French Yogurt Cake
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.
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Hi, I love this cake and have already made 3 this week! But I have a friend who is on a gluten free diet. Will this work with gluten free flour, are there any other adjustments that I should make? Thanks!
Hi, Nikita. I can’t give you an answer to that since I haven’t tried making this one gluten-free.
I tried so many recipes of you now. Love this Blog… The cake turned out great. Since i had no Tangernine at home and i love Coconut, i added some grated one… Have a nice weekend.
Greetings from Germany
Hi
I haven’t tried this recipe yet, but have one just like it and it’s amazing with lime zest as well.
I must say that your Nutritional info is way off though…there’s no way that there can only be 3 grams of carbs per serve with all that flour and sugar….I’m thinking maybe 30gms??
Hi!
I’ve read and re-read and can’t find the syrup ingredients, which I’m supposed to pour whilst the cake is hot. Then when it’s cool, drizzle the glaze. Am I correct? Thank you. I’m waiting to make this recipe, it sounds delicious : ) thank you!
Sorry about that. No syrup needed . Retested recipe and is just fine without it. Updated. Thanks for bringing this to my attention.
Hi,
Yur recipe is amazing i had a mango and orange smoothie which was made withe yogurt in ot so i decided to make this cake and it turned out amazing thanks so much for this recipe
Hi there!
When you say to fold in the oil, what are you referring to? Thanks.
Hi ! I mean to gently mix it in until fully in-cooporated
Hi!
I can’t wait to try this recipe, but unfortunately I have all the ingredients except the nutmeg. Can I sub with cinnamon or allspice instead?
Hello Uzo,
You sure can. Or leave it out completely.
Hi, I would love to make these in muffin size for my toddler to snack on. Would the cooking time vary?
Yes, it should be about 15 -20 minutes.
The recipe was amazing I removed 1/2 cup of yogurt and replaced it with 1/2 cup of orange juice and it was perfect thank you for this amazing recipe.
Great! Thanks for the feedback.
Hello! My coworker made this recipe but used lemons instead of tangerines, it was delicious! I am making two today, one tangerine and one lemon for Easter! I’m guessing when you say one cup yogurt you don’t mean one measuring cup as that is 8 oz. you mean one yogurt cup of 4 oz.? Thank you!!!
Thanks Martha! Yes I mean I cup (4 ounce yogurt ) 6 ounce works out too! Happy Cooking !!!
For the 1 cup whole milk yoghut can one use natural yoghut instead or it has to be vanilla flavoured yoghut?
You sure can Anne.
Hello Imma,
Love your simple and quick breads and cakes recipes.
A quick question
If I have to double the ingredients or half the ingredients will the cooking/baking time differ from what is mentioned?
Thanks Deborah! No the cooking time is not going to double. Start checking after 50 minutes. Happy Holidays!!!!
Imma, mine is baking now, it smells wonderful. I used Meyer lemons, as that was all I had.
I noticed that you didn’t give any ingredient amounts for the syrup that you pour over. I just guessed.
Wow! You do not waste time Gurrrrl ! You really don’t need syrup . It really comes out moist and sweet enough. So I just left it out.
what kind of yoghurt cups are you referring to? How many ounces what flavor. I am a newbie
4 ounce yogurt cups. I usually buy vanilla.
Hi Imma,
Thanks for this lovely recipe. As an amateur baker, i am proud to say i pulled this off!
You go girl! So happy to hear Nkechi.
Hey Imma, I am such a fan!! Love love your site. I am looking forward to trying your recipes with my sisters. Beautiful site by the way !
Thanks liz, let me know how it works out for you.
Hi Immaculate,
I just found your blog for the first time. You are a breath of fresh air, new ideas with an African twist, regular ingredients with a new flair. I am looking forward to trying out some of your recipes, especially the ones with coconut as I just returned from Hawaii & still in that tropical mode. Enjoying your site!
Ruth
Thanks Ruth, I am a HUGE coconut fan, so you are in for a treat!!!
I made this last weekend. Was the easiest cake I ever made. My kids enjoyed it too.
It is really good 🙂
This is absolutely amazing! Really delicious!
Best cake ever makes me want to eat another piece 🙂