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Easy French Yogurt Cake (Gâteau au Yaourt)

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Easy French Yogurt Cake (Gâteau Au Yaourt)

This traditional French Yogurt Cake ("Gâteau au Yaourt" in French) is one of the quickest and easiest cake recipe, ever! The yogurt cake is incredibly flavourful with a rich and moist crumb. A perfect dessert for afternoon tea!

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Why we love this recipe

It does not get more traditional than this French "Gâteau au Yaourt", aka the ultimate "gâteau de grand-mère" (grandma's cake)! It is put together with a handful of ingredients and ready to be put in the oven within minutes.

It is a super classic cake in France that families often make during the weekend or when after a quick and easy little treat. The traditional French yogurt cake recipe does not even require proper measurements. Instead, it uses a yogurt pot or jar (yes, the ones you buy from the supermarket) as a base to measure all the ingredients!

For a cake made in one bowl with only a few ingredients and a whisk, you get the most delicious, flavourful, soft and moist dessert.

More yogurt cake recipes to try: Yogurt Plum Cake | Lemon Yogurt Cake.

Ingredients

Scroll down to recipe card below for all quantities

What is French Yogurt Cake made of:

  • Yogurt: natural, plain yogurt - though greek yogurt will work fine here too. Only use full-fat yogurt for the best texture and flavours - not fat-reduced or light yogurt.
  • Eggs: large eggs, at room temperature.
  • Sugar: Caster Sugar or fine white granulated sugar.
  • Vanilla Extract: optional, but a great way to boost the flavours of the cake.
  • Lemon Zest: again, optional but highly recommended as it complement the flavours of the yogurt perfectly and adds a bit of a 'kick' to the cake.
  • Oil: use a neutral flavoured oil such as canola oil (what I used here), sunflower oil, grapeseed oil or other vegetable oil. This cake is not traditionally made with butter.
  • Dry ingredients: a mix of plain / AP Flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. You can use self-rising flour instead (just add a bit of salt) if preferred.

Variation

Because it is such a simple cake, it is perfect to use as a base to create more complex desserts. Here are a few ideas on how you can customise the yogurt loaf:

  • Replace the lemon zest with other citrus such as orange zest or lime zest.
  • Add chocolate chips or top the cake with a chocolate ganache.
  • Fold fresh berries into the cake batter before baking it. To avoid sinking, toss them in a bit of flour before folding them in.
  • Flavour the cake with other extract such as almond extract, rosewater extract, orange blossom water,...
  • Slice the cake in half horizontally and fill it with jam, Chantilly cream and fresh fruits, fruit compote,...

Traditional French Yogurt Cake Ratios

As explained above, the traditional recipe is not made with a scale or measuring cups. It simply uses a yogurt pot / jar / container as a base for all measurements, following this simple ratio:

  • 1 pot yogurt
  • 3 eggs
  • 2 pots sugar
  • 1/2 pot oil
  • 3 Pots Flour
  • 1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
  • optionally, some vanilla extract and/or lemon zest.

To make the recipe, you simply tip one pot of yogurt in your mixing bowl then wash it, dry it and use it as a container to measure the rest of the ingredients.

In France, pots of yogurt are usually equivalent to 120 ml or 1/2 cup - 4 oz. So even without an actually jar of French yogurt, you could simply use a 1/2 cup measuring cup and make this recipe!

The only difference between the traditional ratios and the ones I used here is that I slightly decreased the amount of sugar from 2 yogurt pots to 1 1/2. You could even drop it to 1 pot for a less sweet dessert.

How to make French Yogurt Cake step-by-step

  • Preheat your oven on 180℃ / 350 ℉. Lightly grease a 12 x 22 cm (5 x 9 inch) loaf pan and line the bottom with a piece of baking paper.

I usually just use some cooking spray to grease the pan but you could use melted butter or neutral oil with a paper towel if preferred.

  • Photo 1: In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs and yogurt until smooth.
  • Photo 2: Add the sugar, oil, vanilla and lemon zest. Whisk until combined.
  • Photo 3: Sift in all the dry ingredients (flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt). Mix until no lumps remain, but make sure to avoid over-mixing the batter.
  • Photo 4: Pour the cake batter into the prepared pan and bake for 35 to 40 minutes, or until a toothpick or cake tester comes out clean.
  • Place on a wire rack and let the cake cool down completely before slicing or removing from the pan.

Recipe FAQs

What type of yogurt should I use?

For the best flavour and texture, use a full-fat plain yogurt (or natural yogurt). I've made this recipe with greek yogurt many times and it works just as well too! Simply make sure to use full-fat yogurt and not fat-reduced or light yogurt.

