Honey, Yoghurt and Chocolate Cake

When my colleague Erin brought this Honey Yoghurt and Chocolate Cake into work for morning tea it was so good that I had to get the recipe from her. It is an elegant cake, soft with a tantalising honey aroma and a genteel scattering of choc chips. It is simple and yet it seems like a cake for entertaining rather than an everyday cake.

When we arranged to see our friends Yav and Chris and their new wee baby Florence on the weekend, I decided to make the cake to take for afternoon tea. It was an instant hit. Everyone loved it. Even Sylvia dug her fingers into my piece as much as she could get away with. Though she was more interested in playing in Florence’s rocker and climbing the staircase. I am sure it wont be long before Florence is eating such cakes.

The reason the cake is so popular is that is full of butter and sugar. Normally this is not enough for me but it has just enough chocolate and the added flavour of honey. E loved it just because it is so buttery. Finding a cake we both love is always a great discovery.

If you wanted to be really fancy you could scatter finely-sliced vanilla beans and drizzle chocolate over it. That was how it was made when Erin first spotted it on Better Homes and Gardens but I agree with her that this cake is so good that neither of these additions are necessary.

I know that Erin has already made it a few times. She has just gone on maternity leave so I imagine she will appreciate a good cake recipe for entertaining soon enough. I will definitely be adding it to my list of cakes to make again and again, though I might halve the recipe. E has already requested it to go on regular rotation. I highly recommend you add it to your repertoire also!

Previously on Green Gourmet Giraffe
This time last year: GYO Paradise banishes the Chutney Fear
This time three years ago: Rumi: Middle Eastern Delight

Honey, Yoghurt and Chocolate Cake
From Better Homes and Gardens

• 280 grams of butter
  
• 140 grams of honey
  
• 110 grams of raw sugar
  
• 170 grams of natural yoghurt
  
• 2 eggs
  
• 130 grams of plain flour
  
• 130 grams of self raising flour
  
• 1 teaspoon of baking powder
  
• 150 grams of dark choc chips

Preheat oven to 180 C and grease and line a 24 cm cake tin (I used a 25 cm cake tin which worked well).

Melt butter in the microwave in a large ovenproof bowl (or in a large saucepan if you prefer) and whisk in honey, sugar and yoghurt. In a separate small bowl gently whisk eggs till creamy. Whisk into butter mixture. Fold flours and choc chips into butter mixture.

Spoon batter (which will be very soft but not runny) into prepared cake tin. Bake for 50 minutes. It will be ready when the cake pulls away from the sides of the tin and a skewer inserted into the middle comes out cleanly.

Cool on a wire rack. The recipe suggests serving it drizzled with melted chocolate and accompanied by a dollop of whipped cream. But it was good enough to eat just as it was.

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