Cake for coffee

SERVES 8

“Inspired by the simple breakfast cakes you find across Italy, this is the perfect bake to enjoy with an espresso,” says Elliott Dennison. “The secret to the golden crumb is the light olive oil or cold-pressed canola oil, but regular sunflower or vegetable oil gives a just as delicious result.” Pictured p107

150 ml (scant ⅔ cup) light olive oil, canola oil or sunflower oil, plus 1 tsp for greasing

250 gm (2 cups) plain flour

250 gm (1 cup) caster sugar 3 tsp baking powder

150 gm plain natural yoghurt Grated zest of 1 lemon

Grated zest of ½ grapefruit or ½ orange

½ tsp vanilla paste

3 eggs

1½ tbsp pure icing sugar, for dusting

1 Preheat oven to 180°C fan-forced. Using a pastry brush, grease a 23cm springform cake tin with oil. 2 Place flour, sugar and baking powder in a large mixing bowl. Using a fork or balloon whisk, mix to ensure baking powder is evenly distributed.

3 Add oil, yoghurt, citrus zests, vanilla and eggs, and stir until just combined.

4 Pour batter into tin and bake for 35 minutes, or until springy to the touch. While still warm, turn out cake onto a large plate and, using a sieve, dust with icing sugar. Allow to cool for 10 minutes. Cake will keep for up to 2 days in an airtight container.