French Yogurt Cake – Light and airy, moist and just slightly tangy, this humble yet homey sweet treat is sure to become a household favorite. Topped off with a delightful citrus-glazed crust, this is the perfect cake recipe that never fails.
I remember the first time I made a French Yogurt Cake. I was 12, and my neighbor Mrs. Midi taught my friends and me how to make it. Then she said it was the first dessert children learn to make in her home country of France. So I served it to my aunt at teatime, and it created quite the impression!
Since then, I have served this cake countless times. It makes the ideal dessert, breakfast, or afternoon tea or coffee break. It always comes out perfectly, and my guests invariably ask for seconds! You’ll never reach for the cake mix box again once you try this recipe.
How Did French Yogurt Cake Start?
As the story goes, French grandmothers have made this cake and taught their granddaughters to do the same since before anyone can remember. I love part of the story of how these French grandmothers measure the ingredients – with yogurt jars!
French merchants traditionally sold yogurt in small, round glass jars. Granny started the recipe with one jar of yogurt. Then she measured the rest of the ingredients in that same jar: two jars of sugar, three jars of flour, one jar of oil, etc. But don’t worry; you don’t need the perfect yogurt jar to make this cake. I’ve translated the recipe into more classic cooking measurements.
Recipe Ingredients
- Flour – The recipe calls for all-purpose flour. But you can replace it with an all-purpose gluten-free flour mix for a gluten-free version.
- Sugar – I usually make this recipe with one cup of sugar. But feel free to cut the sugar down to ¾ of a cup if you want less sweetness. White and brown sugar work equally well.
- Grated Zest and Citrus Juice – The zest imparts a fresh, vibrant flavor to the cake. I recommend zesting the fruit before squeezing for the juice.
- Yogurt – I often use Greek yogurt in baking. It makes baked goods extra moist and adds nutrition since it’s protein-rich. However, you can use any regular yogurt or sour cream.
- Vanilla Extract – Vanilla is the traditional flavoring used in the French Yogurt Cake, and homemade vanilla extract is even better.
- Oil or Melted Butter – Any neutral-flavored oil works well in this recipe. I have made it with sunflower, grapeseed, canola, and avocado oil.
How to Make French Yogurt Cake
Mix Dry and Wet Ingredients
- Prepare the Cake Pan – Heat the oven to 350°F/177℃. Grease a 9-inch springform pan or a loaf pan lightly with baking spray or oil.
- Dry Ingredients – Stir the flour, sugar, baking powder, tangerine zest, and nutmeg in a large bowl. Set aside. (Photos 1-2)
- Wet Ingredients – Whisk the eggs, vanilla, and yogurt in another medium bowl. (Photo 3)
- Mix the Wet and Dry Ingredients – Gradually incorporate the wet and dry ingredients. (Photo 4)
- Add the Butter (or oil) – Then, fold in the melted butter until it is thoroughly mixed – it will take a minute or so. (Photos 5-6)
Bake the Cake
- Bake the cake until a wooden toothpick inserted in the middle comes out free of cake. About 50-55 mins.
- Glaze – Whisk together the powdered sugar and tangerine juice in a medium bowl for the glaze. Adjust the thickness by adding more juice if it is too thick and adding more sugar if it is too runny.
- Cool and Glaze – Let the cake cool to room temperature, and then drizzle the glaze over the top of the cake.
Recipe Variations
- You can remove the eggs from the recipe and replace them with ½ cup of yogurt. Or replace them with flaxseed eggs for a vegan variation.
- Almond, orange, or lemon extract adds an extra flavor punch.
- Feel free to add your own twist to the recipe. Chocolate chips in the batter or chocolate frosting instead of the citrus glaze are awesome. I like to pile on whipped cream and fresh berries if I’m serving it to guests.
Tips and Tricks
- This recipe calls for lemon zest and lemon juice. Always zest your fruit before squeezing for the juice.
- I recommend mixing the ingredients for this cake by hand instead of with an electric mixer. Mixing by hand keeps the cake from becoming tough and chewy.
- Don’t over-mix the cake batter! I usually whisk for 5-10 seconds at every step until just combined. Never stir the batter more than necessary.
Make-Ahead Instructions
You likely have all the ingredients to whip up this cake right now. That’s what makes this recipe so fantastic; it uses ingredients you most likely have in your pantry.
