Springtime Strawberry Bundt

The bulbs are coming up, birds are tweeting, and the cat is going absolutely mental. So, despite the weather thinking it's swinging between Summer and Winter, it's spring. 

I've been dying to use this tin since I got it a couple of weeks ago, but wanted to wait until I had devised the perfect recipe for it. Something light and fruity was in order. My inspiration came from the next south Lancashire Clandestine Cake Club, which is 'In an English Country Garden'. This is the cake I'll probably make for their next meeting, but it will be tweeked ever so slightly...

Although I have done mine in a decorative bundt tin, a 10 inch ring tin would suffice. Regardless which tin you use, fill no more than three quarters full. There are lots of shaped tins on the market now, so this is a recipe which will easily adapt to any. Just adjust the quantities. Feel free to ask if you're not sure. You will know when a bundt is done by looking for the following things:

1. The surface of the cake looks quite dark (this is because of the high sugar content - this will only taste burnt if it's actually black!)
2. It's firm to the touch
3. It's shrinking away from the sides of the tin slightly (it shrinks a little more during cooling)
4. A skewer comes out clean

The cake is incredibly light and has a subtle strawberry flavour. I was trying to avoid the classic E number Hubba Bubba flavour! It would be perfect served with afternoon tea, as a centre-piece for a child's birthday or indeed to take to a cake club... 

Ingredients:

• 225g butter
• 450g golden caster sugar
• 4 medium eggs
• 350g plain flour
• 1/2 tsp bicarbonate of soda
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 350g thick strawberry yoghurt (one with plenty of fruit in it for flavour)
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/2 tsp strawberry essence (optional)

Method:

1. Preheat the oven to gas 3/160 c
2. Cream the butter and sugar until pale and fluffy.
3. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. You'll see the mix get noticeably fluffier.
4. In a separate bowl, measure out the flour, bicarbonate of soda and salt.
5. Pour the yoghurt and the extracts into the creamed ingredients and mix well.
6. Sift in the flour in two halves. Mix this slowly until all the flour has disappeared. Over-mixing at this stage will make a dense cake and may cause air channels. This can ruin the shape of a decorative bundt.
7. Pour the mix into a greased and floured tin.
8. Bake in the centre of the oven for about 1 hour 15 minutes or until a skewer comes out clean. It's stable from about an hour in if you want to check or turn it around.
9. Leave the cake to cool fully before removing from the tin.
10. Serve either plain, dusted with icing sugar, or camp as you like with glitter and icing to pick up the shape of the tin.

This cake can easily be modified to suit your tastes. Just replace the yoghurt with a different flavour and omit the strawberry essence with something else. Zests make a nice addition too.

If you would like to join any of the Clandestine Cake Clubs, please visit click here. The next Bolton Club is on 14th April, with the May one being announced shortly.

Bloggers: Please respect the fact I am sharing my own ideas and recipe. Blood, sweat and many tears have gone into getting this right, so you may enjoy a perfect bundt. If you wish to re-blog a recipe from these variations, please credit my blog and link to this original post rather than pasting the recipe on your own page. 

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