Cranberry, orange and yogurt loaf cake

I did a bake sale last week and a lot of cakes were needed! Since it is December we decided to have some of the cakes with a festive feel about them. For one of the eight cakes I made I chose some cranberries and combined them with orange for a classic combination. Once cut the bright red of the cranberries stand out the scent of the orange drizzle on top wafts out. Needless to say it all sold out!

This cake can be frozen which is very handy not only for preparing ahead but also because it has fresh fruit in it.

Equipment: 2lb (1kg) loaf tin greased and lined, mixing bowls, electric whisk/beaters, wire rack.

Ingredients

9oz (250g) Plain flour

2tsp (10ml) Baking powder

4oz (115g) Unsalted butter, softened or baking spread

8oz (225g) Caster sugar

1 Orange, zest plus juice for topping

2 Eggs

3½ oz (100g) Natural yogurt

1oz (25g) Ground almonds

7oz (200g) Fresh cranberries

3½ oz (100g) Granulated sugar

Method

1. Pre-heat the oven to 180°C/Gas mark 4

2. In a large bowl sift together the flour and baking powder and then put to one side.

3. In another bowl cream together the butter and caster sugar until pale and fluffy.

4. Add the orange zest and beat again.

5. Beat in the eggs one by one adding a spoonful of flour with each one.

6. Fold the remaining flour and yogurt into the mixture and then add the ground almonds and fold in again.

7. Put a third of the mixture into the prepared loaf tin and spread evenly. Top with a third of the cranberries. Continue this process until the raspberries are topping the mixture.

8. Bake for 45 minutes and then cover the top with baking paper or foil to stop it from burning and then bake for a further 20 minutes.

9. Test the cake with a skewer to check it is cooked through. It should come out clean of cake mixture but cranberry juice is fine.

10. Leave to cool in the tin while you make the drizzle topping. Mix together the granulated sugar with the orange juice and pour all over the top of the cake. 

11. Leave to soak in for a few minutes before turning the cake out of the tin and removing the lining paper.

12. Leave to cool completely on a wire rack.