Coincidences and a little cake recipe

Today I'm going to share a recipe with you that is very close to my heart. 

Yoghurt cake.

This cake is pretty much the essence of my childhood. I would come home from school, my latest painting clasped tightly in my hand, to find out with delight that mum had been baking again. I couldn't wait to take a bite of the cake, crunching through the dark outer layer to reach the sweet pale centre.

It starts off life as a fairly boring mixture of eggs, flour, oil and sugar; but when the magic ingredient (apricot yoghurt) is added, it is totally transformed into a moist, sweet, simple cake that can be enjoyed at anytime of the day and prepared with very little hassle. The best thing about it is that there is no measuring equipment required - all you need is yoghurt carton. 

It's so much a staple in our household that it didn't really strike me as being particularly unusual - until I brought it to a bake sale and we labelled it 'apricot cake' so as not to put anyone off! 

When I was in Spain in October, our host told us about a local cake that they call bizcocho. Imagine my surprise when I heard that it was made with yoghurt too! Naturally, I had to try some and so on our last day I nipped into a bakery by the sea and bought a little slice or two of the local delicacy to take home to my family.

(I know that Spain is not typically known for its desserts/sweets, but the region of Cantabria is green and wet - perfect conditions for dairy herds.)

The bizcocho was very similar to our version, though there wasn't as much of a crust and it had a sticky glaze on the top over a few slices of dried apple. Ever since that moment I've wanted to write about it and to share my discovery with you; but I haven't made a yoghurt cake in so long that this idea was thrust on the back burner to simmer away in the depths of my brain.

Still, all has now been revealed, and I hope you enjoy it! Isn't it interesting how different cultures can also have similarities? And what would your favourite family recipe be - the one that conjures up a smile on your face, as if you can almost taste it? 

Apricot Yoghurt Cake (makes two loaves)

1 450g carton apricot yoghurt (I use Yeo Valley)

1 carton oil

1 carton caster sugar

3 cartons self-riasing flour

3 eggs

1. Heat the oven to 180°C (fan 160°C). Grease and line two 1lb loaf tins.

2. Combine the sugar and flour in a bowl. Beat in the oil and the eggs. Stir in the yoghurt.

3. Spoon into the greased tins. Bake for 45 minutes or so until brown and cooked through. Leave to cool before removing from the tin. Eat or freeze the loaves as needed.