Lemon Yogurt Moist Cake (Print)

A moist cake with bright lemon flavor and creamy yogurt, ideal for any time of day.

# Components:

→ Wet Ingredients

01 - 1 cup plain Greek yogurt
02 - 3 large eggs
03 - 1/2 cup vegetable oil
04 - 1 cup granulated sugar
05 - Zest of 2 lemons
06 - 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
07 - 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

→ Dry Ingredients

08 - 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
09 - 2 teaspoons baking powder
10 - 1/4 teaspoon salt

→ Optional Glaze

11 - 1/2 cup powdered sugar
12 - 2 to 3 teaspoons lemon juice

# Directions:

01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease and flour a 9x5-inch loaf pan or line it with parchment paper.
02 - In a blender, combine Greek yogurt, eggs, vegetable oil, granulated sugar, lemon zest, fresh lemon juice, and vanilla extract. Blend until smooth, about 30 seconds.
03 - Add all-purpose flour, baking powder, and salt to the blender. Pulse just until ingredients are combined without overmixing.
04 - Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan and smooth the surface evenly.
05 - Bake for 35 to 40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
06 - Allow cake to cool in the pan for 10 minutes before transferring it to a wire rack to cool completely.
07 - Whisk powdered sugar with lemon juice until smooth. Drizzle over the cooled cake before serving.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It comes together in one blender, no creaming butter or fussing with multiple bowls.
  • The tang from yogurt and lemon juice keeps it from tasting heavy or overly sweet.
  • Somehow it stays incredibly moist even after a few days, which is rare for cakes made without much butter.
  • It tastes like something from a bakery but takes barely any active time.
02 -
  • Don't open the oven door before 30 minutes are up, or the sudden temperature change can make the cake collapse in the middle before it has a chance to set.
  • Your lemon juice is acidic and will partially activate the baking powder in the batter, so the longer it sits before baking, the less rise you'll get. Mix and bake as soon as you're ready.
  • If your cake comes out dense, it's almost always because of overmixing or because you packed the flour when measuring. Next time, fluff the flour with a fork and spoon it into the cup.
03 -
  • Always zest your lemons before juicing them, because once they're cut, the zest is much harder to get off cleanly.
  • If your baking powder is old or you're at high altitude, add an extra quarter teaspoon to make sure you get enough lift.
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