“This Turkish cake is like a light, airy, fresh-tasting cheesecake,” says veteran food writer Claudia Roden, who suggests serving it with macerated strawberries. “We make it all the time in my family and you really must try it.”

Claudia Roden’s yoghurt cake

Ingredients:(serves 6-8)

butter or sunflower oil for greasing4 large eggs, separated100g caster sugar3 tbsp plain flour400g full-fat Greek-style yoghurtgrated zest and juice of 1 unwaxed lemon

For the strawberries:500g strawberries60g caster sugarjuice of ½ lemon

Method:

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C/160°C fan/gas 4. Butter or oil a round non-stick cake tin (about 23cm in diameter) with a removable base.

2. Using an electric whisk, whisk the egg whites until soft peaks form.

3. In another bowl, using the same whisk, beat the egg yolks with the sugaruntil thick and pale. Add the flour, yoghurt, lemon zest and juice and beat toa homogenous cream.

4. Gently fold the egg whites into the yoghurt mixture and pour into the prepared tin. Bake for 40–45 minutes, until the top is lightly browned – watch it carefully for the last few minutes of cooking so that it doesn’t brown too much. The cake will puff up like a soufflé and then subside.

5. Let it cool a little before lifting it out onto a serving plate. Serve warm or cold.

6. For a beautiful accompaniment to the yoghurt cake, briefly rinse 500g strawberries, hull and cut them in half through the stem end, then sprinkle with 60g caster sugar and the juice of ½ lemon and leave for 1 hour.

Med by Claudia Roden, photography by Susan Bell, is published by Ebury Press, priced £28. Available now.