If you are permanently on the hunt for the lightest cake in the world, look no further. This Romanian cake is made from a blend of thick yogurt, lemon and honey and is the lightest cake I have ever consumed.
Ingredients:
50g butter
115g caster sugar
2 large eggs
115g Greek yogurt
Grated rind of 2 lemons
Juice of 1/2 lemon
150g self-raising flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
curls of lemon rind to decorate
For the syrup: juice of 1/2 lemon, 4 tbsp honey, 3 tbsp water, 1 cinnamon stick
Instructions:
Preheat oven to 190ºC
Grease and line a shallow, 7-inch square cake tin (I made extra to fit my rectangular tin)
Allow butter to soften.
Cream together the softened butter and sugar either in a bowl or a mixer until pale and fluffy.
Slowly add the egg yolks, Greek yogurt, lemon rind and juice.
Beat until smooth.
In a separate bowl, whisk the egg whites until just stiff.
Sift together the flour and baking powder.
Fold flour and baking powder into yogurt mixture. Fold carefully, do not excessively stir because you will stretch the gluten in the flour.
Then, fold in egg whites, again carefully, making sure they do not lose all their air, otherwise the cake will not be light. A top tip is to use a metal spoon not a wooden one!
Spoon the mixture into the prepared cake tin.
Bake for about 25 minutes or until golden brown and firm to touch.
Turn out on to a plate and peel off base paper.
For the syrup, put the lemon juice, honey, water and cinnamon stick together in small pan.
Stir until boiling.
Cook until syrupy.
Remove the pan from the heat.
Remove and discard the cinnamon stick.
Spoon the warm syrup over the cake then sprinkle with lemon rind.
Leave to cool completely and cut into 16 pieces.
Finished product ready to cut into slices.
Serve!