Turks love yoghurt and it appears in sweet and savory dishes regularly, thanks to our Nomadic past. This cake, rich in yoghurt and walnuts with no oil/butter, makes a healthy option too. There are many versions of this cake at home; some of which are soaked in syrup and served as dessert, accompanied by our thick clotted cream of Buffalos, kaymak. My version includes muscovado (or brown) sugar and wholemeal self raising flour. Addition of the orange marmalade brings a lovely moist texture. This light, wholesome cake goes very well with tea and coffee. Very popular with the children too!
Serves 6 – 8
Preparation time: 20 minutes
Cooking time: 45 – 50 minutes
3 eggs
230 gr / 8 oz / 1 cup Muscovado (or brown sugar)
115 gr / 4 oz self raising flour
400 gr / 14 oz plain (preferably) wholemilk yoghurt
Zest of 1 lemon
2 tablespoons orange marmalade
60 gr / 2 oz walnuts, finely chopped
Desiccated coconut to garnish
Double cream or mascarpone cheese by the side – optional-
Preheat oven to 180 C / 350 F/ Gas mark 4
Grease a cake tin or a baking dish (8 in x 8 in or 20 cm x 20 cm) lightly with a little oil or butter.
In a large bowl, beat the eggs with the sugar until light and creamy. Beat in the flour, then the yoghurt, lemon zest and the marmalade. Add the walnuts and mix well.
Spoon the mixture to the prepared dish and bake in the oven for about 45 minutes or until golden brown on top.
Once cooled down, cut the cakes into squares, transfer into a serving dish and sprinkle with desiccated coconut. You can serve the cake with some double cream or mascarpone cheese by the side if you would like.
I prepared this dessert as directed in your recipe and and it was very soggy, I can hardly call it a cake. Is it possible the flour and the yogurt amounts are mixed? I can't see how a cake could have so little flour and so much yogurt.