The Taste Fairy Explores...Yogurt Vs. Sour Cream

This past weekend, while creating Nicole's cupcake order I decided to try an ingredient I had been recently playing with in my baking: Greek yogurt. I know, some purists out there would laugh at my attempts to make a "healthy" cake. I mean, it IS cake after all, right!? My theory is, if you don't treat yourself, you cheat yourself...but that doesn't mean DELETE yourself! Haha...I know. Corny.
In any case, I LOVE adding sour cream to my pound cakes and cupcakes...it makes them so moist and so tender. Not to mention, the flavor it imparts. Mmmm. BUT, it is sour cream and per tablespoon, has almost as much fat as butter and 8 times the fat as Greek yogurt. And Greek yogurt, is every bit as creamy and thick as sour cream. Mind you, I tried using light sour creams but they were watery in texture and yeah, watery in taste...
A trainer at my gym once told me about the benefits of Greek yogurt (low fat, HIGH in protein) which is why I began eating it daily. I perused the supermarket dairy aisle every couple of days, buying different brands until I settled on 2 that I love, for their creaminess as well as their texture (some seemed powdery on the tongue--ew).
I have found that the yogurt (plain or vanilla flavor) is a perfect replacement for the sour cream I use in my sour cream pound cake cupcakes. However, I found when using the same yogurt to make pound cake, I needed an extra 1/2 teaspoon of baking soda. Without it, my cakes are on the gummy side and do not rise.Note that even with the 1/2 teaspoon of baking soda, the cake still seems a little rich, or dense to me but for a coffee or breakfast cake, this would be ideal, or so I am told....anyway, try either one in your favorite butter or pound cake recipe and let me know what you think!

Nicole's Vanilla Cupcakes

Ok, so I was invited to my son's girlfriends' going away party as she is relocating to California as a result of a job promotion. I made some of my vanilla cupcakes, using my slightly modified pound cake recipe. Some were iced with my fresh strawberry frosting, some with (my NEW favorite-all improved!) chocolate frosting. I don't know why, but my 1st batch didn't look too pretty, with most of them a little sunken in the middle. Not to mention, I used regular cupcake liners, doubled up so the colors would be vibrant. Typically, when I bake with regular liners, the butter leaches through, giving the liner a greasy, transparent look that I detest. Thankfully, I had the grease proof kind and let me add, I can't ever go back! The colors stay true and your fingers don't get oily from holding your cupcake! No need for doubling up either, since that doesn't work for me anyway.

I plowed ahead and made a second batch, and they were picture-perfect! Not to mention, they tasted lightly sweet, moist and buttery. I frosted them all, while picturing how they would look perched on the new pink cupcake holder I bought at T.J. Maxx, of all places!!

Quickly, I showered, got dressed, grabbed my charged up camera (so I could take pix of the folks at the party as well as the cupcakes on display), the cupcakes and the holder and headed out the door. I fought torrential rain, a road detour and a highway accident before arriving at the party, late of course! AGGHH!

All obstacles aside, the party was som much fun and I feel llike I made some new buddies. Not to mention, the cupcakes were a hit! I am so glad, humbled and elated all in one. I may have said this before, but when anyone compliments my baking it ALWAYS feels like I am heraring this for the very 1st time!! Today I end by letting you know that before all was done, I took a picture of my "naked" cupcakes but TOTALLY forgot to take a pic of the finished product...What a doof I am!