Sometimes, when you need a quick birthday or other occasion cake, it helps to have an easy recipe without hard to find ingredients and one that will not disappoint. This is such a recipe, a joy to make and a total pleasure to eat! It serves many too! It is great served with some fresh raspberries or macerated strawberries on the side.
Ingredients (serves 14-16)
- For the cake
- 275g caster sugar
- 6 large eggs
- A squeeze of lemon juice
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 175g Greek yogurt
- 150ml rapeseed oil
- 375g plain flour
- 3 tbsp baking powder
For the syrup
- 100g caster sugar
- 100ml water
- 2 tbsp vanilla extract
For the meringue
- 120g egg white
- 100ml water
- 1 tsp cream of tartar
- 200g sugar
- A few drops coconut essence
To finish
- Coconut flakes
- Meringue kisses
Method
To make the cake, grease a 24cm diameter, loose bottom cake tin and line the base with baking parchment.
Preheat the oven to 150C.
In a bowl, using an electric mixer, whisk the eggs with the sugar and vanilla extract until pale and fluffy, approx. 7-8 minutes.
In another bowl whisk the Greek yogurt, rapeseed oil and lemon juice. Add the yogurt mix to the egg mix and whisk gently to incorporate.
Sift the flour and baking powder into the bowl with the wet ingredients and use a spatula to fold mixing well but trying not to knock too much air out of the cake.
Pour the batter into the cake tin and bake near the bottom of the oven for 60-65 minutes or until a skewer dipped into the middle of the cake comes out clean. Leave in the oven for a few minutes with the door slightly ajar so that the top of the cake does not crack from the sudden change of temperature.
While the cake is baking make the vanilla syrup. Bring the sugar and water to a medium to high heat to melt the sugar and cook for a minute after boiling point. Leave to cool. Add the vanilla extract and stir.
Also, in this time you may want to make the Italian meringue. In a clean bowl, using an electric mixer whisk the egg whites with the cream of tartar to soft peaks.
In a small saucepan, put the water and sugar and bring to boiling point. Continue to cook the syrup until it reaches 116 C on a sugar thermometer. Add the syrup to the meringue in a slow stream while whisking and continue to whisk until the meringue has cooled down. Add a few coconut drops to flavour.
Remove the cake from the oven and leave to cool. Put on a board and cut into three circles.
Lay one piece of cake onto a cake stand. Brush with some of the vanilla syrup and spread with some of the meringue. Continue with the other two slices of cake and use the left over meringue to cover the top and sides of the cake.
Decorate with the coconut flakes, meringues or soft fruit, edible flowers and anything else that takes your fancy.
