This cake is the most delightful afternoon tea treat—just pair with a pot of tasty Earl Grey tea. Mandarins are crazy cheap at the moment and I had some natural yoghurt in my fridge that was in need of some attention. After a quick Google search I discovered this recipe, care of the very talented Martha Stewart. It’s only a small cake, so if you are planning on sharing with a few people, perhaps consider doubling the recipe. It is best enjoyed when it’s fresh from the oven.
Mandarin and Yoghurt Cake
• 1 cup flour
• ½ cup sugar
• ½ tsp baking powder
• ¹∕8 tsp baking soda
• ½ tsp salt
• ½ cup plain unsweetened yoghurt
• ¼ cup vegetable oil
• Zest and juice of one mandarin
• 1 egg
• ½ tsp of vanilla essence
• Icing sugar (dust over the top before serving to make it look pretty)
Preheat your oven to 175 degrees Celsius and grease a 15-20cm cake tin (round is best). Sift flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt into a bowl (or alternatively dump it all in and give it a good stir with a fork to get rid of any lumps). Add yoghurt, oil, zest, juice, egg and vanilla to the flour mixture and stir to combine. To juice the mandarin you can just cut it in half and give it a real good squeeze with your hand because there are no seeds and things to get lost in the mixture, no need for a juicer. Pour the mixture into your prepared cake tin and bake in the oven for about 25 minutes or until it starts to turn golden brown and a knife comes out clean when inserted into the middle of the cake. Let cool for about 10 minutes and then dust the icing sugar over the top. Enjoy with some whipped cream or natural yoghurt for afternoon tea or dessert. The zest and juice could easily be swapped for any other citrus fruit such as lemon or orange, and if you don’t have yoghurt, sour cream will also do the job. *