Strawberry Lemon Yoghurt Cake

 

This year, I finally have success growing strawberries in a large tub and the pleasure of harvest them each day with minimal damages inflicted by caterpillars, aphis, snails and rats.  That's nature, I suppose.  You win some, you lose some.  My strawberry lemon yoghurt cake, however, is definitely a winner.  Similar to my blueberry lemon yoghurt cake  which I like to make this time of year when berries are in season, it is an easy recipe, whipped up in one mixing bowl with no electric appliances required.  The cake is dense and moist, bursting with the fresh flavour and sweet aroma of strawberries.  Serve individual slices with a dollop of Greek yoghurt which is already used in the cake, creme fraiche or vanilla ice cream.

Serves 8-10

INGREDIENTS

• 500g / 1lb 2oz strawberries 
• 2 eggs
• 1 cup caster sugar
• ½ cup vegetable oil
• 1 cup Greek yoghurt, plus extra for serving
• 1 tablespoon lemon zest
• ¼ cup lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste or extract
• 2¼ cups plain flour
• 4 teaspoons baking powder
• pinch of sea salt
• 1 tablespoon icing sugar, for dusting

METHOD

1. Grease a round 23cm / 9" springform or loose-base cake pan. Line base and side with baking paper.
2. Hull the strawberries with a paring knife.  Dice ⅔ of the strawberries into 1.5cm / ½" pieces for inside of the cake and cut the remaining ⅓ of the strawberries in half for the topping.
3. In a large mixing bowl, add eggs, sugar, yoghurt, lemon zest, lemon juice and vanilla.  Stir for 1 minute until combined.
4. Add flour, baking powder and salt.  Stir until the batter is smooth.
5. Pour half of the batter into the cake pan and smooth the surface with a spatula.  Spread diced strawberries evenly on top.  Pour in the remaining batter.  Smooth the surface again, then arrange halved strawberries on top, cut face down.
6. Bake in a preheated 180°C/350°F oven for 50 minutes to 1 hour.  When a skewer inserted into the centre of the cake comes out clean, it is done.
7. Let the cake rest in the pan for 10 minutes before removing it to cool completely on a rack.
8. Dust cake with icing sugar.  

Source (with adaptations): recipetineats