This cake would be delightful at any time of the year, but I like to serve it instead of Christmas cake because it's so light and moist. Spring form cake pans come in odd sizes, but any size from 9 to 10 inches will work. Store the cake at room temperature in a cake tin.
Cake
1 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
2 large eggs
2 tablespoons grated orange rind
2 cups all-purpose flour
1-1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup plain yogurt (preferably 4 per cent milk fat or higher)
1 cup fresh cranberries, coarsely chopped
Orange syrup
1/2 cup orange juice
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1 tablespoon dark rum
White icing
3 cups icing sugar
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
1/3 to 1/2 cup milk
Method
Cake
Preheat oven to 350 F.
Cut a round of parchment paper to fit the base of a well-greased and sugared 91/2-inch spring form pan.
Cream sugar and butter together with electric beaters until light and fluffy (about 2 minutes). Add eggs one at a time, beating well between additions. Beat in orange rind.
Sift together flour, salt and baking soda in a separate bowl. Beat one third of flour mixture into batter, then half of yogurt; continue alternating between flour mixture and yogurt, finishing with flour mixture. Mix in cranberries.
Spoon batter into spring form. Bake for 1 hour to 1 hour and 5 minutes or until an inserted skewer comes out clean. Let cool while making syrup.
Syrup
In a small pan, heat orange juice, sugar and rum, stirring until sugar is dissolved. Simmer over medium heat for 5 to 7 minutes.
Remove cake from cake pan, discarding parchment paper if desired. Place on a serving dish. Using the point of a skewer, make small holes in the top of the cake. Brush top and sides of cake with syrup.
Icing
Whisk together icing sugar, butter and enough milk to make a slightly runny white icing. Spread over cake so that it drizzles down the sides. Decorate with glazed cranberries
Lucy Waverman