STRAWBERRY & YOGHURT CAKE

SERVES 12–16

Whatever berries or stone fruit are in season are great to use in this cake. It is also nice finished with whipped cream instead of yoghurt.

200 g (7 oz) polenta (cornmeal)

200 g (7 oz/1¹/₃ cups) self-raising flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

275 g (9¾ oz/1¼ cups) caster (superfine) sugar

110 g (3¾ oz) unsalted butter, melted

600 g (1 lb 5 oz) plain yoghurt

200 ml (7 fl oz) warm water

600 g (1 lb 5 oz/4 cups) strawberries, hulled and chopped

icing (confectioners’) sugar, for dusting

Preheat the oven to 170°C (325°F/Gas 3).

Line and grease a 22 cm (8½ inch) cake tin. Place the dry ingredients in a large mixing bowl. Stir to combine and make a well in the centre. Add the butter, 300 g (10½ oz) of the yoghurt and the water and beat with a wooden spoon until well blended. Stir through half of the strawberries and pour into the tin.

Bake for 2 hours or until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean.

Place on a cooling rack and stand for 15 minutes before removing from the tin.

Once completely cool, top the cake with the remaining yoghurt and strawberries. To serve, dust with icing sugar.

NOTE: I like to use a square tin for this one, to mix it up. Plus it makes it easy to portion and this is a cake that lasts well for a couple of days – hold off adding the yoghurt and strawberries until just before serving.