French Lemon Yogurt Cake (Gâteau au Yaourt au Citron)

Name: French Lemon Yogurt Cake (Gâteau au Yaourt au Citron)
Prep time: 23 min
Cook time: 52 min
Total time: 1 h 15 min
Yield: 10 servings
Cuisine: French
Ingredients: 1 cup (200 g) granulated sugar; 1½ tbsp (8 g) lemon zest, finely grated from 2 medium lemons, no white pith; 2 cups (250 g) all-purpose flour, spooned into the cup and leveled; 2 tsp (8 g) baking powder; ¼ tsp (1½ g) fine salt; 3 whole (150 g) large eggs, at room temperature; 1 cup (245 g) plain whole-milk yogurt, at room temperature, stirred smooth; ½ cup (120 ml) neutral vegetable oil; 2 tbsp (30 ml) fresh lemon juice, strained; 1 tsp (5 ml) vanilla extract; 1 tsp (5 g) unsalted butter, softened, for greasing the pan

From the MyKitchenBank Kitchen

A tender, moist French-style loaf made with plain yogurt and oil, scented with fresh lemon zest and a splash of juice. It keeps well for days and needs no mixer.

Prep: 23 min
Cook: 52 min
Wait: 1 hr 30 min
Total: 2 hr 45 min
Makes: 1 loaf (10 slices)

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Steps

Before you start

Take the eggs and yogurt out of the fridge 30 minutes ahead so they mix smoothly into the oil.
Use full-fat or 2% plain yogurt, not Greek or flavored, for the right moisture.
Wash and dry 2 medium lemons before zesting; you will use the zest of both plus 2 tbsp of their juice.
Plan on about 1½ hours of cooling (15 minutes in the pan, then about 75 minutes on a rack) before slicing so the crumb sets.

1
Preheat and prep panOven 350°F / 175°C
- Position a rack in the center of the oven and heat to 350°F (175°C).
- Grease the 8.5×4.5-inch (21×11 cm) loaf pan with the softened butter, then line the bottom and long sides with a strip of parchment, leaving a 2-inch overhang on each long side to lift the cake out.
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Ready when: Pan is fully greased and parchment lies flat.
Tip: Greasing the pan first helps the parchment stick in place.
2
Rub zest into sugar
- In a large bowl, combine the sugar and lemon zest.
- Rub them together with your fingertips for about 1 minute, until the sugar looks damp and smells strongly of lemon.
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Ready when: Sugar is pale yellow, clumps slightly, and is very fragrant.
Tip: Rubbing releases the zest oils, giving much stronger lemon flavor.
3
Whisk dry ingredients
- In a medium bowl, whisk the flour, baking powder, and salt for 30 seconds until evenly combined.
- Set aside.
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Ready when: No streaks of baking powder visible.
4
Whisk wet ingredients
- Add the eggs to the lemon sugar and whisk for about 1 minute until slightly thick and pale.
- Whisk in the yogurt, lemon juice, and vanilla until smooth, then slowly stream in the oil while whisking until the batter looks glossy and fully blended.
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Ready when: Mixture is smooth with no oil pooling on top.
Tip: Cold yogurt or eggs can make the oil separate; use room-temperature ones.
5
Fold in flour
- Add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture in two additions.
- Fold with a rubber spatula just until no dry flour remains, about 15 strokes total.
- A few tiny lumps are fine.
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Ready when: Batter is thick but pourable, with no dry flour streaks.
Tip: Overmixing develops gluten and makes the cake tough.
6
Fill the pan
- Scrape the batter (about 4 cups) into the prepared pan and smooth the top with the spatula.
- Tap the pan firmly on the counter twice to release large air bubbles.
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Ready when: Batter is level and fills the pan about two-thirds full.
Tip: In a larger 9×5-inch pan the batter only fills about half and the loaf bakes shorter, so start checking about 8 minutes early.
7
Bake the cakeOven 350°F / 175°C
- Bake at 350°F (175°C) for 48 to 55 minutes.
- Do not open the oven before 40 minutes.
- If the top browns too quickly, tent loosely with foil for the last 10 minutes.
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Ready when: Top is deep golden and springs back when pressed; a toothpick in the center comes out clean or with a few dry crumbs; internal temperature reads 205–210°F (96–99°C).
Tip: A cracked top is normal and a sign of a good rise.
8
Rest in the pan
- Set the pan on a wire rack and let the cake rest for 15 minutes so it firms enough to unmold without breaking.
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Ready when: Cake edges have pulled slightly from the pan sides.
9
Unmold and cool
- Run a thin knife around the edges, then lift the cake out using the parchment overhang.
- Place it on the rack and cool for about 75 minutes, until completely cool.
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Ready when: Cake feels neutral, not warm, on the bottom and in the center.
Tip: Slicing while warm makes the crumb gummy.
10
Slice and serve
- Peel off the parchment and cut with a serrated knife into 10 slices about ¾ inch (2 cm) thick.
- Serve plain, or with extra yogurt and berries.
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Tip: Use a gentle sawing motion rather than pressing down.

Good to know

Tips

Measure the flour by spooning and leveling, or weigh it; packed flour makes a dry cake.
Zest the lemons before juicing them; it is nearly impossible the other way around.
Oven temperatures vary, so start checking at 45 minutes with a toothpick.
For a glaze, whisk ½ cup (60 g) powdered sugar with 1 tablespoon lemon juice and drizzle over the fully cooled cake.

Make ahead

Bake the cake up to 2 days ahead; the lemon flavor deepens overnight. Wrap tightly once fully cooled.

Storage & reheating

Room temperature: wrapped airtight up to 3 days. Fridge: up to 5 days; bring slices to room temperature or warm 10 seconds in the microwave. Freezer: wrap whole or sliced in plastic then foil for up to 3 months; thaw at room temperature 2 hours, or toast slices.

Substitutions

plain whole-milk yogurt → Greek yogurt thinned with 2 tbsp milk, or sour cream. Use the same weight; the cake will be slightly richer.
neutral vegetable oil → Melted and cooled unsalted butter. Gives a buttery flavor and a slightly firmer crumb.
lemon zest → Orange or lime zest. Use the same amount; orange gives a milder flavor.
all-purpose flour → Gluten-free 1:1 baking flour. Let batter rest 10 minutes before baking; texture will be a bit denser.