Quarantine Baking: Early Grey Tea Cake

I was baking once per week when I was quarantined at home, and I am only baking more often now, as I have been trying to share some homemade baked goods with the hard-working nurses and doctors at work. This bread recipe was a big hit with my coworkers, and it was a great way to use up loose leaf tea that had been sitting around in the cabinet.

Looking at the ingredients and the nutrition information now afterwards, I think I could probably cut back on the oil - just 1/3 cup less would save me 80 calories and 9 g fat per serving. 

INGREDIENTS
1 cup vegetable oil, plus more for pan

1 1/4 cups whole wheat pastry flour

1/2 cup oat flour

1/4 cup ground flax seeds
1 tsp. Morton kosher salt
½ tsp. baking powder
½ tsp. baking soda
2 large eggs
1¼ cups (250 g) granulated sugar
1 cup plain whole-milk yogurt
3 Tbsp. loose-leaf Earl Grey tea or ¼ cup tea from bags
2 tsp. vanilla extract
2 Tbsp sliced honey almonds

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 325°. Lightly coat a 9x5" or 8½x4½" loaf pan with vegetable oil and line with parchment paper, leaving overhang on long sides.

2. Whisk 2 cups (250 g) all-purpose flour, 1 tsp. Morton kosher salt, ½ tsp. baking powder, and ½ tsp. baking soda in a medium bowl to combine.

3. Vigorously whisk 2 large eggs and 1¼ cups (250 g) granulated sugar in a large bowl 1 minute (seriously, time it!); mixture should be pale yellow and frothy. Whisk in 1 cup plain whole-milk yogurt, 3 Tbsp. loose-leaf Earl Grey tea (or ¼ cup tea from bags), and 2 tsp. vanilla extract.

4. Gradually stream in 1 cup vegetable oil, whisking constantly until incorporated. (Place a kitchen towel under your bowl to stabilize it so that you have two free hands.) Add dry ingredients and whisk to combine. Scrape batter into prepared pan and smooth top. Gently tap pan against surface to eliminate any air bubbles.

5. Sprinkle evenly with 2 Tbsp sliced almonds. Bake cake until a skewer or toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, about 1 hour.

6. Let cool 15 minutes in pan, then run a butter knife or offset spatula between the cake and pan to release. Lift it out using parchment overhang and transfer to a wire rack. Serve warm or room temperature.

Allergens: wheat, gluten, eggs, milk, nuts

Nutrition (1/7 loaf): 590 calories, 37 g fat, 4 g saturated fat, 58 mg cholesterol, 441 mg sodium, 92 mg potassium, 61 g carbohydrates, 5 g fiber, 38 g sugar, 7 g protein, 2% vitamin A, 0% vitamin C, 10% calcium, 11% iron

Cost: TBD

Adapted from: https://www.bonappetit.com/recipe/earl-grey-yogurt-cake

P.S. Two weeks later, after looking at the nutrition breakdown, I thought I would make a second attempt, but this time with the aim of decreasing calories, fat, carbohydrates and sugar. It's in the oven now so I'll let you know how it goes!

P.P.S. It was a bit dry, I need to try adding applesauce to give it more moisture.

	1st Attempt	2nd Attempt
Ingredients	1 cup vegetable oil, plus more for pan 1 1/4 cups whole wheat pastry flour 1/2 cup oat flour 1/4 cup ground flax seeds 1 tsp. Morton kosher salt ½ tsp. baking powder ½ tsp. baking soda 2 large eggs 1¼ cups (250 g) granulated sugar 1 cup plain whole-milk yogurt 3 Tbsp. loose-leaf Earl Grey tea or ¼ cup tea from bags 2 tsp. vanilla extract 2 Tbsp sliced honey almonds	1/2 cup vegetable oil, plus more for pan 1 cups whole wheat pastry flour 2/3 cup almond flour 1/3 cup ground flax seeds 1 tsp. Morton kosher salt ½ tsp. baking powder ½ tsp. baking soda 2 large eggs 3/4 cups (250 g) granulated sugar 1 cup plain 2% Greek yogurt 3 Tbsp. loose-leaf Earl Grey tea or ¼ cup tea from bags 2 tsp. vanilla extract 2 Tbsp sliced honey almonds
Nutrition	590 calories, 37 g fat, 4 g saturated fat, 58 mg cholesterol, 441 mg sodium, 92 mg potassium, 61 g carbohydrates, 5 g fiber, 38 g sugar, 7 g protein, 2% vitamin A,   0% vitamin C, 10% calcium, 11% iron	430 calories, 26 g fat, 2.5 g saturated fat, 57 mg cholesterol, 435 mg sodium, 93 mg potassium, 41 g carbohydrates, 5 g fiber, 24 g sugar, 10 g protein, 2% vitamin A, 0% vitamin C, 10% calcium, 10% iron