December is a time of celebration and as the year draws to a close, many of us are planning our Christmas feasts, buying or making presents and spending time celebrating with family and friends. I am very much looking forward to spending some time in the kitchen, trying a few new recipes and preparing food that makes me happy – such as simple cakes, the ones that work every time you make them and the ones that go well with a cup of coffee first thing in the morning Italian-style. So I am continuing with the breakfast cake (torte per colazione) series that I started a couple of months ago with a torta di pere frullate (breakfast pear cake); and today I made a butter-free cake that uses the last of the lemons from mamma’s trees, plus a good dose of ginger and honey.
I based my recipe on one I found on this blog, altering some of the proportions and pouring the batter into a bundt tin that belonged to my mother. Using the tin always reminds me of her and I will take a slice or two when I visit her tomorrow – she is not a big fan of ginger though even at 89 years of age, she is willing to try new tastes and I bet this will be right up her alley. I love the softness of this cake and as I used Manuka honey, it has a sweet but slightly floral taste that works beautifully with the warming ginger and the lemon – and it works even better with a side of breakfast coffee. I couldn’t miss the opportunity to take photos using the red bougainvillea that my friend Verdi had given me on Saturday. It is such a gorgeous colour, vibrant and Christmas-like – for Christmas in Australia that is.
Ginger, lemon and honey cake
50g corn flour
16g baking powder
4 tsps powdered ginger
pinch salt
4 eggs
100g caster sugar
120g sunflower oil
100g plain yoghurt
150g of your favourite honey
2 lemons (zest of both and 100ml juice)
icing sugar for decorating
Butter and dust a Bundt tin with flour (or a 22cm cake tin) and preheat the oven to 180C.
Beat the eggs and sugar until light and voluminous. Fold in the honey, yoghurt, oil, lemon juice and zest.
In a separate bowl, place the flours, baking powder, salt and ginger and give a quick whisk to remove any lumps.
Fold the dry ingredients into the egg mixture, in batches, taking care to fold from the bottom of the bowl to the surface, so that the eggs maintain their airiness.
Carefully pour into the cake tin and bake for 45 minutes or when a skewer inserted comes out clean. Place the tin on a wire rack to cool slightly before inverting. Dust with icing sugar and serve when warm or at room temperature.
A straightforward, honest cake so perfect for breakfast, tea or an elegant dinner.
Thanks. And all my cakes are straightforward Paula (I am a simple cook) 🙂
Having some cake for breakfast right now… but nothing quite as lovely as this!
Well hope you enjoyed your cake Frank 🙂
I love a good breakfast cake with my Pernigotti cocoa. I have the cocoa daily, but like a cake with it in the weekends. The flavors in this sound wonderful, and I will try it soon! Also, that is a beautiful bundt pan you’ve got there!
Thanks it was mamma’s Bundt pan – I love it and should use it more often. As you cannot line it I experience a mild panic when I need to remove the cake from it though in case it sticks… not that it does but imagine if it did!
Like the sound of the daily Cocoa by the way 🙂
Followed the suggestion and had it for breakfast….yep will do it more often ! Thanks
Excellent! Cake for breakfast in December approaching Christmas is definitely allowed