You can make this French yogurt cake a day or two before a party for stress-free prep. You can even glaze it ahead and keep it in an airtight cake container. I don’t like a bunch of gadgets, but I love my covered cake plate for just such occasions.
Serving and Storage Instructions
The cake will store well for a few days and tastes even better on the second day (if you can wait that long!). You can put it in a cake container or cover it with plastic wrap and keep it at room temperature or in the fridge. This last option is the best way to keep it fresh and moist for longer.
To prevent the cake from drying out, slice it when serving it, not in advance. The cake retains more moisture when it remains whole. Believe me; your guests will thank you!
FAQs
Of course, you can. First, wrap it airtight and freeze it for up to two months. If you can wait to glaze it, that’s best. But if it’s already glazed, thaw it overnight in the fridge without removing it from the airtight container. That keeps moisture from condensing and ruining your glaze.
Yogurt adds moisture and fat for a melt-in-your-mouth cake. A yogurt cake is rarely dry; instead, it’s soft, moist, and absolutely delicious.
You can opt for an equal amount of soy or coconut milk yogurt, and I doubt anyone will notice the difference. You can also replace the butter with ghee or vegetable oil.
What to Serve with French Yogurt Cake
If you’re serving this cake at teatime, why not pair it with an elegant beverage? For a refreshing treat on a hot day, I recommend a thirst-quenching Southern Sweet Tea or a citrusy Passion Fruit Juice. But if you’re looking for something warmer, try it with some hot Peach Tea (yes, you can serve it hot or cold)!
And if you’re feeling extra adventurous, homemade whipped cream can be made with just a handful of ingredients and tastes much better than store-bought!
More Dessert Recipes You’ll Love
Looking for more teatime desserts? May I suggest…
Conclusion
This is, without doubt, the perfect “anytime, anywhere” cake. It can be made quickly and adapts well to any situation, be it teatime, dessert, or breakfast on the run. How do you plan on serving your French Yogurt Cake? Leave us a comment below with your twist on this classic recipe!
Watch How to Make It
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This blog post was originally published in December 2016 and has been updated with additional tips, new photos, and a video.
French Yogurt Cake (Gâteau au Yaourt)
Ingredients
The Cake
- 1½ cups (190g) all-purpose flour
- 1 cup (200g) sugar
- 2 teaspoons (10g) baking powder
- 4-5 ounces (140-150g) yogurt, I used vanilla
- 3 large eggs
- 2-3 teaspoons grated tangerine zest (orange or lemon also work)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon nutmeg, optional
- ½ cup (112g) oil (or melted butter)
Citrus Glaze (Optional)
- ½ cup powdered sugar
- 1-2 tablespoons freshly squeezed tangerine juice (lemon or orange also work)
Instructions
French Yogurt Cake
- Heat the oven to 350°F/177℃. Grease a 9-inch springform pan or a loaf pan lightly with baking spray or oil.
- Stir the flour, sugar, baking powder, tangerine zest, and nutmeg in a large bowl. Set aside.
- Whisk the eggs, vanilla, and yogurt in another medium bowl.
- Gradually incorporate the wet and dry ingredients.
- Then, fold in the oil until it is thoroughly mixed – it will take a minute or so.
- Bake the cake until a wooden toothpick inserted in the middle comes out free of cake. About 50-55 mins.
The Glaze
- Whisk together the powdered sugar and tangerine juice in a medium bowl for the glaze. Adjust the thickness by adding more juice if it is too thick and adding more sugar if it is too runny.
- Let the cake cool to room temperature, and then drizzle the glaze over the top of the cake.
Tips & Notes:
- This recipe calls for lemon zest and lemon juice. Always zest your fruit before squeezing for the juice.
- I recommend mixing the ingredients for this cake by hand instead of with an electric mixer. Mixing by hand keeps the cake from becoming tough and chewy.
- Don’t over-mix the cake batter! I usually whisk for 5-10 seconds at every step until just combined. Never stir the batter more than necessary.
- Please keep in mind that the nutritional information is a rough estimate and can vary significantly based on the products used in the recipe.
Kat says
Do you have a gluten free version?
Imma says
I don’t, but this recipe is super easy to convert since it has eggs. Just replace the flour with your favorite gluten-free all-purpose flour mix, and you’re good to go. Please let me know how it turns out.
juanita de says
Husband said it was a ‘keeper’ – I used half oil, half applesauce and half sugar and half stevia. Simple and delicious. Didn’t make the glaze, was good with butter, and/or marmalade.
