Plain Kefir Sponge

After I made the chocolate cake with kefir, which I posted recently, my Polish friend in Leeds said she had heard of plain versions with fruit on top.

I found many recipes all with varying amounts of the ingredients.

I tried out a few versions and decided on what were the best proportions to make a lovely soft sponge cake.

As well as the base for a fruit topped cake, which will be posted soon, this is a good cake which can be used as a base for torcik or desserts such as English trifle or Italian Tiramisu.

You can portion it up and freeze it for later.

Ingredients

• 350g plain flour
• 2 teaspoons of baking powder
• 175g of sugar
• 2 eggs
• 400ml of kefir
• 125ml of sunflower oil
• Grated rind of 1 large orange
• or 2 small lemons
• or ¼ teaspoon of vanilla essence
• *
• Icing sugar to dust

Method

• Grease and line with one piece of greaseproof a 32x22cm baking tray.
• Pre-heat the oven to GM4 – 180°C
• Mix all the dry ingredients together in a large bowl.
• In another bowl mix the eggs, oil, kefir and rind or essence together.
• Pour the kefir mixture into the dry mixture.
• With a wooden spoon mix well together until you have an even thick batter.
• Pour the cake batter into the prepared tin.
• Bake for 30 – 35 minutes.
• Leave to cool in the tin on a wire cake rack.
• Dust with icing sugar to serve.

What if you cannot get kefir?

• Should you not be able to get any kefir you can use 3 parts yoghurt to 1 part milk instead.
• So in this recipe use 300ml of yoghurt mixed with 100ml of milk.