French Yogurt Cake (often called Gâteau au Yaourt) is one of the easiest and most delicious cakes you can make. It’s moist, tender, and uses the yogurt cup as a measuring tool—so it’s perfect for beginners 🍰🇫🇷
Here’s the classic recipe:
🇫🇷 French Yogurt Cake (Gâteau au Yaourt)
Ingredients
- 1 cup plain yogurt (Greek or regular)
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 ½ cups sugar
- 3 eggs
- 1 cup vegetable oil (or melted butter)
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- Zest of 1 lemon (optional but classic)
- Pinch of salt
Instructions
1️⃣ Preheat & prepare
- Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C)
- Grease and flour a 9-inch loaf pan or 9-inch round cake pan
2️⃣ Mix the wet ingredients
In a bowl, whisk together:
- yogurt
- eggs
- oil
- vanilla
- lemon zest
3️⃣ Mix dry ingredients
In another bowl, whisk:
- flour
- sugar
- baking powder
- salt
4️⃣ Combine
Add wet ingredients to dry and mix until smooth. Don’t overmix.
5️⃣ Bake
Pour batter into the prepared pan and bake:
- 35–40 minutes (loaf pan)
- 30–35 minutes (round pan)
Check with a toothpick: it should come out clean.
6️⃣ Cool & serve
Let cool for 10 minutes, then remove from pan and cool completely.
🌟 Variations (all delicious)
🍋 Lemon Yogurt Cake
Add lemon juice + extra zest.
🍓 Strawberry Yogurt Cake
Fold in fresh strawberries or strawberry jam.
🍫 Chocolate Yogurt Cake
Replace 1/3 cup flour with cocoa powder and add chocolate chips.
🍯 Honey Yogurt Cake
Swap sugar for honey (reduce liquid slightly).
🍽️ Tips for Perfect Texture
- Use full-fat yogurt for the best moisture
- Don’t overmix — it keeps the cake tender
- Let it cool completely before slicing
Want a gluten-free version, olive oil version, or a French yogurt cake with a glaze?