There are a number of reasons why I made these cakes. Well, I suppose there are reasons behind every recipe I make, but this one has specific ones.

First, I picked up a bag of about 10 or so blood oranges at the grocery store last weekend. If you’ve never had one, they’re about the size of a tangerine and a little more tart than regular oranges. And they’re beautiful. They make a great snack on their own, but I thought their color would look beautiful baked!

Second, on that same trip to the grocery store I bought a big tub of Greek yogurt. Which I hate. I do this every so often – I buy yogurt because I want something new for breakfast and because I know it’s healthy for me. Greek yogurt with fresh fruit, granola, and honey… it sounds so delicious! Then I eat it and remember why I never buy yogurt. I hate yogurt. So I thought, what am I going to do with this?

Lastly, I was convinced I had a loaf pan. So I wanted to make a loaf cake. I didn’t realize I don’t have a loaf pan until after I put out all of my ingredients and started preheating the oven. Whoops.

Blood Orange Yogurt Cakes
Makes 12 cupcakes or 1 loaf cake. Adapted from Sprinkle Bakes.

Ingredients
for the cake
1 1/2 C flour
2 tsp baking powder
dash salt
1/2 C sugar
1 C nonfat Greek yogurt
3 eggs
1/2 tsp vanilla
1/2 C vegetable oil
zest of 2 blood oranges
juice of 1/2 blood orange
for the glaze
3oz reduced fat cream cheese
juice of 1 1/2 blood oranges
1-2 C powdered sugar

Instructions
1. Preheat oven to 350F. Prepare cupcake tin with liners or loaf pan with parchment paper.
2. In a medium bowl, combine flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
3. In a larger bowl, mix sugar, yogurt, eggs, vanilla, oil, zest, and juice until smooth.
4. Add dry to wet and stir until combined.
5. Bake cupcakes for 20-25 minutes, or loaf for 50 minutes until a knife comes out clean.
6. Once cakes are cooled completely, begin glaze by mixing juice and cream cheese.
7. Slowly incorporate powdered sugar. Add less for a thin glaze or more for thicker frosting.
8. Frost cakes and serve.

Isn’t that pink color gorgeous? The blood orange juice is beautiful! And the yogurt makes a really light, fluffy cake. Much more enjoyable than in a bowl all by itself.