Recipe: Blood Orange & Raspberry Yoghurt Cake
10 minute microwave magic {v,nf}
This week my cake-making journey has been something of a culinary trilogy: first a triumph, then a disaster so rubbery that it would have bounced back if I'd dropped it on the floor (note: don't overmix!), before finally achieving that elusive juicy perfection for my middle child's birthday. One slice disappeared, then another, the blood orange-flecked morsels vanished from the plate with alarming speed.
As for decorations, royal icing and I maintain a respectful distance, while buttercream and I suffered a falling-out after a marathon stretch baking countless cupcakes for a German Christmas market.
What makes this recipe remarkable? It requires no conventional oven, just an aging microwave in my makeshift little garage kitchen. I've discovered a technique that transforms simple ingredients into something with the moreish quality of a traditional bake, without the traditional equipment.
The flavours whisper of this month's French film selection, though I'll spare you details of its rather bloody opening sequence. When I first arrived in Paris, the children in my care showed me how to make a yoghurt pot cake, a French baking classic that's been passed down through generations. They taught me to use the empty pot itself as the measuring tool, a method that creates consistent results even without precision scales.
Want to discover how to achieve bakery-worthy results with minimal equipment? The full recipe reveals my microwave technique and exact timing secrets, perfect for impromptu baking sessions or teaching little hands their first kitchen magic when conventional methods aren't an option.
Pourquoi? Three reasons why this cake beats store-bought:
No fancy baking equipment - just your yoghurt pot for measuring.
Made in minutes in your microwave - from mix to ready-to-eat in under 15 minutes.
Fresh raspberries (or whatever berries you fancy) add that perfect touch of elegance without any fuss.
Recipe and full recipe video behind the paywall.
This week’s petit pleasure - I was fortunate to receive an early copy and just finished reading it. A wonderfully heart warming memoir with lots of foodie insights.