Hot Dinner: Lemon Yogurt and Cherry Cake

Edd Kimber is the author of The Boy Who Bakes (£16.99, Kyle Books). He blogs at theboywhobakes.co.uk

I love experimenting in the kitchen, it’s what my blog is about, and of course it led to a whole book of recipes. Normally the experimenting starts with an idea already formed but today’s recipe started because of a little bit of a challenge. I had attended the launch of the new Collective Dairy Yoghurts and they asked me if I thought I could come up with a recipe using the yogurts. Originally I thought muffins but for no real reason I’m not actually a huge muffin fan. Instead I paired the lemon yoghurt with cherries in a loaf cake and you know what? It’s deliciously moist, fruity and definitely a new favourite.

Ingredients

225g plain flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
175ml lemon yogurt (plain will work too)
200g golden caster sugar
3 large eggs
zest of 1 lemon
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
150g unsalted butter, melted and cooled
150g cherries pitted and quartered

Frosting

100g unsalted butter, room temperature
200g icing sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
80g lemon curd
1 tbsp milk

Grease and line a standard loaf pan and preheat the oven to 180C/160C Fan.

In a medium bowl mix the flour, baking powder and salt together. In a large bowl mix together until combined the yogurt, sugar, eggs, lemon zest, vanilla extract and butter. Sift the flour mixture over the liquid ingredients and gently fold together (don’t beat or the cake will be tough) until the dry ingredients are incorporated.

Lightly dust the cherries with about 1/2 tbsp flour, which will help stop them from sinking in the cake, then lightly mix into the batter. Pour into the prepared loaf pan and lightly level out. Bake for 60-65 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the middle of the cake comes out clean. Allow to cool in the pan for 15 minutes before removing to cool completely on a wire rack.

To make the frosting beat the butter in an electric mixer fitted with the paddle until very pale then slowly incorporate the icing sugar and beat until light and fluffy. Add the lemon curd, vanilla extract and milk and beat until combined. Spread across the cake and serve. I also topped the cake with a little candied lemon zest and grated white chocolate.