A traditional French recipe, this Quick & Easy Yogurt Cake, will surely become one of your favorites. Delicious, hassle-free, and so quick to prepare! YUM!
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Greece. Italy. Almost all countries I’ve been to have their version of this cake. So far, the French one is my favorite.
Yes, yogurt is not just for breakfast. You can use it for dips, salads, and desserts.
This cake here is a personal top favorite for uncomplicated baking. 🙂
WHAT DOES YOGURT DO TO A CAKE?
Aside from being excellent for you, good ol’ yogurt keeps the cake moist.
But the best part, the acidity in it helps in making the finished product fluffy and light.
What more can you ask from a cake?
Ingredients
- Flour – all-purpose flour is all you need.
- Sugar – regular white sugar is fine for this easy yogurt cake recipe.
- Eggs – at room temperature.
- Baking powder
- Orange – you would only be using the skin of the orange.
- Butter – unsalted butter.
- Salt – you might need to use less salt if you are using salted butter.
- Olive oil – the milder the olive oil is, the better for the cake.
Fruity is fine too, but if possible, do not use the robust, bolder ones.
- Yogurt – the main thing to remember is to use the plain ones, not the flavored type.
If you use any of the flavored types, bear in mind that it might overpower the orange flavor of your French yogurt cake.
Preparation
Start by preheating your oven into 180°C (350°F) and preparing your loaf tin by greasing it with butter and dusting it with a bit of flour.
Using a medium to a large mixing bowl, sift and combine flour, baking powder, and half a cup of sugar (photo 1).
For the remaining half cup of sugar, use it to rub the orange zest (photo 2).
Add the orange zest and sugar to sifted dry ingredients in the mixing bowl and mix evenly (photo 3).
In a separate bowl, combine and whisk yogurt and eggs (photo 4).
Add olive oil to the yogurt and egg mixture (photo 5).
Gently add and combine the dry ingredients in batches (photo 6).
Mix until thoroughly combined (photo 7).
Pour the cake batter into the prepared loaf tin and use a spatula to even the top (photo 8).
Place pan on the lower half of the oven for fifty to fifty-five minutes or until the top has turned golden.
Set aside for twenty minutes to cool, then remove from the pan.
Serve your French yogurt cake with sprinkled powdered sugar on top, if desired.
Helpful tips
- You can use a different kind of baking pan. This easy yogurt cake recipe will work on any 8-inch or 9-inch cake pan.
- Do not skip the rubbing of the orange zest with sugar. It helps in bringing out more of the orange aroma for the yogurt cake.
- Place your baking pan in the lower part of the oven, instead of the middle, to avoid browning the top too quickly.
- You can add your favorite orange liquor if you want. Please do this by adjusting the amount of orange juice and replacing it with alcohol.
- If the top of your French yogurt cake is getting too dark, do not hesitate to cover it with a foil.
DO YOU WANT MORE FRENCH RECIPES? THEN YOU MIGHT LIKE THESE:
- French Orange and Almond Flourless Cake
- Easy Blueberry Clafoutis
- French Cauliflower Soup
- French Lemon Poppy Seed Cake
OR IF YOU ARE LOOKING FOR MORE CAKE IDEAS, THEN CHECK OUT MY CAKE COLLECTION!
Quick & Easy Yogurt Cake Recipe
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 & 1/2 cups flour
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 3/4 cup sugar
- 1 large orange, grated zest
- 3/4 cup yogurt
- 1/2 cup olive oil
- 2 large eggs, room temperature
- 1 tbsp butter, for greasing the pan
- powdered sugar, for dusting (optional)
Instructions
Preparing equipment:
- Preheat oven at 180°C (350 °F).
- Grease your loaf pan with butter.
Making French yogurt cake:
- In a medium-sized bowl, sift and combine flour, baking powder, and ½ cup sugar.
- Rub orange zest with the remaining ¼ cup of sugar.
- Add orange zest and sugar into the bowl of dry ingredients. Mix to combine.
- In a separate bowl, combine yogurt and eggs. Whisk.
- Add olive oil. Whisk to combine.
- Add and gently mix the dry ingredients in batches. Mix until thoroughly combined.
- Pour batter into the greased pan. Use a spatula to even the top of the cake.
- Place pan on the lower half of oven for 50 to 55 minutes, or until the top has turned golden.
Serving yogurt cake:
- Set aside for at least 20 mins to cool.
- Remove cake from the pan (careful, the pan might still be hot).
- Serve and sprinkle with powdered sugar, if desired.
Notes
- Cook’s Tip #1: Any 8-inch or a 9-inch cake pan would work for this easy yogurt cake recipe.
- Cook’s Tip #2: Make sure you do not skip the orange zest rubbing with sugar.It will help in releasing more of the orange aroma.
- Cook’s Tip #3: Remember to place your cake pan in the lower part of the oven to avoid browning the top too quickly.
- Cook’s Tip #4: If the top of your French yogurt cake gets too dark, cover it with a foil until it’s cooked.
Linda W. says
In your “Top tips” you mention that ” you can add your favorite orange liquor if you want. Please do this by adjusting the amount of orange juice and replacing it with alcohol”. I do not see anywhere mentioning adding orange juice. Please clarify. Thank you
Neriz says
Oj, thank you so much for bringing this to my attention Linda!
You are absolutely right, orange juice is not mentioned anywhere else because it should not be there. It was one of the combinations that I was initially testing for this recipe, but did not make the final version.
I have now removed that bullet point from the ‘Top tips’. I am so sorry for the confusion.
LY Chong says
I tried but changed a few things:
– Substitute half a cup of all flour flour with 1/2 cup cake flour as I like lighter cake,
– I cut half the sugar but glaze with marmalade + butter all over the cake when warm
The cake came out excellent ! Moist, light and fluffy…
Neriz says
Thank you for your feedback Ly! I would make sure I try your suggestions next time 🙂