Blueberry Yogurt Cake
Fresh blueberries packed throughout a moist, tender cake made with Greek yogurt. Subtle lemon zest (optional) brightens the berry flavor. The yogurt keeps this American-style cake soft and adds a pleasant tang—perfect for breakfast, brunch, or a simple dessert.
- Prep
- 15 min
- Cook
- 38 min
- Wait
- 15 min
- Total
- 1 hr 8 min
- Makes
- One 9-inch cake (12 slices)
Steps
Before you start
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C)
- Bring unsalted butter, eggs, and Greek yogurt to room temperature at least 1 hour ahead
- Prepare a 9-inch round cake pan with butter and parchment paper
- Gather all ingredients and measure them
Preheat and prepare panOven 350°F / 175°C
- Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C).
- Butter the bottom and sides of a 9-inch (23 cm) round cake pan.
- Line the bottom with a sheet of parchment paper, pressing it firmly into the corners.
- Ensure unsalted butter, eggs, and Greek yogurt are at room temperature before proceeding.
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Tip: Room temperature ingredients emulsify better, creating a lighter, more tender crumb with better volume.
Mix dry ingredients
- In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together all-purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt until evenly combined.
- Set aside.
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Ready when: Mixture is evenly combined with no lumps of baking soda visible
Tip: Whisking dry ingredients thoroughly ensures leavening agents are evenly distributed throughout the flour.
Cream butter and sugar
- In a large bowl, beat softened unsalted butter and granulated sugar with an electric mixer on medium-high speed for 2-3 minutes until the mixture is light, fluffy, and pale yellow.
- The volume should increase noticeably as air is incorporated.
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Ready when: Mixture is pale, fluffy, and visibly increased in volume
Tip: This step incorporates air into the batter, which helps the cake rise and creates a light, tender crumb.
Add eggs one at a time
- Add large eggs one at a time, beating on medium speed for about 30 seconds after each addition.
- Scrape down the bowl with a spatula between additions to ensure even mixing.
- The mixture may look slightly curdled after each egg, but it will come together as you continue beating.
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Ready when: All eggs are fully incorporated and the mixture is smooth and light
Tip: Adding eggs slowly and beating between additions prevents the batter from breaking and ensures an even, emulsified texture.
Add vanilla and lemon zest
- Stir in vanilla extract and fresh lemon zest (if using).
- Mix on low speed just until evenly combined throughout the batter.
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Ready when: Vanilla and zest are evenly distributed throughout the batter
Alternate dry and wet ingredients
- Reduce mixer speed to low.
- Alternate adding the dry mixture and Greek yogurt in the following order: add one-third of the dry mixture and mix gently until just combined, then add half of the yogurt and mix gently, continue with another third of the dry mixture and mix gently, add the remaining yogurt and mix gently, and finish with the last third of the dry mixture and mix until just combined.
- Do not overmix—the batter should come together with just a few visible flour streaks remaining.
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Ready when: Batter is just combined with some visible flour streaks
Tip: Overmixing develops gluten, which makes the cake tough and dense. Mix only until ingredients are incorporated.
Add blueberries
- Toss fresh blueberries with 1 tablespoon of the measured all-purpose flour to coat lightly.
- Gently fold the floured blueberries into the batter with a rubber spatula until evenly distributed throughout.
- Do not overmix.
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Ready when: Blueberries are evenly distributed throughout the batter
Tip: The flour coating helps prevent blueberries from sinking to the bottom of the cake during baking.
Pour and bakeOven 350°F / 175°C
- Pour the batter into the prepared 9-inch (23 cm) cake pan.
- Smooth the top with a rubber spatula.
- Place in the preheated 350°F (175°C) oven and bake for 35-40 minutes until a toothpick inserted in the thickest part (away from a blueberry) comes out with just a few moist crumbs and the cake is golden brown.
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Ready when: Cake is golden brown, springs back when gently pressed, and a toothpick comes out with just a few moist crumbs
Tip: Avoid opening the oven door for the first 30 minutes, as temperature fluctuations can cause the cake to fall or not rise properly.
Cool and remove from pan
- Remove the cake from the oven and let it cool in the pan for 15 minutes.
- This allows the structure to set so it won't break when released.
- Gently run a thin knife around the edges to loosen it from the pan.
- Turn out onto a wire cooling rack to cool further (about 30-45 minutes for complete cooling), or serve warm directly from the pan.
- The cake is delicious served warm, at room temperature, or chilled.
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Ready when: Cake has cooled enough in the pan to be carefully loosened from the sides
Good to know
Tips
- Bringing butter, eggs, and yogurt to room temperature is essential—they mix more smoothly and create an emulsified, lighter batter that yields a tender crumb.
- Tossing blueberries in flour prevents them from sinking to the bottom of the cake and helps distribute them evenly throughout.
- Avoid overmixing once you've added the flour—overmixing develops gluten and makes the cake tough and dense.
- The lemon zest is optional but highly recommended; it brightens the blueberry flavor and adds pleasant complexity to the cake.
Make ahead
The batter can be prepared up to 2 hours in advance. Mix all dry ingredients together, cream the butter and sugar, add eggs and vanilla, then cover and store the wet mixture at room temperature. Combine wet and dry ingredients and fold in blueberries just before baking.
Storage & reheating
Room temperature: Store covered (under a cake dome or in an airtight container) for up to 2 days. Refrigerator: Store in an airtight container for up to 4 days; remove 30 minutes before serving for best texture. Freezer: Wrap the cooled cake tightly in plastic wrap, then aluminum foil; freeze for up to 2 months. Thaw at room temperature (3-4 hours) before serving. Reheating: Warm slices in a 300°F (150°C) oven for 5-10 minutes, or microwave a single slice for 15-20 seconds.
Substitutions
- plain Greek yogurt (full-fat or 2%) → Plain full-fat yogurt. Use 1.25 cups (300 ml) plain full-fat yogurt instead of 1 cup Greek yogurt. The cake will be slightly more tender and moist due to the extra liquid.
- fresh blueberries → Frozen blueberries. Use 2 cups frozen blueberries without thawing. Increase the baking time by 2-3 minutes to account for the cold berries.
- fresh lemon zest → Lemon extract. Omit fresh lemon zest and add ½ teaspoon lemon extract in step 5 instead for a more concentrated lemon flavor.
- all-purpose flour → Cake flour. Use 1¾ cups (175 g) cake flour instead of all-purpose flour for a finer, more delicate crumb.
