Yogurt cake
Yogurt cake is often the very first cake French children learn to bake, because traditionally every ingredient was measured using the yogurt pot itself. The yogurt makes the crumb soft, moist, gently tangy and wonderfully light, while a thin lemon glaze on top adds a refreshing touch.
- Difficulty
- Very easy
- Prep
- 15 min
- Cook
- 45 min
- Rising or chilling
- 30 min
- Total time
- 1 hr 30 min
- Method
- Oven-baked
Ingredients
Cake batter
Lemon glaze
Instructions
Step 1
Heat the oven to 180°C and line a 23 cm loaf pan with parchment paper so the paper hangs over the two long sides. The overhanging paper works like handles to help you lift the cake out easily. The oven is ready when it is fully heated and the pan is neatly lined.
Step 2
In a large bowl, stir 125 g plain unsweetened yogurt with 180 g granulated sugar and 4 g lemon zest, then add 150 g eggs and whisk until thoroughly combined. Dissolving the sugar in the yogurt gives a smooth cake without specks of sugar. The mixture is ready when it is smooth, slightly thick and topped with a light foam.
Step 3
Pour 90 g vegetable oil into the bowl and stir until it is fully blended into the mixture. Oil keeps the cake moist for longer than butter and keeps the crumb soft even when chilled. The mixture is ready when it is glossy and smooth with no streaks of oil on top.
Step 4
Sift 210 g all-purpose flour, 8 g baking powder and a pinch salt into the bowl and fold gently with a flat spatula until the dry flour just disappears. Mixing only as much as needed keeps the cake soft and fluffy rather than tough. The batter is ready when it is thick, falls slowly from the spatula in a ribbon and has no lumps.
Step 5
Pour the batter into the pan, smooth the top and bake at 180°C for about 40 to 48 minutes. Cakes baked in a loaf pan usually crack down the middle, which is a sign of a good rise. The cake is done when the crack looks dry, the top is golden brown and a skewer inserted in the center comes out clean.
Step 6
Leave the cake in the pan for about ten minutes, lift it out by the parchment and set it on a rack to cool completely. Only glaze the cake once it is completely cool, or the glaze will run right off. It is ready when the bottom no longer feels warm.
Step 7
Stir 60 g powdered sugar with 12 g lemon juice into a thick paste, drizzle it over the top of the cake and let it set for about fifteen minutes. The lemon glaze adds a sweet-tart flavor and keeps the top from drying out. The glaze is just right when it runs slowly down the sides and sets into a matte white layer.
Equipment
- Oven
- Loaf pan
- Whisk
- Mixing bowl
- Spatula
- Kitchen scale
- Parchment paper
- Wire cooling rack
Tips
- Room-temperature yogurt and eggs blend together more smoothly, helping the cake rise evenly.
- You can swap the lemon zest for orange zest or add a handful of blueberries for a change.
- If you use sweetened yogurt, reduce the sugar in the recipe by about a fifth.
Storage
Tightly wrapped, the cake stays soft and moist for three days at room temperature. In hot, humid weather, keep it in the fridge and let it come to room temperature for about fifteen minutes before serving.
Common problems and how to fix them
- The center sinks and is still wet.
- The cake was underbaked or the oven door was opened too early. Bake for another five to ten minutes and only open the oven to check after at least thirty-five minutes.
- The crumb is dry and coarse.
- The batter was mixed too long or the cake was overbaked. Mix only as much as needed and check the cake a few minutes earlier.
This recipe is based on the common ratios for this bake and is written entirely in our own words.
