Gluten Free, Butter Free Rosewater & Citrus Yoghurt Cake

This melt in the mouth gluten free cake has so many good things going for it. Uber-healthy, it has a lovely mediterranean taste, citrus with a hint of rose. Greek yoghurt makes up for the lack of butter, and gives it a delicate, moist crumb. Yum. No need to feel guilty about second helpings.

Recipe
Adapted from the recipe in Olive Magazine 2007. See the recipe at the bbcgoodfood website here.
Serves 10

200g gluten free self raising flour (Dove's Farm or M&S recommended)
150g caster sugar
100g ground almonds
grated zest of 1 lemon
3 large eggs
250g Greek Yoghurt
150ml sunflower oil

1. Turn the oven to 180C (160C fan ovens), and grease and line a 20cm round baking tin.

2. Beat the eggs and put to one side.

3. Place the gluten free flour, caster sugar, almonds and lemon zest in a large bowl and stir well.

4. Next, gently add the eggs to the dry ingredients, stirring by hand with a wooden or metal spoon.

5. Gradually spoon in the greek yoghurt, and then the oil. Stir gently by hand until combined.

6. Pour the batter into the prepared baking tin, before placing in the oven to bake for approximately 35-40 minutes. Check after 30 minutes and cover the top with a piece of kitchen foil if it is browning too much (I forgot to do this). You'll know the cake is done when a skewer comes out clean.

7. Leave to cool for 15 mins in the tin, before turning out onto a wire rack or plate to cool further.

for the rosewater syrup:

a half a tablespoon of rosewater

175g caster sugar

juice of half a lemon

150ml water

5 crushed cardamon pods

peel strips of half an orange

juice of a whole orange

8. To make the syrup, warm the sugar, water, lemon and orange juice and crushed cardamon in a saucepan, stirring until the sugar has dissolved.

9. Turn the heat up, and bring the mixture to the boil for about 7 minutes until it thickens a little.

10. Cool and then strain the syrup. Stir in the rosewater.

11. While the cake is still warm, prick it all over the top with a skewer, and then pour the syrup into the holes and over the top of the cake. Decorate with rose petals from the garden, and serve with more greek yoghurt.

This cake was idly baked while listening to the Kate Bush album Director's Cut