Is it cake time yet?
These days, the answer is always yes. Cake is comforting in way that a tart or cookies are not. (Tarts are fancy. Cookies are playful. Cake is just cake.)
This is especially true of loaf cakes, which you can convince yourself is just like bread. Slices of it fit in the toaster, so really, what’s the difference? I like to eat my latest version, a citrus-scented cornmeal number, toasted and buttered for breakfast. And you can make it in one bowl.
First, heat your oven to 350 degrees and grease and flour a loaf pan. (Or grease and line it with parchment.)
Now, get out a big bowl, and add a cup or so of sugar. If you have an orange, lime or a lemon, grate its zest into the bowl. If you need a little aromatherapy, work the zest into the sugar with your fingers. This technique is supposed to infuse the citrus into the sugar. To be perfectly honest, I’m not sure it is more effective than just whisking, but it smells amazing.
Add the wet ingredients to the bowl: 1/2 cup liquid fat (olive oil, coconut oil, sunflower oil, whatever you’ve got; I used melted butter), 2 eggs, 1/2 cup plain yogurt or buttermilk or sour cream (or whole milk and 1 tablespoon of lemon juice) along with a dash of vanilla or almond extract (or brandy), if you like, and 1/4 teaspoon grated nutmeg. (You could skip this, but I love it).
Whisk in the dry ingredients in this order: 1/4 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon baking soda, a teaspoon baking powder, and 1/2 cup cornmeal. Once smooth whisk in 1 1/4 cups flour.
Scrape the batter into the prepared pan, and bake for 45 minutes to an hour. Let it (mostly) cool in the pan. Then slice off a thick piece, butter it and let yourself be soothed.
This is part of a weekday series in which Melissa Clark teaches you how to cook with pantry staples. (Other recipes in the series: Root vegetables with chickpeas and yogurt. Cheesy shakshuka. Sardine-celery salad. Brothy lentils and rice. Flaky biscuits. Tahini omelet. Cold peanut noodles. Crunchy pantry popcorn. Vegetarian skillet chili. Dried beans. Baked oats. Canned tuna pasta. Any-vegetable soup. Pantry crumb cake.)
