Yoghurt Orange Cake

My daughter-in-law loves to bake, and whenever she finds time she conjures up something for our sweet-tooth. Here's one of her latest offerings.

This very simple cake is an ideal accompaniment to all the September fruit - like blackberries, plums and figs. You can ice it with some yoghurt thickened with icing sugar and scatter with chopped/sliced fruit, or it can be served alongside some stewed or baked fruit.

We ate it without the icing. Next time the topping will be in place!



Ingredients:

Yoghurt................................................150gms
Sunflower oil (or any refined oil)........1 n 1/2 tbsps.
Orange.................................................juiced to make one large cup of juice. Zest from peel.
Castor sugar........................................125gms
Eggs (free-range)................................3
Plain flour(maida)..............................200gms
Baking pwdr.......................................2 tsps.


Preheat the oven to 170 C/ 340F/ 3-4 gas mark.
Butter and line a 500g loaf tin.
Beat together the yoghurt, sunflower oil, orange zest and sugar until the mixture is smooth and light.
Beat the eggs together and gradually add them to the yoghurt mix. When you have a light moussey consistency you can sift in the flour and baking powder.
Fold gently until the mixture is just amalgamated. Don't over mix or you will have a heavy cake. And then pour it into the prepared tin.
Bake for 45 minutes until an inserted knife comes out clean.
Let the cake cool in the tin for about 10 mins.
Make a few small holes all around the top.
Pour the orange juice over the cake.
When it is cooled, lift out of the tin.

(Recipe courtesy Rosie Sykes. Rosie Sykes is the head chef of Fitzbillies and co-author of The Kitchen revolution)

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