Delight your senses: Lemon yogurt cake with a basil twist

Lemon Yogurt Cake is an ideal recipe for afternoon coffee. It is interesting in taste on its own, but the addition of basil will elevate it to a whole new level. It adds aroma, a green note, and a touch of subtle spiciness. No chef would be ashamed of balancing flavours like this.

While mint often finds its way into desserts, basil is mostly added to savoury dishes, especially those inspired by Italian cuisine. However, it holds so much potential that it's a shame to limit it to lunch. Combined with a moist yogurt cake and lemon zest, it creates a unique dessert.

Imagine a fluffy cake with an intense lemon aroma, complemented by the subtle sweet-spicy note of fresh basil. The acidity of the lemon is softened by the sweetness of the cake, and the basil brings an intriguing herbal note to the composition. Here, all the ingredients play harmoniously. This cake is perfect for summer, and preparing it involves mixing the ingredients and pouring them into a baking pan. It doesn't get simpler or more delicious.

Ingredients:

• 220g of plain flour,
• 2.5 teaspoons of baking powder,
• half a teaspoon of salt,
• 200g of sugar,
• 2 lemons,
• 160ml of plain yogurt,
• 1 tablespoon of lemon juice,
• 120ml of olive oil or vegetable oil,
• 3 eggs,
• 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract,
• 20g of fresh basil.

Glaze for decoration

• 65g of icing sugar,
• 2 teaspoons of lemon juice,
• 1 teaspoon of milk.

Instructions:

1. In a bowl, combine flour, baking powder, and salt.
2. Scald the lemons with boiling water and zest them. Be careful not to zest the white membrane, as it is bitter and may unpleasantly affect the taste.
3. Add sugar to the lemon zest and mix until it has the consistency of wet sand.
4. Add yogurt and lemon juice to the lemon sugar and mix thoroughly.
5. Gradually pour in the oil, then add eggs, vanilla extract, and very finely chopped basil.
6. Carefully fold the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients until just combined. Pour the batter into a prepared pan.
7. Grease a 20cm diameter round cake pan or a loaf pan with butter and dust with flour, or use baking parchment instead.
8. Pour in the prepared batter and place it in an oven preheated to 180 degrees Celsius. Bake for about 40-50 minutes until a skewer comes out clean.
9. Prepare the glaze by mixing icing sugar, lemon juice, and milk. Once the cake has cooled, drizzle it with the glaze.

The lemon yogurt cake with basil is now ready. Allow yourself to be surprised by its taste, and you won't regret your choice. Enjoy!