SWEET SWEET STRAWBERRIES

I scream and shout for joy when spring comes in Brisbane, as this means STRAWBERRIES!! Now I am well aware that due to a few strawberry farms recently constructed that this delicious fruit is available during winter, however, answer me this: is there anything better than eating a fresh, juicy strawberry in spring or summer? 


Due to my immense love of this berry, I bought a kilo of strawberries from the West end farmers market the weekend gone by. As if by fate, I stumbled across a recipe for Strawberry Cake that very same day. Now, when I first looked at this recipe my initial thoughts were : too much work. BUT PLEASE PLEASE trust me when I say, this is the best tasting cake that I have ever made, and I am not a good baker. And its a weight watchers recipe!


STRAWBERRY  SWIRL YOGURT CAKE 


Ingredients 

• 500g strawberries
• 1/2 (100g) caster sugar
• 100g Weight Watchers Canola Spread 
• I used Meadow Lea as it is cheaper and was what was available in my fridge. 
• 1 teaspoon vanilla essence/ extract 
• 2 eggs
• 1 1/3 cups (200g) self raising flour
• 150g tub NESTLE Diet Vanilla Yoghurt 
• Now, I would usually make a note here saying that you can buy any yoghurt that you want. However, I have recently tried my hand at a few weight watchers recipes with this type of yoghurt and other yoghurt brands and I strongly believe that the brand mentioned above is the best. 
• 1/2 (60ml) low fat milk
• 2 teaspoons icing sugar, sifted. 

Cooking 

1. Preheat oven to 180 degrees C or 160 degrees C for a fan-forced oven. Lightly spray a 20cm round cake tin with oil. Line base and side with baking paper. 

• Quick Tip- No issue if you don't have a 20cm cake tin, my cake tin is around 30cm in diameter. All this means is that your cake will be shorter in height. I also shortcut the recipe and did not line the base and side of the tin with baking paper- which did not affect the finished product . 

2. Cut half the strawberries into quarters. Place half of the quartered strawberries into a bowl with 2 teaspoons caster sugar. Using a fork, lightly crush strawberry mixture and set aside. 

3. Using an electric mixer or beaters, beat spread, vanilla essence/extract and remaining caster sugar in a medium to large bowl for 3-4 minutes or until light and fluffy. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating well with the beaters/ mixer after each addition.

4. Stir in flour, yoghurt and milk, alternately, until combined. Stir in remaining quartered strawberries. Add crushed strawberry mixture and SWIRL LIGHTLY through cake mixture (do not mix!). 

5. Spoon cake into prepared tin and smooth the surface. Bake for 35-40 minutes or until cooked when tested with a skewer. 

• Now, each oven is frustratingly different. This cake was in my oven for 1 hour minutes at 160 C (fan force) until it was ready. Your oven may be more powerful than mine (lets hope is it!). 

6. Stand cake in tin for 10 minutes before turning out onto a wire rack to cool. 

7. Cut remaining strawberries in half and arrange on top of cake. Serve dusted with icing sugar. 

NB- This cake will store in an airtight container for up to 3 days- if it lasts that long uneaten in your home. It was not so lucky at mine. 

Recipe from 'Eat & Enjoy', Weight Watchers Cookbook. 

xx E