One cup yoghurt cake with passionfruit frosting

Cake doesn't get any easier that this. Everything is measured using the cup the yoghurt comes in, which means no measuring cups required and that means less washing up. I mean, you're only going to have to wash a bowl, people! This recipe is just all kinds of awesome. 

I was reminded of this cake while paging through my mom's old and tattered recipe book, which has so many gems in it - see this recipe for my Mother Williams' crumble. You can use any flavour yoghurt you desire so experiment with different flavours or whatever is seasonal. I chose passionfruit (or granadillas as we call them here in South Africa) because the bright purple orbs on my granadilla plant were finally ripe and ready! 

The yoghurt really gives it a lovely moist texture and throwing everything in a bowl and mixing? Well that just makes this cake a winner in my books! 

One-Cup Yoghurt cake with passionfruit frosting

Serves 10-12

1 tub (175g) passionfruit (granadilla) yoghurt

1 tub oil

2 tubs castor sugar

3 tubs self-raising flour

1 tub (3) eggs

few drops vanilla extract

ICING

1/2 tub passionfruit (granadilla) yoghurt

5 tubs icing sugar, sifted

Extra passionfruit (granadilla) pulp, for garnish

Preheat oven to 180C. Add all the ingredients into one bowl and beat well for 3 minutes. Pour into a greased ring or bundt cake tin and bake in the oven at 180C for 1 hour or until a skewer inserted comes out clean. Allow to cool slightly before turning out onto a wire rack.

Make the icing by stirring the yoghurt and icing sugar together to form a thick, spreadable consistency. Spread onto the cooled cake then decorate with passionfruit pulp.

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Chai cupcakes with marshmallow frosting

... that's what the best cupcakes are made of! 

While baking a test batch of vanilla cupcakes this week for a dear friend and bride-to-be I couldn't resist whipping in a sprinkling of spice. Since my two whirlwind work trips of the 'Spice Islands'; Seychelles and Zanzibar (which both happened in the space of 4 weeks - I know, I'm such a jet setter!), I've found my spice drawer overflowing with the most beautiful cinnamon quills, nutmegs, cloves, cardamom, juicy vanilla pods and white peppercorns. 

The markets in Zanzibar and Seychelles are packed with spice stalls and the heady aroma hangs in the thick humid air - it's intoxicating! The vendors all haggle for your attention and you're encouraged to get the best bargain whether it be in Seychelles rupees, Zanzibar shillings or dollars. Compared to Seychelles, the spice sellers of Zanzibar are far more persistent and I found myself purchasing spices I didn't even need just so we could continue our tv shoot in peace! 

The cinnamon quills were my favourite treasure - long, golden and perfectly curled they're unlike anything we get here in South Africa. Cinnamon is actually one of the spices first used in antiquity (along with francincense and myrrh) which of course only adds to it's charm. I love how it laces everything it's added to with a deep warmth. Vanna Bonta said it perfectly; 'Cinnamon bites and kisses simultaneously'. Which is exactly what these spicy cupcakes will do! 

Chai cupcakes with marshmallow frosting

Makes 12

125g butter

150g castor sugar

1 tsp vanilla extract

2 eggs

1 cup self-raising flour

1/2 cup milk

1 tsp chai spice*

Marshmallow frosting

2 egg whites

1/2 cup castor sugar

1 tsp vanilla extract

Cream the butter, sugar and vanilla together until light and fluffy. Gradually add the eggs and beat well. Sift over the flour and spices and beat again. Spoon into a muffin tin lined with cupcake wrappers and bake at 180C for 12-15 minutes or until golden and a skewer comes out clean. 

Make the frosting by whisking the egg whites in a heatproof bowl until soft peak stage. Add castor sugar and whisk over simmering water until the meringue is hot to the touch. Remove from the heat and beat on high with a hand mixer until cool. Whip in the vanilla. Place in a piping bag and pipe onto cupcakes immediately. 

*TIP: To make the chai spice mix, combine 1 tsp each of ground cinnamon and cardamom then add 1/2 tsp ground ginger, 1/4 tsp each of ground cloves, ground nutmeg and ground white pepper. Store in a sealed jar. 

I like to grind the whole spices myself in a spice grinder or pestle and mortar as the flavour is far more punchy than the store-bought ground stuff. 

Lady in red

This sexy little rouged number is a red velvet cupcake topped with a 

luscious marshmallowly frosting...

It is said that the first red velvet cake got its colour from the reaction between the acidic vinegar and alkaline cocoa – it revealed the red anthocyanin in the cocoa which, back then, was ‘Dutch processed’. Nowadays it requires quite a large dollop of colouring to give the cake an impressive inky red appearance. Whether it got its luscious hue by accident or from a bottle, it’s definitely a favourite and in my opinion, will paint any town red!

Red velvet cupcakes with marshmallow frosting

This recipe can also be used to make a large 23cm cake

(makes 24)

2 ½ cups flour

1 ½ cups sugar

1t bicarbonate of soda

1T cocoa

pinch salt

1 cup buttermilk

2 eggs

1 ½ cups oil

1t vinegar

1T red food colouring

1t vanilla extract

Marshmallow frosting

4 egg whites

pinch salt

1 cup castor sugar

Line 2 muffin trays with cupcake cases. Sift dry ingredients together. Mix wet ingredients. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients. Pour the batter into the cupcake cases, filling them 2/3 full. Bake for 18–20 minutes.

Make the frosting by whisking the egg whites with salt in a heatproof bowl until soft peak stage. Add castor sugar and whisk over simmering water until the meringue is hot to the touch. Remove from the heat and beat on high with a hand mixer until cool. Colour with red  food colouring, if desired and use immediately.

Photograph Angie Lazaro