The yogurt cake is one of the iconic desserts of French pastry, a staple just like the génoise and many others. It’s the cake everyone knows and loves. It is appreciated for its simplicity, the few ingredients required, and above all because it is so easy to make.
In the yogurt cake recipe, you don’t need a scale or any special equipment. The measurements are done with the yogurt pot itself, washed and reused to measure the other ingredients. It’s an economical cake that requires no particular knowledge or pastry skills to succeed.
Nicknamed “grandma’s cake,” this timeless classic, lovingly prepared by our great-grandmothers, continues to charm us today.
It’s the perfect cake for snack time, especially on Wednesdays and a great one to prepare with children. They can easily make it, ending up with a tall, fluffy cake while enjoying a fun moment of bonding.
A slice served with custard turns into a simple yet delicious dessert to finish a meal.
Table of Contents
Why is Yogurt Cake so Popular?
We love this cake for so many reasons :
- It’s made with simple ingredients everyone already has at home.
- It’s quick and effortless to prepare.
- No food processor or fancy equipment is needed.
- No kitchen scales either, the yogurt pot is used to measure the ingredients.
- You don’t need to whisk eggs and sugar until doubled in volume.
- Preparation takes less than 10 minutes.
- For an even lighter texture, you can beat the egg whites until stiff and fold them into the batter, though the cake is already incredibly moist with whole eggs.
- It works in any kind of pan, and the result is always excellent.
- It stays soft and fresh for longer than many other cakes.
- Kids love making it and are always proud of the result!
You can watch the recipe in video
Yogurt cake ingredients
NB: You’ll find the printable recipe card at the end of this article.
For a 9 x 4.5 x 3 inch (24–25 x 11 x 7 cm) loaf pan
The ingredients are simple, budget-friendly, and easy to find:
- 4 eggs
- 2 pots of vanilla yogurt (125 g / 4.4 oz each)
- 3 yogurt-pot measures of flour (250 g / 8.8 oz)
- 1 1/2 yogurt-pot measures of sugar (180 g / 6.3 oz)
- 1 yogurt-pot measure of oil (115 g / 4 oz)
- 1 sachet of baking powder (7 g / 0.25 oz)
Notes on Ingredients
Eggs: use them at room temperature.
Yogurt: plain or flavored according to your taste (vanilla, banana, Greek…).
Sugar: adjust the quantity to your liking (+/– half a pot).
Oil: sunflower oil is recommended. You can reduce the quantity by half for a lighter cake. It can be replaced by cooled melted butter, but oil helps keep the cake moist longer.
Flour: use all-purpose flour without added baking powder. Incorporate it without over-mixing to preserve the cake’s moistness.
Baking powder: sift it with the flour for better distribution.
Salt: optional, but a pinch enhances the flavors.
How to make yogurt cake
Grease a loaf pan and line it with parchment paper, or simply butter and flour it.
Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F).
Pour the yogurt into a mixing bowl and add the sugar. Whisk until smooth and well combined.
Add the eggs and mix thoroughly. Then, pour in the oil and whisk again.
Sift the flour and baking powder together, or sift them directly into the mixture.
Gently fold the dry ingredients into the batter until smooth, being careful not to overmix.
Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan and smooth the top.
Bake for 55 minutes to 1 hour 15 minutes (baking time may vary depending on your oven). Avoid opening the oven door before at least 45 minutes of baking.
Check doneness by inserting a skewer or the tip of a knife into the center of the cake. It should come out clean.
Remove from the oven, unmold onto a wire rack, and let cool completely before serving.
Enjoy! I hope you’ll try this recipe. It’s simple to make and always turns out delicious.
How to Store Yogurt Cake?
You can keep the cake in an airtight container at room temperature for 2 to 3 days. Another option is to wrap it tightly in aluminum foil and refrigerate it, where it will stay fresh for about a week. To prevent it from drying out, avoid slicing it in advance.
Yogurt cake also freezes very well, either whole or in slices. Wrap it in aluminum foil, then place it in an airtight container. It will keep in the freezer for up to 3 months. Freezing slices is especially convenient. You can defrost only the portions you need.
To defrost, leave it at room temperature or transfer it to the refrigerator the day before serving.
FAQ
1. What is the origin of yogurt cake?
This classic cake appeared in the 1950s, around the time yogurt became widely available. Our grandmothers used it in recipes to soften the batter and make it lighter, much like adding a little milk.
2. What does yogurt add to the cake?
Yogurt makes the cake moist, light, and tender. Plain or flavored, it gives a melt-in-your-mouth texture, perfect for all variations of the recipe.
3. Can this recipe be customized?
Absolutely! The basic yogurt cake batter can be adapted to create many types of cakes:
- Rainbow cake
- Cupcakes
- Layer cake (as a substitute for genoise or molly cake)
- Checkerboard cake
- Neapolitan cake
You can also vary the flavors by adding vanilla, citrus zest, orange blossom, chocolate, or fruit pieces like apples, pears, or pineapple.
Try the chocolate version here: Chocolate Yogurt Cake
4. How to serve this grandma’s cake?
You can enjoy it simply, plain, with coffee, tea, or a glass of milk.
For breakfast or an afternoon snack, sprinkle a little powdered sugar on top and add some fresh fruit. For dessert, serve it with a red fruit coulis, custard, or a scoop of ice cream.
For birthdays or special occasions, you can fill it and cover it with cream and a soft chocolate glaze or a rocher-style glaze.
You can also bake it in a tube pan and fill it with ganache, salted caramel, or red fruit confit for an even more indulgent treat.
Easy French Yogurt Cake Recipe
EQUIPEMENTS
INGREDIENTS
For a 9 x 4.5 x 3 inch (24–25 x 11 x 7 cm) loaf pan
- The ingredients are simple budget-friendly, and easy to find:
- 4 eggs
- 2 pots of vanilla yogurt 125 g / 4.4 oz each
- 3 yogurt-pot measures of flour 250 g / 8.8 oz
- 1 1/2 yogurt-pot measures of sugar 180 g / 6.3 oz
- 1 yogurt-pot measure of oil 115 g / 4 oz
- 1 sachet of baking powder 7 g / 0.25 oz
PREPARATION
- Grease a loaf pan and line it with parchment paper, or simply butter and flour it.
- Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F).
- Pour the yogurt into a mixing bowl and add the sugar. Whisk until smooth and well combined.
- Add the eggs and mix thoroughly. Then, pour in the oil and whisk again.
- Sift the flour and baking powder together, or sift them directly into the mixture.
- Gently fold the dry ingredients into the batter until smooth, being careful not to overmix.
- Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan and smooth the top.
- Bake for 55 minutes to 1 hour 15 minutes (baking time may vary depending on your oven). Avoid opening the oven door before at least 45 minutes of baking.
- Check doneness by inserting a skewer or the tip of a knife into the center of the cake. It should come out clean.
- Remove from the oven, unmold onto a wire rack, and let cool completely before serving.
- Enjoy! I hope you’ll try this recipe. It’s simple to make and always turns out delicious.
Thank you for visiting my blog and for your comments.
2 comments
I weighed my ingredients, as I don’t often buy single-serve yogurt. My cake did not look like the picture, but it was very good. I subbed half the flour for almond flour to up the protein, added vanilla and almond extract, as I used plain yogurt and used butter instead of oil. I will 100% be making this again.
I’m so glad you liked it! Substituting the flour can definitely change the texture, but if you enjoyed the taste, that’s what matters most. Thank you so much for your feedback!