ImmaculateBites says
Awesome! Thank you for the feedback, Juanita.
Amina says
Hi Kiki,
Thank you find that later on. Hope you enjoy the recipe. Much love!
Kiki says
My bad! My eyes were looking for the word butter. I see that you fold the oil OR butter after you mix the other ingredients! Thank you!
Marietta says
I loved this recipe. Simple and the outcome was amazing! Thank you
Immaculate Bites says
I’m happy you loved this, Marietta! 🙂
Vasu says
Hi, I made this today and it’s really tasty and full of flavour/ but the colour was darker than the original cake / but was very moist.. any suggestions for proper colour
Mary Lou says
I am looking forward to trying this delicious sounding recipe! What is the baking time for a loaf pan versus a springform pan? Thank you.
ImmaculateBites says
It all depends on the baking pan. Start checking for doneness after 35 minutes.
Sophie says
I adored this recipe. Thank you so much. I used it as a base for a rainbow birthday cake, as all the recipes for rainbow cakes I found sounded very bland – this turned out amazingly, and had stunning flavour to match the eye-catching look I was going for! Everyone was in love with it. I skipped the glaze, as I used a citrussy cream cheese frosting to disguise the colours from the outside, but I expect to make it again soon and will try your intended method as well. Utterly delicious.
Sophie says
Meant to add, as I was making a layer cake I found that this batch size made 3 good sized layers in 6 inch tins. I doubled the recipe and did a stack of 6, which was pretty tall! I may try again doing 6 thinner layers from the single batch. New favourite cake, for sure.
ImmaculateBites says
YES! Thanks so much!
Stanley Weinberg says
I just placed the cake in its pan in a cooling rack. So, the $1,000,000 question is…SHOULD I WAIT TILL TOMORROW TO EAT IT???!!!!
imma africanbites says
Please, don’t! =D
Chika says
Thank you Imma for this receipe. I made it today for a friend’s party everyone couldnt get enough of it. It was so delish. Will make it again soon.
Gina Marie says
Hi… I would like to know if I double up the recipe to make a bigger cake, will it be OK?
Need feedback ASAP.
Thank you!
ImmaculateBites says
Hi Gina! Yes, you may double the recipe. Keep in mind that you will need a bigger pan for this and depending on your pan, your baking time will also increase.
Zoe says
Hi! Could you please post the original. I’ve been using the recipe for years but with the other way of measuring. Thank you so much! We love it.
ImmaculateBites says
Hi Zoe! It is great to have you here. I can tell you are an old fan because you noticed I changed the measurements :)! Feel fry to use this recipe. It is the same. I had to standardize it to help the others who didn’t have the same size of yogurt cups.
Maria says
Awww! What happened with the other measurements! The old ones? I always come back please show!
Pronta says
We made this cake with the kids, that’s why the yogurt-cup measuments you used to use were very helpful. It was so simple making this with yogurt cups. Can you please show the recipe with the old measurements!? Or just post it here for us?
ImmaculateBites says
3 yogurt cup or 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 yogurt cup or 1 cup sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 cup whole-milk yogurt- 4 ounce (I used vanilla)
3 Large eggs
2 teaspoons grated tangerine zest (2-3tangerines)
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 teaspoon nutmeg
3/4 yogurt cup oil or 1/2 cup oil or melted butter
Tangerine Glaze:
3/4 yogurt cup powdered sugar or 1/2 cup powdered sugar
1-2 Tablespoon freshly squeezed tangerine juice
ImmaculateBites says
3 yogurt cup or 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 yogurt cup or 1 cup sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 cup whole-milk yogurt- 4 ounce (I used vanilla)
3 Large eggs
2 teaspoons grated tangerine zest (2-3tangerines)
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 teaspoon nutmeg
3/4 yogurt cup oil or 1/2 cup oil or melted butter
Tangerine Glaze:
3/4 yogurt cup powdered sugar or 1/2 cup powdered sugar
1-2 Tablespoon freshly squeezed tangerine juice
Maria says
Thank you so much! Just what I needed!
ImmaculateBites says
You’re welcome :)!
Zoe says
Thank you so much! My husband’s mom sent me her recipe, but it had too many products I can’t get in the US.
I’ve been using this recipe for the past 3 years! He says it’s just like the one he grew up with.
🙂
ImmaculateBites says
Hi Zoe! Now I feel bad for your mother-in-law , but on the other hand I am thrilled you love this recipe !! Thanks for the feedback.