Yoghurt & Olive Oil Cake

To celebrate the fact that my favourite cooking show "Gourmet Farmer"  is returning to TV next week, I thought I would share this delicious recipe for Yoghurt & Olive Oil Cake. Whenever I tell my friends about this cake, they cringe when I say olive oil, as it's not something that many Australians would consider putting in a sweet.  I think they are imagining the cake to be heavy and savoury. But it's quite the contrary and every time I make it I win more people over! You can find this recipe, along with many other delicious concoctions, in The Gourmet Farmer deli book, which you can purchase on the Fat Pig Farm website.  The fourth season of Gourmet Farmer, Gourmet Farmer Afloat, commences Thursday 20 February at 7.30pm on SBS . 

Ingredients
1.5 cups plain flour
2 tsp baking powder
1 pinch pure sea salt
1 cup caster sugar
Finely grated zest of 1 lemon
1/2 cup natural 'live' yoghurt
3 large free-range eggs, lightly beaten
1/4 tsp natural vanilla extract
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil

Method
1. Preheat oven to 180 degrees celsius. Grease and line a loaf tin [20x10 x 6.5cm] with baking paper. 
2. In a small bowl, combine the sugar and the lemon zest. Rub it together between your fingers for a few minutes - this will cause the lemon to infuse the sugar by coating the granules. 
3. In a large bowl, sift the flour, baking powder and salt.
4. Whisk the yoghurt, eggs and vanilla into the lemon sugar.  Once well blended, stir gently into the dry ingredients. 
5. Fold in the olive oil. The batter will be thick and shiny! 
6. Pour the batter in to the cake tin and gentle smooth over the top so it's even.
7. Bake for 50-55 minutes or until golden.  A skewer inserted in to the middle of the cake should come out clean. 
8. Cool in the tin for 5 minutes before turning on to a wire rack. Dust with pure icing sugar (confectioners' sugar) and serve in slices. 

Disclaimer: Please note that some of the links on this page are affiliate links, and I will earn a small commission if you make a purchase using them. I personally own a copy of the book listed and recommended it because I think you will enjoy them too! Thank you for supporting my blog, and please let me know if you have any questions about anything I’ve included!