Light and Fluffy Yogurt Cake

5 from 6 votes
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Looking for a light and moist cake recipe? This yogurt cake is just what you need! It’s simple to make, with a delightful fluffy texture and just the right amount of sweetness. Serve it with a cup of coffee or tea for an afternoon pick-me-up.


Yogurt cake.


 

We love cakes that are versatile, based on classics, and easy to make, just like my olive oil cake, Date Cake with Walnuts, and Persian Love Cake. The yogurt cake is perfect for an impromptu dessert or a sweet treat for brunch. Top it with sliced almonds for a lovely crunch and, if you like, a dusting of powdered sugar. This recipe is so easy, you’ll want to make it again and again!

Recipe Highlights: Yogurt Cake

Cultural Influence: Mediterranean-Inspired with a Hint of French Elegance

Primary Baking Technique: Traditional Loaf Baking

Suitable for: Vegetarian, Non-Dairy (if plant-based yogurt is used), Gluten-Free (if gluten-free flour is used)

Dominant Flavor Profile: Lightly Sweet with a Fluffy Yogurt Base, Enhanced by Vanilla Notes

Skill Level Required: Beginner-Friendly, Ideal for Simple Home Baking


Why You’ll Love This Recipe

Tender and Moist: This yogurt cake has a delicate crumb and stays moist thanks to the addition of yogurt and olive oil. It ensures a delightful texture with every bite.

Simple Ingredients, Easy Preparation: Made with pantry staples, this cake is incredibly easy to put together. It’s perfect for busy bakers or anyone looking for a simple yet delicious dessert.

Versatile and Customizable: You can enjoy this yogurt cake as-is, or dress it up with a dusting of powdered sugar, a drizzle of glaze, or a scoop of ice cream for a more indulgent treat. It can be customized for dairy-free or gluten-free variations.

Balanced Sweetness: The combination of yogurt and sugar creates a cake that’s just sweet enough without being overwhelming, making it a great option for breakfast, brunch, or dessert.

Kid-Approved and Family-Friendly: This cake is a hit with both kids and adults, making it a great option for family gatherings or a simple weekend treat.


To make yogurt cake use eggs, sugar, yogurt olive oil, all purpose flour and baking powder.

Key Ingredients for Yogurt Cake

  • Eggs: The eggs give this cake structure and moisture, making it light and fluffy. To achieve the best results, ensure they’re at room temperature before mixing into the batter. For this particular recipe, the eggs don’t have a substitute.
  • Granulated Sugar: This adds sweetness to the cake. To ensure even sweetness throughout, mix the sugar with the eggs until light and slightly frothy.
  • Vanilla Extract: A little vanilla goes a long way in enhancing the cake’s overall flavor. Use pure vanilla extract for a more intense and aromatic experience.
  • Yogurt: The star ingredient of this cake is yogurt. It contributes to its moistness and provides a subtle tangy flavor that balances the sweetness. For the best texture, choose full-fat yogurt.
  • Olive Oil: This healthy fat keeps the cake moist without making it greasy. Use extra virgin olive oil for a hint of fruitiness.
  • Baking Powder: This is the leavening agent that helps the cake rise. Be sure it’s fresh for a proper lift and airy texture.
  • All-Purpose Flour: The base of the cake, all-purpose flour, provides the structure. Sift it to avoid lumps and ensure a light, tender crumb. You can use 1:1 gluten-free flour instead.
  • Salt: A small amount of salt helps balance the sweetness and enhances the other flavors. Don’t skip this ingredient—it makes a difference!
  • Sliced Almonds: These add a crunchy topping to the cake. If you’re looking for extra flavor, lightly toast the almonds before sprinkling them over the batter.

close up of yogurt cake slices

Ingredient Highlight: Yogurt

Yogurt is a fantastic addition to cakes, providing moisture, texture, and a subtle tangy flavor that enhances the overall taste profile. In this yogurt cake, it brings a rich creaminess that keeps the cake from drying out, ensuring each bite is as soft and tender as the first.

Beyond its ability to keep baked goods moist, yogurt adds nutritional benefits to the recipe. It’s a source of protein, calcium, and probiotics, which support digestion and overall gut health. This makes yogurt cakes not only delicious but also a bit healthier than traditional cakes that rely solely on fats or cream.

When using yogurt in baking, opt for full-fat varieties for the richest texture. Whole milk Greek yogurt is a popular choice because of its thicker consistency, but plain regular yogurt works just as well. To avoid curdling or lumpiness, ensure the yogurt is at room temperature and whisk it for a few seconds before adding it to the batter.


How to Make Yogurt Cake

This simple moist cake has a few easy-to-follow steps to get you a light loaf-shaped cake that’s fluffy and tender.

Step 1

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F and line your loaf pan with parchment paper.

Then, begin by beating the sugar and room-temperature eggs together. You can use a stand mixer, handheld mixer, or just a whisk.

beat eggs and sugar

Step 2

Add the vanilla, yogurt, and olive oil and mix well into the blended sugar and eggs.

Next, add the baking powder, flour, and salt and mix well to create your yogurt cake batter.

Step 3

Transfer your batter to the loaf pan you prepared earlier with parchment paper.

transfer batter to loaf pan

Step 4

Top with slivered almonds. Then, bake for 45 minutes to one hour.

bake for 45 minutes

Step 5

After removing from oven, you can top with powdered sugar if desired. Let cool, slice, and serve.


