Lemon Yoghurt Syrup Cake

So I saw this recipe ages ago in a Women's Day recipe and it was George Caloumbaris, the Greek chef most commonly known by most Aussies from Masterchef. It looks light, tasty and tangy, something I love in desserts.

I MUST MAKE IT.

However, the real reason why I wanted to make this cake was because two of my friends made this cake and I thought I could do a better job. Competitive? Me? Never! Jubi had made a lime and yoghurt cake when she came over for a board games night and then Ms. D., had made a lemon syrup cake on the day she finished at work as a student. Jubi's cake was a bit flat, but the taste was lovely, with candied lime zest. Ms. D's cake was light, airy and wonderfully fluffy, but the lemon syrup was almost intensely lemony. You took a bite and your face puckered, but it was so well balanced you went back for more.

Hmmmmm . . .

My take on the cake was actually cobbled together from quite a few different recipes and I ended up making a lemon syrup yoghurt cake. I made it on the fly from what I had available, I got some yoghurt that I bought at work home, Vaalia Vanilla and googled stuff. I remembered the lovely peanut butter yoghurt cake I made and wanted that same ethereal, creamy and moist texture for my cake crumb. In hindsight, this might've been a mistake.

This cake wasn't as good as I thought it'd be, so I've been a bit reluctant to post this recipe. I think, due to the already high moisture contents from the yoghurt, the syrup can make it a bit waterlogged. The texture starts becoming almost like a steamed lemon pudding without the cloying element. Its got quite a dense crumb to it and is a very moist cake that I think would improve with age. Its ideal for non-sweet tooth people. On the other hand, H., has been hassling me for almost the last two or three months for the recipe. When we talk about food or something on my blog, she'll dreamily mention, "that steamed lemony pudding thing," and then she hits me saying I should blog about it.

On the second and third attempt of this cake. I boiled the syrup down much, much more, until it like a thick caramel. When this cooled down it made a crunchy crystallized golden brown top, so I suppose its up to you what you want.

So here it is dear, the recipe for my lemon yoghurt syrup cake. Overall I liked what I made, I was just disappointed. I might replace the yoghurt for milk in the future for more of a sponge like texture. Experiments for science! Base recipe taken from this pretty blog.

Lemon Yoghurt Syrup Cake

Uses: Bribes for H. Cake Sunday experiment. Using lemons up

Attractive much

Ingredients for cake:
2 room temperature eggs
1 cup of sugar
1 cup of self raising flour or plain+baking powder
250mL of Greek Yoghurt
Zest of the lemons used for the syrup

Ingredients for lemon syrup:
Juice of two lemons, sieve out pulp with a fine strainer
1 cup of water
3/4 cup of sugar

Instructions:
1. Preheat your oven 180C. Line a cake tin, I used my usual 23cm springform pan. A 20cm one would work fine
2. Beat your eggs, sugar and zest together until creamy

So much zest

Voile!

3. Sift the flour into a bowl on top and mix

I love this bowl

4. Add your yoghurt and stir

Gross

5. Bake for at least 30-40 minutes until golden brown and skewer comes out clean
6. During the final 5-10 minutes of baking, combine all the juice, lemon and water. Reduce until 1/3-1/4 of original volume. Skim off any white foam, not sure if this affects the taste, but do it just out of habit
7. Imagine its the face of your most despised enemy, poke the cake with a skewer until satisfied. 20+ holes is what we're looking for

I just took joy in poking a cake, I didn't imagine anyone. Or did I?

8. Pour the hot syrup over the hot cake and serve whenever

Also double post because I know H., is on nights again and would appreciate something to read in the long hours between midnight and 4am :)