(It would have looked prettier if I’d baked it in an actual pan instead of a parchment-paper parcel!)

Quick info

  • Servings: 6 small slices
  • Prep: 10 minutes
  • Baking: 40 minutes
  • Tools: bowls, electric mixer, spatula, sieve, 18 cm (7.1 in) cake pan, parchment paper
  • Heads-up: whip the egg whites until they hold stiff peaks and fold them in gently, from the bottom up, so they don’t deflate

Ingredients

  • 2 egg whites
  • 1 pinch of salt
  • 90g (3.2 oz) sugar
  • 120g (4.2 oz) all-purpose flour
  • ½ packet of baking powder
  • 20g (0.7 oz) unsweetened cocoa powder
  • 175g (6.2 oz) plain yogurt
  • 50g (1.8 oz) sunflower oil
  • (Optional) a handful of chocolate chips or hazelnut flakes
  • powdered sugar to decorate

Method

  1. Whip the egg whites. Put the 2 egg whites in a large bowl with a pinch of salt and beat with an electric mixer until they hold stiff peaks.
  2. Prep the dry ingredients. In another bowl, sift the flour with the baking powder. Add the sugar and cocoa, then mix well.
  3. Add the wet ingredients. Pour in the sunflower oil and yogurt. Mix with a spatula until smooth and creamy.
  4. Fold in the egg whites. Add the whipped egg whites a little at a time, folding from the bottom up to keep the batter airy. If you’re using chocolate chips, add them now.
  5. Bake. Pour the batter into an 18 cm (7.1 in) pan lined with parchment paper. Bake in a preheated static oven at 180°C (356°F) for 40 minutes. Toothpick test: it should come out dry.
  6. Cool and serve. Let the cake cool in the pan, then turn it out onto a plate.

Notes

Keeps for 2–3 days under a cake dome or in an airtight container. You can swap the yogurt for ricotta or mascarpone for a richer flavor.