Deliciously round

While the heat revives scents and colors, the ones I crave for all year round, from freshly cut grass to burning tarmac, new tastes find their way into our kitchen too and it is time to test new recipes, both savory and sweet. 

Bravely enough, I have been baking. Yes, in the heat, but it has to be said that once the temperature rises, I can pretty much stand anything, even a double heat wave - outside and inside the apartment. Obviously the elected recipe had better be worth it and the following one made it with flying colors, no summer regrets whatsoever. Let's say that a nice cup of home-made iced tea or lemonade helped me get through this one.

It is quick, straightforward and light as a feather while it melts in your mouth thanks to the miraculous ingredient: yogurt (no butter!). The addition of lemon zests brings it right to the evening summer table in its glorious and flawless roundness of shape - and taste. 

The ingredients:

150g plain yogurt such as Greek yogurt

150ml vegetable oil (NOT olive oil)

3 eggs (take them out of the fridge in advance, they need to be at room temperature)

A splash of vanilla extract (optional)

Zest of 1 lemon (preferably unwaxed)

175g plain flour

75g cornflour

Ring mould or springform tin. In any case, grease you utensil of choice thoroughly to make it easier to turn it out.

How to:

Preheat the oven to 180 °C and grease the (ring) mould.

Separate the eggs and whisk the whites. Set them aside

Mix the yogurt, egg yolks and then use the now empty yogurt pot to measure out the rest of the ingredients. Add two pots of sugar to the yolk and yogurt mixture. Whisk until the batter becomes light.

Add to this mixture a potful of oil, then tip in the vanilla extract and zest.

Still beating, add 2 potfuls of flour, one potful of cornflour.

Next, fold into this mixture the whisked egg whites.

Scrape everything into the prepared mould and bake for 30 minutes (in my oven, 20 minutes were more than enough, so make sure to check the cake every now and then while it bakes...).

Once baked, remove and let it cool on a wire rack. Wait a good ten minutes before turning it out.

If you want to sprinkle perfection on the final result, a thin veil of icing sugar could do the trick.

Recipe from: Nigellissima (what else?)

Credits: TheDaydreamerDiary