Ingredients
Vegetarian, Nut-free 
30 minutes preparation time + 50 minutes cooking time (+ cooling time) 
12 Lemon, Passionfruit & Yoghurt Cake
- 195g (250ml) extra virgin olive oil
- 220g (1 cup) caster sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla paste or extract
- Zest of 2 large lemons
- 2 eggs
- 270g plain (all-purpose) flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon bi-carb soda (baking soda)
- 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
- 250g (1 cup) full fat unsweetened thick Greek-style yoghurt (I've used Tamar Valley)
- 200g fresh passionfruit pulp (roughly 5 large passionfruit)
Yoghurt Cream Cheese Frosting
- 250g cream cheese, softened
- 1 tablespoon vanilla bean paste
- 200g full fat unsweetened thick Greek-style yoghurt (I've used Tamar Valley)
- 60g pure icing sugar, sifted
To Assemble
- Pulp of 1 large fresh passionfruit
Method
Lemon, Passionfruit & Yoghurt Cake
- Preheat your oven to 180°C/350°F (fan-forced).
- Grease and line a 23cm round springform cake pan and set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the olive oil, sugar, vanilla, and lemon zest until well combined.
- Add the eggs and whisk until smooth.
- Add the flour, baking powder, bi-carb soda, and sea salt, folding gently until almost combined.
- Stir through the yoghurt, and passionfruit pulp until just combined - don’t overmix.
- Pour the batter into the prepared cake pan and smooth the top.
- Bake for 50 minutes, or until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean.
- Allow the cake to cool in the tin for 15-30 minutes, then remove and transfer to a serving plate.
- Note: I sometimes like to bake the cake for around 45 minutes so it’s just barely cooked in the centre. It may dip ever so slightly, but it creates a more fudgy texture. If you love a fudgy cake and don’t mind a little dip, bake for 45 minutes.
Yoghurt Cream Cheese Frosting
- Using a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment (or hand beaters), beat the cream cheese and vanilla until smooth.
- Add the icing sugar and beat until fluffy.
- Mix in the yoghurt until smooth and well combined.
- Chill in the fridge until ready to use.
To Assemble
- Serve the cake warm with a dusting of icing sugar and a dollop of yoghurt or cream, or once cooled, spread the top generously with the yoghurt cream cheese frosting and finish with the fresh passionfruit pulp.
- The cake develops even more flavour and moisture after a night in the fridge.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.
NOTES
Olive oil choice: Use a light or medium-intensity extra virgin olive oil to avoid overpowering the delicate lemon and passionfruit flavours.
Yoghurt texture: A thick, Greek-style yoghurt works best to give the cake a moist crumb and stability in the frosting.
Passionfruit pulp: Fresh is best for flavour and aroma, but frozen pulp can be used if defrosted and drained slightly.
Storage: Keep the frosted cake refrigerated in an airtight container. The texture becomes even softer and more luscious after chilling overnight.
Serving idea: Try it with extra lemon zest on top or a sprinkle of toasted coconut for texture.
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