Recipe: The perfect after school treat... 

This is a light, simple and delicious cake, perfect for an after school treat or a light dessert in the evening. Serve with Greek yogurt and berry compote or fresh fruit, even some freshly picked blackberries.

Lemon Cake with Yogurt

Ingredients

240 gr cream flour

2 tsp baking powder

Pinch salt

2 large free range eggs

150gr sugar

184gr yogurt

Finely grated zest of 2 lemons

60ml lemon juice

170gr olive oil, sunflower oil or half and half. ( depends on your preference)

Note this amount makes slightly too much for the loaf tin, so fill you tin 2/3rds and then maybe bake one or two mini cakes in a greased dariole mould.

Method:

• Preheat the oven to 350
• Butter and flour a 2 lb loaf tin, lining the base with a strip of parchment paper.
• Sift together the flour, baking powder & salt and set aside.
• Beat the eggs for two minutes until pale and thick. Gradually beat in the sugar.
• In a medium jug mix together the lemon juice, zest, oil and yogurt, mix well.
• Next fold the yogurt mix into he egg mix.
• Finally fold in the dry ingredients and mix just until completely blended.
• Scrape the batter into the pan and bake for 30-35 minutes, until just beginning to turn golden and a toothpick inserted in the centre comes out without wet batter clinging to it.
• Don’t over bake.
• Let the cake cool on a rack for 10 minutes before turning out.
• I like to flip it over so the rough edge faces up. Let cool completely before dusting with icing sugar. Serve warmed or at room temperature.

Berry compote

Puree

1 cup frozen raspberries

1 cup frozen blackcurrants

¼ cup sugar

Juice of 1 lemon

Extra: 2 cups fresh berries blackberries, blueberries or raspberries .

Method:

• Put everything for the puree in a medium sized pot and bring to the boil over a low heat (to allow the sugar to dissolve). Once it reaches the boil simmer gently for a minute or two.
• Allow to cool a little, then carefully puree and pass through a fine nylon sieve to remove pips.
• Re-heat and add some fresh berries and cook gently until bubbling gently, remove from the heat and allow to cool.
• This will keep well in the fridge for a few days and can be used on ice cream or with yogurt.