Spiced Buckwheat Yogurt Cake with Ginger and Star Anise

In a small saucepan over medium-low heat, combine the melted butter with the star anise. Swirl gently and steep for 8-10 minutes until the butter takes on a deep anise fragrance; do not let it brown or smoke. Remove from heat and set aside to cool slightly, leaving the star anise in the butter.

In a large bowl, whisk together the buckwheat flour, all-purpose flour, baking powder, salt, and ground cinnamon until evenly combined.

In a separate bowl, combine the yogurt, eggs, and white sugar. Whisk vigorously until the mixture is smooth and the sugar begins to dissolve, about 2 minutes.

Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients. Add the grated fresh ginger. Fold gently with a spatula until just combined — a few streaks of flour are fine. Overmixing will make the cake dense.

Strain the warm aromatic butter through a fine-mesh sieve, discarding the star anise (or reserve for garnish). Pour the butter slowly into the batter, folding gently until fully incorporated. The batter should be smooth and slightly thick.

Preheat your oven to 180°C (160°C fan). Grease a 20cm round cake tin and line the base with parchment paper. Pour the batter into the tin and smooth the top.

Bake for 28-32 minutes, until the top is deep golden and a skewer inserted into the center comes out clean. The cake will feel firm at the edges but may have a slight spring at the center.

Let the cake cool in the tin for 10 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack. Serve warm, sliced into wedges, with an optional dusting of cinnamon or a dollop of yogurt alongside. Leftovers keep well wrapped at room temperature for up to 2 days.