemon zest (also delicious without zest, the choice is yours)

- 1/2 cup olive oil

For the whipped cream frosting:

- A big bowl and something to beat your cream with

- 1 cup heavy cream

- 2-3 tablespoons confectioners sugar

- 1/4 tsp vanilla

- You'll also need some patriotic berries. I used blueberries and strawberries.

Here's how you make it:

- put on your cake jams

- preheat oven to 350F

- stash your whipped cream bowl and beaters in the freezer (if you want, no pressure)

- butter your pans (optionally line bottom with parchment paper and butter) -- I experience a lot of anxiety around flipping cakes out of pans, so I go big with the buttering.

- in a bowl, mix the sugar, yogurt and eggs

- add flour, baking powder, lemon zest and mix to combine

- add the oil and keep stirring until mixture becomes smooth

- pour half of the batter into each pan

- bake 30-35 min, until toothpick or fork comes out clean

- let cakes cool in pans for 20 min

- flip 'em out on to plates and continue to let cool

While the cakes are cooling down, you can prep your whipped cream and berries. For the whipped cream, the proportions are totally up to you--add more sugar and vanilla if that's how you like it. Let freedom ring, yo!

- pour cream, sugar and vanilla into your big chill bowl

- beat them - I use an electric mixer on the highest setting, but you could hand whisk it if you have sick muscles...

- when it starts to form peaks and looks all shaving creamy, you're done

Now you just have to put it together!

- flip one of your cakes onto a decorative cake round / boring cake round / plate

- spread whipped cream

- decorate with blueberries

- place cake number two on top

- spread whipped cream

- decorate with strawberries

You're done! Admire your work, snap an insta, bring it to your BBQ and feel the love. It's a party in the USA!

Follow me here to see more treats!

- butter your pans (optionally line bottom with parchment paper and butter that too) - I experience a lot of anxiety around flipping cakes out of pans, so I go big with the buttering. 

- in a bowl mix the sugar, yogurt and eggs

- add flour, baking powder, lemon zest and mix to combine

- add the oil and keep stirring until mixture becomes smooth

- pour half of the batter into each pan 

- bake 30-35 min, until toothpick or fork comes out clean

- pour cream, sugar and vanilla into your big chill bowl

- beat them - I use a mixer on the highest setting but you could hand whisk it if you have sick muscles.

- when it starts to form peaks and looks all shaving creamy, you're done! 

- flip one of your cakes onto a decorative cake round / boring cake round / plate

- spread whipped cream

- decorate with blueberries 

- flip cake number two on top

- spread whipped cream

- decorate with strawberries 

Decorate with patriotic berries and you're done! Admire your work, snap an insta, bring it to your BBQ and feel the love. It's a party in the USA!