I am willing spring to hurry up! Yet, I write this post on one of the coldest days of the year, while the rest of the country has been wrapped in a blanket of snow and real feel says it’s around -4 degrees celcius! Daffodils and snowdrops have started popping up and there are more than a few days of sunshine each week now.
I’ve had an idea that I’ve wanted to bake a blueberry, lemon drizzle cake for a while, then I came across a recipe adding greek yoghurt so thought I would give it a go. This bake is the loveliest little hint of spring to come. It’s exceptionally moist and the perfect afternoon treat, plus the blueberry addition packs it with vitamin C and antioxidants! With the sun shining, I just about managed to stay outside long enough to take some photos, but it seems we’ll be waiting a few more months until we can actually sit outside for afternoon tea!
Ingredients for the sponge
220g Self Raising Flour
200g Caster Sugar
3 Eggs
1 Teaspoon Vanilla Extract
200g Fat Free Greek Yoghurt
Grated Zest of Two Lemons
250ml Vegetable Oil
150g Blueberries (1 punnet)
1 Tablespoon Flour
Ingredients for the Syrup
Juice of 1 Lemon
Juice of 1 Lime
4 Tablespoons Icing Sugar
Cocktail Stick (to make holes in the sponge)
Ingredients for the Icing
2 oz Icing Sugar
1/2 Tablespoon water
4 Slices Lemon
4 Slices Lime
Method for the Sponge
- Preheat the oven to 180 degrees celcius and grease/line a loaf tin
- Whisk together the yoghurt, sugar, eggs, lemon zest, vanilla extract and vegetable oil
- Sieve the flour into a large bowl, then gradually add the wet ingredients until fully combined and smooth
- In a small bowl, mix the blueberries with the tablespoon flour (prevents the berries sinking to the bottom!), then fold them into the batter
- Pour into your loaf tin, then bake in the oven for 50 minutes or until a skewer comes out clean
Method for the Syrup
- While your sponge is in the oven, add your lemon and lime juice to a pan on a medium heat and stir in your icing sugar
- Keep stirring and keep on the heat until the liquid is thick and syrupy in texture
- The syrup needs to be added to the cake while it’s still hot, so it gets a chance to soak into the sponge. Using your cocktail stick, poke small holes all over the sponge, then brush the syrup over then (keeping the loaf in its tin) set them aside to cool completely
Method for the Icing
- Add the water to the sugar, and mix until you create a smooth liquid paste. If the icing is still too solid, add a dash more water until the icing hangs off the spoon in long strands when lifted
- Once the cake is cool, remove it from the tin and place on your presentation plate, then drizzle the icing back and forth across the top
- Alternate your lemon and lime slices in a layer across the top to decorate
Despite the cold, it was so nice to set this up outside and really feels like we’re through the darkest months! The outfit I’m wearing is an oldie from Asos (non-maternity), but I have linked similar pieces that I think you’ll like! As always, please do tag me on Instagram if you try out this blueberry yoghurt cake!
