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    Home > Recipes > Cakes

    French Yogurt Cake

    Published: Aug 17, 2012 · Modified: Dec 27, 2022 · by Jess Smith · Jump to Recipe · 9 Comments · This post may contain affiliate links.

    french yogurt cake
    sliced yogurt cake on a white kitchen towel

    There's no denying that the French know what they're doing when it comes to food. Perfect crusty bread carried still hot from the oven, ham sandwiches slathered with rich butter on both sides, the late afternoon cup of espresso with a bite of extra dark chocolate on the side. They've perfected the art of these indulgences. So it's no surprise that in this French "cake", the addition of a bit of yogurt turns it from dessert into appropriate breakfast material.

    lemon and white sugar in a glass bowl
    Earlier this summer, by the time I got to the May Bon Appétit, Frank had already made his way through, and had, himself, folded over the corners of the pages he liked.I loved flipping through and seeing what he was drawn to. When I came across this recipe, I quickly realized that it would have been ripped out by yours truly even had Frank not beat me to it. The finished cake came out just as portrayed in the magazine's photo - sunny yellow and moist, with a distinct crumb. Though slightly sweet, the brightness of that lemon and the knowledge that it's made with yogurt really does make this a cake worthy of breakfast. Of course, it really would be lovely at any other time of day as well.

    More Easy Cake Recipes

    • Easy Vanilla Cake
    • Easy Chocolate Cake
    • Easy Peanut Butter Cake
    • Semolina Yogurt Cake

    Favorite Tools

    • Loaf Pan
    • Mixing Bowls
    • Whisk
    • Cooling Rack
    sliced yogurt cake on a white kitchen towel
    Print Recipe
    5 from 1 vote

    French Yogurt Cake with Lemon

    It's no surprise that in this French "cake", the addition of a bit of yogurt turns it from dessert into appropriate breakfast material.
    Prep Time15 mins
    Cook Time55 mins
    Total Time1 hr 10 mins
    Course: Breakfast
    Cuisine: French
    Keyword: easy recipe, easy snack cake
    Servings: 10
    Calories: 171kcal
    Author: Jess Smith via Inquiring Chef
    Cost: $4.00

    Equipment

    • Loaf Pan
    • Mixing Bowl
    • Cooling Rack

    Ingredients

    • 1 ½ cups All-Purpose Flour, plus more for dusting
    • 2 teaspoons Baking Powder
    • ¾ teaspoon Kosher Salt
    • 1 cup Sugar
    • 2 Tablespoon finely grated Lemon Zest
    • ¾ cup Whole Milk Greek Yogurt
    • ½ cup Vegetable Oil
    • 2 large Eggs
    • ½ teaspoon Vanilla Extract

    Instructions

    • Preheat oven to 350°. Lightly coat a 9x5 loaf pan with butter or oil. Dust with flour; tap out excess.
    • Whisk 1 ½ cups flour, baking powder, and kosher salt in a medium bowl.
    • Using your fingers, rub sugar with lemon zest in a large bowl until sugar is moist. Add yogurt, oil, eggs, and vanilla extract; whisk to blend. Fold in dry ingredients just to blend.
    • Pour batter into prepared pan; smooth top. Bake until top of cake is golden brown and a tester inserted into center comes out clean, 50–55 minutes. (If the surface becomes darker than a golden brown while baking, cover the pan with foil and continue baking until cooked through.)
    • Let cake cool in pan on a wire rack for 15 minutes. Invert onto rack; let cool completely.

    Notes

    From Bon Appetit May 2012 (adapted only in that I doubled the lemon zest called for in the original...I felt it benefited from even more lemony kick).

    Nutrition

    Calories: 171kcal | Carbohydrates: 35g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 1g | Saturated Fat: 0.4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 0.4g | Trans Fat: 0.01g | Cholesterol: 38mg | Sodium: 195mg | Potassium: 138mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 21g | Vitamin A: 55IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 62mg | Iron: 1mg

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    About Jess

    Hi! I'm Jess. I am the recipe creator and photographer behind the 900+ recipes you’ll find on Inquiring Chef. As a mom to three young kids and professional cook, my mission is to make every moment in the kitchen and around the table count. If you’re looking for easy, flavorful, family-approved recipes, you’ve come to the right place! Learn more about me here.

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Melissa

      August 17, 2012 at 7:29 pm

      I can't wait to make this over the weekend! It is exactly the inspiration I needed 🙂

      Reply
    2. Isabelle @ Crumb

      August 18, 2012 at 12:40 am

      French yogurt cake is one of my favourites quick and easy cakes. Somehow, the fact that it's made with yogurt makes me feel a little less guilty about indulging. 🙂
      I usually use a recipe I snagged from Orangette years ago, but I just might have to try out the BA version next time I've got a craving, just to see how it compares. It certainly is an eye-catching photo!

      Reply
    3. Claire @ Claire K Creations

      August 18, 2012 at 9:01 am

      Yum! Spring is in the air here and this cake would be perfect for some weekend baking (or breakfast).

      I'm glad my husband doesn't like food mags so I don't have to share 🙂

      Reply
    4. Jake

      August 18, 2012 at 8:05 pm

      5 stars
      Yummy! I want to have this for my friends on my birthday.. 🙂

      Reply
    5. Debra

      August 19, 2012 at 9:36 am

      Cake for breakfast? Absolutely?

      Reply
    6. Katie

      August 21, 2012 at 5:47 pm

      Yum! I love a good lemon loaf and this one looks GOOD! I would totally have added the extra lemon zest too.

      Reply
    7. Lucy Glennon

      January 08, 2019 at 7:42 am

      Hi Jess and Frank

      I'm not quite sure of how the cup measurements work - would you please be able to advise of the measurements in grams?

      Many thanks

      Lucy

      Reply
    8. elizabeth

      January 30, 2022 at 11:48 am

      Hello Jess,
      Loaf pan size, 9x5 or 8x4????????
      Thanks!

      Reply
      • Jess Smith

        January 30, 2022 at 1:56 pm

        9x5 - sorry about that! We'll add it to the recipe.

        Reply

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