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Friday, January 16, 2009

Pomegranate syrup cake recipe



When it comes to cakes, I do like a bit of culture.

I'm talking about natural yoghurt, that thick and somewhat sour dairy product, packed with good bacteria, which is so easy to make. I've only just discovered the joys of Easiyo, and a good friend let me in on the DIY recipe details. It's so cheap and easy to make your own!

With a large tub of yoghurt and a few bottles of POM Wondeful pomegranate juice still on hand , I adapted an orange syrup cake recipe to incorporate pomegranate juice instead. Yoghurt cakes are wonderfully moist - the kind of recipe that's forgiving for even the most unconfident baker.

If you do somehow manage to over-cook your yoghurt cake, the generous drenching of pomegranate syrup will be your sweet and sticky salvation, and will wash away your tears.

This doesn't have a very strong flavour of pomegranate although there is a subtle aftertaste. The flavours do subside overnight in the fridge though. As a result, I've recommnended you increase the amount of pomegranate juice in the recipe for the syrup below, cooking down a little longer to increase its potency.



Pomegranate syrup cake

3 eggs
1 cup sugar
3/4 cup (about 170g) melted butter
1 teaspoon vanilla essence
1 cup natural yoghurt
1/2 cup pomegranate juice
2.5 cups plain flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda (baking soda)
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Syrup
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup water
1 cup pomegranate juice (I used 1/2 but I recommend you double this)

Method
Preheat the oven to 180C. Grease and line two small 21cmx10cm loaf tins.

Using an electric mixer, beat the eggs and sugar together until foamy and a pale pastel yellow colour.

Add the melted butter and vanilla essence and beat briefly.

Add the yoghurt and pomegranate juice and beat until combined.

Add the flour, baking powder, bicarbondate of soda and cinnamon and beat on a low speed until just combined.

Divie the mixture evenly between the two tins and bake for 35-45 minutes or until an inserted skewer comes out clean.

Whilst the cakes are in the oven, prepare the syrup. Combine all the syrup ingredients in a small saucepan and place over a high heat until it comes to a boil. Reduce the heat to low and allow the mixture to simmer for about 10-15 minutes or until the liquid has visibly reduced by about one-third to one-half.

Pour the syrup into a mug (or preferably a glass measuring jug) and allow it to cool whilst the cakes finish baking. When the syrup is cool, divide the syrup into two even portions.

As soon as the cakes are ready, remove them from the oven and use a skewer to poke holes all over the surface. Whilst the cake is hot, pour the syrup evenly over the surface, taking care to saturate every section. Do this for both cakes and use all the syrup. It will all be absorbed - trust me.

Allow the cake to cool, by which time all the syrup will have been absorbed. Enjoy in thick slices.

Best eaten on the same day but this should keep in the fridge for about 5 days. Ensure the cake is wrapped tightly in foil.



Related GrabYourFork posts:
Banana sour cream cake
Green tea cake with red bean
Green tea marble cake
Green tea sponge cake with red bean
Lemon sour cream cake

6 comments - Add some comment love

posted by Helen (Grab Your Fork) on 1/16/2009 12:13:00 am


6 Comments:

  • At 1/16/2009 12:29 am, Anonymous Anonymous said…

    This looks lovely - and I have yet to ever try a cake with yoghurt - I shall certainly give it a go. I might even blog about it on my site! hehe.

    Thanks for the inspiration.

     
  • At 1/16/2009 2:36 pm, Anonymous Anonymous said…

    Yet another wonderful use for POM! I love yoghurt in cakes - the sour tang really appeals to my palette.

     
  • At 1/16/2009 2:52 pm, Anonymous Anonymous said…

    Yoghurt and pomegranite syrup! It sounds beautifully moist.

     
  • At 1/16/2009 2:56 pm, Anonymous Anonymous said…

    Interesting addition of Pomegranate there! Nigella has a gorgeous cake coated with Pomegranates that I've earmarked (several years ago I have to admit hehe). Sadly I've become addicted to POM Wonderful! :P

     
  • At 1/16/2009 10:41 pm, Anonymous Anonymous said…

    I made this today! It was wonderful, thank you so much for the recipe.

     
  • At 1/16/2009 11:47 pm, Blogger Helen (Grab Your Fork) said…

    Hi mystercreature - I find that cakes make with yoghurt or sour cream are always lovely and moist. I hope you do try it, and definitely blog it if you do!

    Hi Christie - I appreciate the moisture properties of yoghurt. I don't find there's a strong sour tang though - usually the sugar takes care of that :)

    Hi Arwen - It is! It's the kind of cake you need to eat with a fork, or else be prepared to lick your fingers!

    Hi Lorraine - I really wanted to bake something sweet with the pomegranate juice. Yep it has actually been interesting having it in the fridge and thinking about potential uses for it in various recipes.

    Hi Emmasee100 - Wow, that was fast! Glad you enjoyed it (and that the recipe worked!).

     

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