This recipe for yogurt cake is an absolute standard classic French home-made cake that can be conjured up at a minute’s notice for any occasion. It’s perfect for goûter, school bake sales, birthdays and even breakfast! It’s so easy anyone can make it.
The beauty of it lies in its simplicity – there’s no complicated order of ingredients or difficult folding-in/whipping/creaming; heck there’s not even any weighing! Contrary to what all those reputable bakers out there say about baking being a precise science, this recipe is basic, fairly imprecise and yet never fails.
The trick with a yogurt cake lies in the word “yogurt”. Instead of scales or cups you use a yogurt pot to measure everything out, making it very simple for young children to follow or easy to make while on holiday without scales for example. Of course this will only work if yogurt is sold in individual pots of 125 g where you are.
Recipe for yogurt cake
Preparation 10 minutes – Cooking 30 mins – Oven temp 200-220°c, gas mark 6-7
1 natural (unsweetened) yogurt (125g) (use the pot as a measure)
2 pots of ordinary flour (SR flour for UK)
2 pots of sugar
0.5 pot of vegetable oil
3 eggs
0.5 sachet of “levure chimique” (French substitute for baking powder, no need to use if using SR flour)
1 sachet of vanilla sugar (or a dash of vanilla essence)
* chocolate chips (optional)
You will need one loaf tin
All ovens are different, pre-heat to the temperature required depending whether your oven is fan-assisted or runs hotter/colder than others.
Scoop the yogurt into a mixing bowl then use the pot as a measure for the other ingredients, pouring them all into the bowl. Add the eggs and stir the whole lot until smooth and thick.
*Add chocolate chips if using them and stir into the mix. Sometimes I add them for a change but a classic yogurt cake doesn’t have any.
Grease a loaf tin, pour the mixture into it and bake in the oven for 30 minutes.
Light and a little moist, this cake is usually eaten plain, with perhaps a sprinkling of icing sugar but it is never iced, hence why I said it could be eaten for breakfast. (French breakfasts are sweet, often including cake, which if you have a sweet tooth like me is heaven!) I’ve made this cake too many times to count …. it’s simplicity itself (both in the making and in the taste) and it’s always a success.
Bon appétit!
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Made this many times with flavoured yoghurts or a flavouring added, great recipe.
Your variations sound good Sophie, I might try it with lemon yogurt next time.
Sounds delicious with raspberries – yum!
I have made more Victoria Sponges than most people have had hot dinners so I can make them with my eyes closed and one hand tied behind my back! And much as it pains be to say it Sainsbury’s SR flour is cheaper even than French plain flour! But I will give your yoghurt cake a go and let you know what I think!!
I LOVE yogurt cake – so easy to make (and get the kids involved with too), and really yummy! In general I don’t bake (I leave that to Ben) but this is one cake that I do make. I sometimes add bits of apple, or sometimes use lemon or vanilla yogurt to give it a slight flavour. Great French classic!
#TastyTuesdays
I adore yoghurt cake, we make a similar one here and I like to add some fresh raspberries when they’re in season too, yours looks stunning! Thanks for linking up to #tastytuesdays
Actually it doesn’t taste too sweet, but do try it with less sugar, I’m sure it’ll be just as good (and healthier for breakfast!!)
Pleasure Jenny!
I don’t see why it wouldn’t work, but I’m not an expert on glute-free. Do let me know.
Simplicity and deliciousity (new word!!!) 😉
Definitely have a go, you won’t be disappointed.
Give it a go Merlinda and you’ll see there’s nothing to be scared of.
Great Sara, let me know how you get on!
It is an “eyes-closed” kind of recipe!
VS is soooo much harder Rosie, you really should give this a go as you don’t need expensive imported flour etc. My French in-laws introduced me to cake at breakfast. It’s heaven!
Yes, I forgot to say that kids do really enjoy the novelty of using the yogurt pot. 😀
Definitely wins over my lemon drizzle as the easiest cake. Will definitely try to make this soon. My daughter will love using a yoghurt pot.
Mmmm – cake for breakfast, now there’s a good idea! I might give this a try soon although I generally make a Victoria Sponge for school/sports club cake sales etc as the French seem to like it’s light texture and jammy middle! I do need to use UK self raising flour or add extra baking powder though as French farine à  gâteau has too little raining agent in it.
Oh, almost forgot – thanks for linking up this week, Phoebe!
Ahh, I love simple recipes. Sounds like I could make this with my eyes closed, Phoebe. I also love sweets, so this would be great for breakfast.
Oh, I am so trying this when I get home, just my kind of recipe 🙂
Looks so nice and I love the texture! Measurement is something that i am scared of not following. I dont know why. #TastyTuesdays
I love the look of this and it looks really easy to do as well. Must give it a try
Looks gorgeous…. and I’m all for simplicity. I have this glass bowl/long cup with various measures on that I often use instead of weighing. Works brilliantly mostly. Going to use this one to try some variations on too, super #TastyTuesday.
That looks really delicious! I wonder if it would work using gluten-free flour, since we are gluten-free. One day I will give it a try and let you know!
This looks fantastic. I will have to test it out myself. I love any type of cake/bread type recipe. Thanks for sharing. #tastytuesdays
Thanks for the recipe! I will try this one.. just maybe put a little less sugar. 🙂