Michelle Darmody: Frozen berry yogurt cake is a real treat

— cakes made with this versatile ingredient are a real pick-me-up on a winter's day

vanilla ice cream cake with frozen berries , selective focus

Yogurt is often relegated to the breakfast table but it is a very versatile ingredient for making cakes and desserts. I remember being on holidays in Spain some years ago and being served a small bowl of creamy, natural yogurt after my dinner, simply topped with toasted nuts and honey. I was a bit disappointed at not being served a rich chocolaty concoction, but as I ate the yogurt I was completely won over. It was the perfect end to the meal. Simple healthy desserts made with yogurt and fruit or nuts and are beautifully refreshing. These cakes are more of a treat — all quite rich in their own way, a pick-me-up on a dull winter's day.

Yogurt is made by fermenting milk with cultures until it thickens and slightly sours. This sour taste adds a uniqueness to yogurt and also provides good bacteria for the human gut. The sugars in the milk ferment to produce lactic acid which reacts with the proteins in the milk to create the smooth thick texture as well as the tart flavour. Greek yogurt is the name usually given to a thicker set natural yogurt: this is best used for the Cocoa Icing and also in the Frozen Berry Cake. It can in fact be used in all of the other recipes as well, but a more standard natural yogurt would also work.

If you are making the Frozen Berry Cake it is advisable to make room in your freezer beforehand so you are not, like me, rummaging around trying to find space when the cake is ready to go.

Yogurt and cocoa cake

• 3 tbs cocoa powder
• 125g soft butter
• 120g rapeseed oil
• 240mls water
• 300g plain flour
• 380g golden caster sugar
• 1 tsp bread soda, sieved
• 2 eggs, lightly beaten
• 150mls natural yogurt

for the icing:

• 3 tbs thick natural yogurt
• 2 tbs soft butter
• 300g icing sugar
• 25g cocoa powder

Preheat your oven to 180°C and line two 8-inch round cake tins, loose-based or spring form, with parchment.

Place the cocoa powder, butter, oil and water into a saucepan and gently heat until the butter has melted.

Mix the flour, sugar and bread soda together in a large bowl. Add the butter mixture to the bowl and combine.

Add in the eggs and yogurt until they too are combined.

Scoop the batter evenly between the two tins. Flatten the batter out and bake for about 30 minutes until baked through.

Once cool enough to handle remove from the tins and place them on a wire rack to cool completely.

To make the icing, whisk the butter and yogurt then add the sugar and cocoa powder, at the beginning mix gently so that the sugar does not spill out of the bowl, continue mixing until well combined.

Palette a layer of the icing on the top of one of cooled cakes with a butter-knife. If you find the icing a little thick you can stir in a spoon of milk to loosen it. Place the other cake onto the first one and ice the top and sides of the cake. Decorate as you wish — I like to top the cake with fresh fruit such as pomegranate or to use edible flowers.

Lemon and orange yogurt cake

• 50g soft butter
• 280g golden caster sugar
• 3 eggs, separated
• 225g natural yogurt
• the zest of 2 lemons
• the zest of 2 oranges
• 1 tbs lemon juice
• 175g self-raising flour
• 1 tsp baking powder, sieved

to decorate:

• 50g icing sugar
• 1 tbs lemon juice
• 1 tbs orange juice
• the seeds of half a pomegranate

Preheat your oven to 180°C and line an 8-inch cake tin with parchment.

Mix the butter, egg yolks and sugar in a bowl. Add the yoghurt and the zest and the lemon juice. Stir until smooth. Gently add the flour.

Whisk the egg whites to a soft peak and carefully fold into the cake mixture.

Scoop the mixture into the prepared tin. Bake for one to one and quarter hours until a skewer comes out clean.

To make the light icing mix the icing sugar with both of the juices. It should be quite runny. Pour this over the cake while it is almost cooled down but still in the tin and sprinkle pomegranate seeds on top.

Frozen berry yogurt cake

for the base:

• 200g biscuits, such as digestives, crushed to very small pieces
• 80g melted butter

for the topping:

• 550g mixed berries
• 200 mls cream
• 500g thick natural yogurt
• 390g condensed milk

to decorate:

• a selection of frozen berries

Line a 7-inch round tin with parchment. A loose-based or springform tin works best.

Mix the warm melted butter and the thoroughly crushed biscuits together until they are combined. Press this into the base of the tin, flattening it completely. Put into the fridge to cool.

Chop 150g of the berries into small chunks and set aside.

Whip the cream until it forms stiff peaks.

Blitz the other 400g of the berries with the yogurt and condensed milk.

Gently add the yogurt mixture to the whipped cream, then gently stir in the chopped berries.

Scoop the mixture into the tin so it sits on top of the cold base. Flatten the top and place the tin into your freezer. It will take about four hours to freeze. Remove from the freezer at least a quarter of an hour before serving, and top with frozen berries.