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Yogurt Cake with Citrus and Spice

Yogurt Cake with Citrus and Spice

Citrus and spice mingle beautifully in our take on France’s gâteau au yaourt—a simple cake, perfect for using up extra yogurt and eating at any time.

By Diane Unger & Courtney HillNovember 16, 2022

  • Makes
    Makes one 8½-inch loaf cake
  • Cook Time
    1 hour
  • Active time plus cooling
    15 minutes active, plus cooling
  • Rating

In France, gâteau au yaourt is a cake that comes together so easily it’s often the first recipe children are taught. It has a fine, moist crumb similar to a pound cake, but isn’t nearly as rich. We boost the flavor by adding grated citrus zest and fragrant spice to the batter. Citrus juice whisked with powdered sugar makes a quick finishing glaze, though the cake is equally good unadorned. Feel free to use whatever kind of citrus you have on hand—lemon, lime, orange or even grapefruit. The cake will keep for up to three days, tightly wrapped and stored at room temperature.

Ingredients
  • 1 ¾

    cups all-purpose flour, plus more for the pan

  • 2

    teaspoons baking powder

  • 1

    teaspoon ground cinnamon OR ground allspice OR ground ginger

  • ¼

    teaspoon plus ⅛ teaspoon table salt, divided

  • 3

    large eggs

  • 1

    cup white sugar

  • 2

    tablespoons grated citrus zest, plus 2 tablespoons citrus juice, plus more if needed (see headnote)

  • ½

    cup plain whole-milk yogurt OR ½ cup plain whole-milk Greek yogurt thinned with 3 tablespoons water

  • ½

    cup grapeseed or other neutral oil

  • 1

    cup powdered sugar

Step 1

Heat the oven to 350°F with a rack in the middle position. Mist an 8½-by-4½-inch loaf pan with cooking spray, dust evenly with flour, then tap out the excess.

Step 2

In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, cinnamon and ¼ teaspoon salt; set aside.

Step 3

In a large bowl, whisk the eggs, white sugar and zest until well combined and lightened in color, about 1 minute. Add the yogurt, then whisk until well combined. Add the oil and whisk until homogeneous. Add the flour mixture and whisk just until no streaks remain. The batter will be very fluid.

Step 4

Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Bake until a toothpick inserted at the center of the cake comes out with a few crumbs attached, about 45 minutes.

Step 5

Let the cake cool in the pan on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Invert the cake onto the rack, lift off the pan and turn the loaf upright. Cool completely, about 1½ hours, before glazing.

Step 6

In a small bowl, whisk together the powdered sugar and the remaining ⅛ teaspoon salt, then gradually whisk in the juice; the glaze should be smooth, with the consistency of regular yogurt. If it is too thick, whisk in additional juice ½ teaspoon at a time to achieve the proper consistency.

Step 7

Set the wire rack with the cake on a rimmed baking sheet. Using a spoon, drizzle the glaze over the top of the cake, letting some drip down the sides. Let the glaze set for about 30 minutes before slicing and serving.

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