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Simple Lemon Yogurt Cake (New & Improved!)

This Simple Lemon Yogurt Cake is easy, moist and made in one bowl! Bakes in 35 minutes and finished off with a 2-ingredient simple lemon syrup.
Course Cake, Dessert, Snack
Keyword lemon cake, lemon yogurt cake, yogurt
Prep Time 25 minutes
Cook Time 35 minutes
Servings 8 slices
Calories 325kcal

Ingredients

  • 3/4 cup golden or white granulated sugar
  • 3 large eggs, at room temperature, (approx. 55g-60g each in shell)
  • 2 tbsp finely grated lemon zest, from one medium-sized lemon
  • 2 Tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice, from one medium-sized lemon
  • 1 tsp vanilla bean extract
  • 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
  • 2/3 cup plain greek style yogurt
  • 1 1/2 cups (225g) plain all purpose flour
  • 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
  • 1/2 tsp fine salt or Kosher salt

Lemon Icing

  • 1 1/2 Tbsp icing sugar, plus extra if desired to dust over
  • 1 Tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice, use any leftover juice from the lemon above or from a small lemon

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 180ºC (356ºF). Line a round 9-inch baking pan with parchment paper, and set aside. NOTE: Alternatively, if you have a non-stick pan, liberally grease it with melted butter and dust it with a light layer of flour. This will leave your finished cake with smooth sides.
  • In a large mixing bowl, add sugar, eggs, lemon zest, and lemon juice.
  • Using electric hand beaters, beat on low-medium speed for 30 seconds until well combined. Scrape down the sides if needed with a spatula.
  • With the beater running on low-medium speed, slowly drizzle in the olive oil in a steady stream to emulsify, about 30 seconds in total.
  • Add yogurt and vanilla extract, and beat for 15 seconds until well combined. Scrape down the sides if needed.
  • Add flour, baking powder, and salt. Beat until incorporated, about 15 seconds but do not over-mix, just until it’s incorporated into a smooth batter and no lumps of flour remain. Scrape down the sides.
  • Pour batter into the prepared baking pan. Smoothing out the top.
  • Bake for 30-35 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the middle, comes out clean and it’s lightly golden on top.
  • Remove from the oven and allow the cake to cool in the pan for 10 minutes.
  • Transfer to a wire rack to cool.
  • While the cake is cooling, make the lemon icing.
  • In a small mixing bowl, combine the icing sugar and lemon juice. Mix with a spoon until well combined and the icing sugar is dissolved.
  • Take a pastry brush and brush the lemon icing over the cake whilst it’s cooling.
  • If desired, dust over a light layer of extra icing sugar using a fine mesh sieve.
  • Serve and enjoy!

Notes

Make sure to measure your baking ingredients accurately to achieve the best results. Check out my helpful guide on how to measure basic ingredients.
Ensure your eggs and milk come to room temperature before making your yogurt cake. Using cold ingredients in cakes will not emulsify and blend appropriately with the rest of the ingredients, which results in problems with the final product. 
Use plain style Greek yogurt and fresh lemon zest and juice for the best lemon yogurt cake. 
Make sure to emulsify the oil into the batter by slowly drizzling it in with the beater running.
Do not over-mix this cake batter as it will result in a tough cake texture after baking. 
Store your lemon yogurt cake in an airtight container, in the refrigerator for 2-3 days. This is a moist lemon yogurt cake and is best consumed the day you bake it and a couple of days after. 
Freeze this lemon yogurt cake by allowing it to completely cool after baking. Do not add the dusting of icing sugar. Wrap it tightly in plastic wrap and then wrap it again in tinfoil. Freeze it for up to 3 months. 
To defrost your lemon cake with yogurt, remove it from the freezer and place it in your refrigerator, it’s wrapped up, for a full 24 hours to slowly thaw. 

Nutrition

Calories: 325kcal | Carbohydrates: 40g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 16g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 10g | Trans Fat: 0.01g | Cholesterol: 62mg | Sodium: 178mg | Potassium: 135mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 21g | Vitamin A: 102IU | Vitamin C: 5mg | Calcium: 71mg | Iron: 2mg