Orange, Almond, and Yoghurt Loaf Recipe with photos

Dear Readers, this is my first recipe post, and for some reason I'm very excited!

First of all, let me say this recipe is taken from the Hummingbird bakery's cook book Cake Days; it was a sweet gift from a sibling who knows I spend too much time searching for recipes online, and I'd like some tried and tested ones. Well, this is the third recipe I've tried and the loaf turned out scrumptious, if I do say so myself,its been very well received.

P.S Sorry the photos turned out a bit dark, I need to work on my photography skills.

 So without further ado, let me get on with the actual recipe.

Orange, Almond and Yoghurt Loaf Recipe

Ingredients:

190g unsalted butter, plus extra for greasing

190g plain flour, plus extra for dusting in my version I used brown flour, (to be healthy)

1 tbsp finely grated orange zest

190g caster sugar, I just use regular sugar, the one we get here isn’t very coarse

3 large eggs

60g ground almonds

1tsp baking powder

¼ tsp salt

25g plain yoghurt if you are using white flour, 35g if you are using brown flour

1 tsp vanilla essence

10g flaked almonds.

One 8.5cm x 17.5 cm loaf tin with 7.5cm sides

OR One 3.5inches x 7 inches loaf tin with 3 inch sides

Method:

1.Preheat the oven to 170 degrees Celsius/325 F/ Gas Mark 3, then grease loaf tin with butter and dust with flour. Don’t be skimp on the flour, it gives the loaf the beautiful brown crust on the outside.

 2. Using a hand held electric whisk or a freestanding electric mixer with the paddle attachement, cream together butter, sugar, orange zest and until the mixture is soft and fluffy. 

Add the eggs one at a time, whisking well after each addition. Scrape down the sides of the bowl to ensure that the eggs and better are properly mixed in.

4. In a separate bowl, mix together the flour ground almonds, and baking powder and salt.

Almonds in grinder

Ground almonds

      Divide the dry ingredients into 2 bowls.

 

Tip the first bowl into the creamed mixture and whisk on slow speed until just incorporated. 

 

Repeat with the second bowl. Next mix in the yoghurt and vanilla essence.

5. Pour the batter into the prepared loaf tin and sprinkle the flaked almonds on top.

 Place in the oven and bake for 50-60mins or until the sponge is firm on top and a skewer inserted into the centre turns out clean (it took me 63mins).

Remove from the oven and allow the loaf to cool a little before turning it out of the tin on to a wire rack to cool completely.

Serve on its own, or with a cup of tea, or mug of coffee.

Bon Appetit!

Enjoy and let me know how it turns out for you.