Serving Suggestions

You really don’t need special occasions to serve or eat cake, right? Great ways to serve cake on regular days are with a side of tea or coffee. Serve this yogurt cake with one of the following side drinks:

Cakes are great additions to brunch tables when some of your friends or family are invited. Add yogurt cake to your brunch spread along with some of the following:


a slice of yogurt cake on a white serving dish with a fork

Tips, Tricks, and Hacks

  • Room Temperature Ingredients: For best results, ensure all your ingredients, especially the eggs and yogurt, are at room temperature before mixing. This allows for even blending and a smoother batter, resulting in a lighter cake.
  • Don’t Overmix: When combining the dry ingredients with the wet, mix just until the flour is incorporated. Overmixing can lead to a denser texture, so a gentle hand is key to a tender cake.
  • Proper Loaf Pan Prep: Line your loaf pan with parchment paper, ensuring it hangs over the edges for easy removal. This not only prevents sticking but also makes cleaning up real easy.
  • Check for Doneness: To test if your cake is done, insert a toothpick or cake tester into the center. If it comes out clean or with just a few crumbs, the cake is ready. If it has batter on it, continue baking in 5-minute increments.
  • Add Flavor and Texture: For extra flavor, consider adding a teaspoon of lemon zest or orange zest to the batter. To boost texture, you can fold in chopped nuts or dried fruits like cranberries or raisins.
  • Cool Completely: Allow the cake to cool in the pan for at least 10-15 minutes before transferring to a wire rack. This helps the cake set and prevents it from breaking apart when removed from the pan.

Storage

To keep your cake moist, wrap it in plastic wrap or store it in an airtight container.

This will help maintain its texture and flavor for several days. For longer storage, you can freeze individual slices and thaw them as needed.


Frequently Asked Questions

What kind of yogurt can I use for a yogurt cake?

I prefer whole milk Greek yogurt for this cake, but any full fat yogurt will do just fine.

Can I substitute the yogurt with sour cream?

Yes, you can substitute yogurt with an equal amount of sour cream in a yogurt cake recipe but it will alter the flavor and texture slightly.

How do I know if the cake is ready?

Insert a toothpick into the center of the cake. If it comes out clean or with a few crumbs, the cake is done. If it’s wet, bake for a few more minutes.

How long should I let my cake cool before serving?

Let the cake cool in the pan for about 10 minutes, then transfer it to a wire rack to cool completely before slicing and serving.

Can I use non-dairy yogurt in this recipe?

Yes, you can use plant based yogurt to make this cake.


Other Amazing Cake Recipes to Try


Did you make this recipe? I’d love to hear about it! Please comment and leave a 5-star🌟 rating below. You can also follow us on Instagram, Facebook, Pinterest or subscribe to our newsletter to get a free e-Cookbook!


light and moist yogurt cake in a rectangle serving dish with a smaller slice of cake in a smaller serving dish next to it
5 from 6 votes

One Bowl Yogurt Cake Recipe

This cake is tender and moist with every bite. It's so light and goes down perfectly with a cup of tea or coffee.
Prep: 15 minutes
Cook: 45 minutes
Total: 1 hour
Servings: 8
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Ingredients 

  • 2 Eggs , room temperature
  • ¾ cup Granulated sugar
  • 1 tsp Vanilla extract
  • 1 cup Yogurt
  • ½ cup Olive oil
  • cups All-purpose flour
  • 2 tsp Baking powder
  • ¼ tsp Salt
  • 3 tbsp Sliced almonds, to top with

Instructions 

  • Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and line a loaf pan with parchment paper.
  • Beat the eggs and sugar until light and fluffy.
  • Add in the vanilla extract, yogurt and olive oil. Mix until fully combined.
  • Add the flour, baking powder and salt. Mix well and make sure there are no lumps left. Transfer the batter to the loaf pan.
  • Top with slivered almonds. Bake for 45 minutes to one hour until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out with little to no crumbs.
  • Let it cool completely, then slice and serve.

Video

Notes

  • For best results, ensure all your ingredients, especially the eggs and yogurt, are at room temperature before mixing. This allows for even blending and a smoother batter, resulting in a lighter cake.
  • When combining the dry ingredients with the wet, mix just until the flour is incorporated. Overmixing can lead to a denser texture, so a gentle hand is key to a tender cake.
  • Line your loaf pan with parchment paper, ensuring it hangs over the edges for easy removal. This not only prevents sticking but also makes cleaning up real easy.
  • To test if your cake is done, insert a toothpick or cake tester into the center. If it comes out clean or with just a few crumbs, the cake is ready. If it has batter on it, continue baking in 5-minute increments.
  • Allow the cake to cool in the pan for at least 10-15 minutes before transferring to a wire rack. This helps the cake set and prevents it from breaking apart when removed from the pan.

Nutrition

Calories: 350kcal | Carbohydrates: 42g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 18g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 12g | Trans Fat: 0.01g | Cholesterol: 45mg | Sodium: 104mg | Potassium: 222mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 20g | Vitamin A: 90IU | Vitamin C: 0.2mg | Calcium: 101mg | Iron: 2mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

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About Shadi HasanzadeNemati

I'm here to show you how to make delicious Persian, Middle Eastern and Mediterranean food at home. My easy to follow recipes will bring exciting new flavors to your table!

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5 from 6 votes

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Recipe Rating




8 Comments

  1. If I wanted to use fresh fruit like raspberries or strawberries, would I need to adjust the recioe? Thank you.

  2. 5 stars
    The cake turned out moist and had a lovely tangy flavor from the yogurt. It was easy to make and a hit with my family. Highly recommend!

  3. 5 stars
    This yogurt cake was great with my afternoon tea! It was so moist and tender. I’ll be making this again and again!