You could make this recipe dairy-free by using a dairy-free yogurt but note that an ingredient like coconut yogurt will change the flavour of the cake.

Can I use self-rising flour?

Yes, the AP flour, baking powder and baking soda can be substituted with self-rising flour. Simply use the same quantity of self-rising flour than AP flour.

Can I bake this cake in another type of pan?

I've made this cake in a 8-inch (20cm) round springform pan and it turns out just as great! I've found that in a round pan, the cake usually bakes a little bit more quickly than in a loaf pan so you might need to reduce the baking time a bit (5 to 10 minutes).

Serving Suggestion

  • Glaze the cake with a simply glaze (confectioners sugar + milk) or lemon glaze (confectioners sugar + lemon juice) for extra sweetness or tanginess.
  • Serve the cake with a dollop of Crème Fraiche, whipped cream, Chantilly cream, Crème Anglaise or even vanilla ice cream. Fresh berries are also always great with the cream!
  • Top the yogurt loaf with your favourite frosting, whipped ganache, lemon curd or simply yogurt.
  • Fruit coulis and compotes are a delicious way to finish this yogurt cake. I served this one with a homemade Peach Compote but you could also make a Mixed Berry Compote, Strawberry Coulis, Passion Fruit Coulis, Raspberry Compote, Stewed Rhubarb, ...

Storing & Freezing

This French yogurt cake can be kept at room temperature for 2 to 3 days, either in an airtight container or covered with plastic wrap or aluminium foil. You can store it in the fridge but it will dry out the crumb more quickly.

This cake also freezes quite well, either whole or pre-sliced. Simply leave at room temperature for a few hours (or in the fridge overnight) to thaw.

More Easy Cake Recipes

  • French Chocolate Fondant Cake
  • Pear and Chocolate Cake
  • Strawberry Upside-Down Cake
  • Lemon Ricotta Cake
  • Orange Loaf Cake
  • Easy Biscoff Cake

I am so excited to share that my debut cookbook

"Bite-Sized French Pastries for the Beginner Baker"

was released on
19th December 2023!

Order here

Recipe

Print

Easy French Yogurt Cake

This traditional French Yogurt Cake ("Gâteau au Yaourt" in French) is one of the quickest and easiest cake recipe, ever! This cake is incredibly flavourful with a rich and moist crumb. A perfect dessert for afternoon tea!
Course afternoon tea, Dessert
Cuisine French
Diet Vegetarian
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 35 minutes
Total Time 45 minutes
Servings 10
Calories 220kcal
Author A Baking Journey

Ingredients

  • 120 gr Natural Plain Yogurt
  • 3 large Eggs
  • 150 gr Caster Sugar
  • 60 ml Neutral Oil such as canola oil
  • 1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract optional
  • 1 1/2 teaspoon Lemon Zest (from 1 large lemon) optional
  • 225 gr Plain / All-Purpose Flour
  • 1 1/2 teaspoon Baking Powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon Baking Soda
  • 1 pinch Fine Table Salt

Instructions

  • Preheat your oven on 180℃ / 350 ℉. Lightly grease a 12 x 22 cm (5 x 9 inch) loaf pan and line the bottom with a piece of baking paper.
  • In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs and yogurt until smooth. Add the sugar, oil, vanilla and lemon zest. Whisk until combined.
  • Sift in the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Whisk until no lumps remain, stopping as soon as combined to avoid over-mixing the batter.
  • Pour the cake batter into the prepared pan and bake for 35 to 40 minutes, or until a skewer comes out clean.
  • Place on a wire rack and let the cake cool down completely before slicing or removing from the pan.

Notes

You can also bake the cake in a 8 inch (20 cm) round springform pan for about 25 to 30 minutes.
To make this cake following the traditional French method - using a yogurt pot as a container for measurement - you can use the following ratios:
    • 1 pot yogurt
    • 3 eggs
    • 1 1/2 to 2 pots sugar
    • 1/2 pot oil
    • optional: 1 1/2 teaspoon lemon zest and/or 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
    • 3 Pots Flour
    • 1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder + 1/2 teaspoon baking soda + pinch salt

Nutrition

Calories: 220kcal | Carbohydrates: 33g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 8g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 4g | Trans Fat: 0.03g | Cholesterol: 57mg | Sodium: 150mg | Potassium: 65mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 16g | Vitamin A: 93IU | Vitamin C: 0.2mg | Calcium: 62mg | Iron: 1mg

Made this recipe?
Let us know if you liked it by leaving a comment below, and tag us on Instagram @a.baking.journey with a photo of your creation!

The post Easy French Yogurt Cake (Gâteau au Yaourt) appeared first on A Baking Journey.



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Easy French Yogurt Cake (Gâteau au Yaourt)

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