Name: Labne Cake
Yield: Makes 1 cake
Ingredients: 500 grams Labne (or greek yogurt) (2 cups); 5 eggs - yolks and whites separated; 5 grams vanilla extract (1 1/2 tsp); 125 grams (1 cup) cornstarch; 170 grams (3/4 cup) granulated sugar; 20 grams (1 tbs) Orchidea (or try Yemen); Powdered sugar for dusting

I had this cake, growing in the kibbutz, for Shabbat every week as a child in the Galilee. Decades later I still make it and it brings back so many memories. I don't know where it came from or how it started but seeing the cake fresh out of the oven meant it was Saturday and it still does today.

Labne Cake

Author: Lior Lev Sercarz
Servings: Makes 1 cake
Category: Sweet

Ingredients

500 grams Labne (or greek yogurt) (2 cups)
5 eggs - yolks and whites separated
5 grams vanilla extract (1 1/2 tsp)
125 grams (1 cup) cornstarch
170 grams (3/4 cup) granulated sugar
20 grams (1 tbs) Orchidea (or try Yemen)
Powdered sugar for dusting

Directions

Preheat your oven to 375F degrees.
Grease a round 9-inch springform pan and set aside.
In a bowl mix the labne, egg yolks, vanilla, Orchidea spice and cornstarch until smooth.
Using a stand or hand mixer whip the egg whites while slowly adding to the sugar in small batches until you obtain a stiff peak.
Gently fold the egg whites into the labne mixture with a rubber spatula.
Pour the mixture into the greased pan and bake for 30 minutes, or until you get a nice brown color on top.
Reduce the heat to 325F degrees and bake for another 20 minutes.
Let the cake cool down a bit before un-molding and dusting the top with powdered sugar.