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This crazy delicious French Grandmother's Lemon Yogurt Cake has a moist, tender crumb, takes minutes to make and has a delightful history!
I made this delicious Lemon Yogurt Cake a few weeks ago and I can't stop thinking about it. The problem is that I'm not in my own kitchen right now and can't make another one for a while...sad!
Greetings from London Paris!
Are you having a hard time keeping up with us? Yes, I'm feeling a bit like that myself!
A few days ago we were in London visiting our daughter and her family. But Scott and I are celebrating our 40th wedding anniversary this year, and we were busy this spring, planning a week together in Paris. We bid adieu to our family in London on Tuesday and headed to France on the Eurostar.
We've been here for two days now, and are having the time of our lives in a delightful little (very little) flat that we rented in the heart of the Paris Latin District.
You're going to laugh when you hear one of the things that I couldn't wait to see when I got to Paris.
These adorable little yogurt jars.
A super charming history
I know, I know, that sounds a bit strange, right? But I read about this wonderful Lemon Yogurt Cake a few weeks before we left for our London/Paris trip. I was so intrigued by its charming history that, not only could I hardly wait to make the cake, I was also dying to see these fun little jars in person.
What's the history of this French Grandmother's Lemon Yogurt Cake? The story's told, that this humble, simple recipe is one that grandmothers (and lots of other people too, I'm quite sure) all over France are renowned for. In French, this cake is called Gâteaux de Mamie, which translated is: Granny Cake. The part of the story I love is the way these French grandmothers measure the cake ingredients - with yogurt jars!
Yogurt in France has been traditionally sold in small, round glass jars (these days you can find it in all kinds of containers; but in the past, it was mostly sold in little jars). The recipe starts out with one jar of yogurt. The rest of the ingredients are measured in that same jar: two jars of sugar, 3 jars of flour, one jar of oil...
Don't worry though, you don't need to have French yogurt available to make the cake. It turns out that each jar holds one-half cup (120 milliliters), so it's easy to translate the recipe into more classic cooking measurements.
I tried out the cake before we left on our trip and it truly is fantastic! Definitely a keeper recipe! The cake is super moist and a simple lemon syrup that's brushed on while still warm yields an amazingly delicious, crisp, citrus glazed crust. It doesn't really need any embellishment, but a dusting of powdered sugar is a lovely finishing touch.
And it's one of the easiest cakes I've ever made! How easy? Check out the video below and you'll see for yourself!
Score!
The first day Scott and I were in Paris, we stopped at a small grocery store near our little apartment. The dairy case was the first place I checked and, sure enough, there were the famous little jars used to make the lemon yogurt cake. I served the yogurt the next morning for breakfast and discovered that, not only are the jars quite charming (I'm taking a bunch of them home!), the yogurt is smooth, creamy and incredibly delicious; definitely a win-win-win!
So there you have it, French Grandmother's Lemon Yogurt Cake. I love the name, especially when you know the story behind it. Whatever you decide to call it, make it! I know you're going to love it!
Café Tips for making this Lemon Yogurt Cake
- I often use Greek yogurt for this cake but you can also use regular yogurt. In fact, in a pinch, you could also use buttermilk or sour cream. They'll all work! (You just might need to give the cake a new name if you're not using yogurt.)
- I'm a big fan of butter in cake recipes. This cake calls for oil (no butter) and I was a bit skeptical until I actually tasted the cake. Don't be tempted to substitute butter as the oil keeps the cake light yet moist at the same time. And the flavor is wonderful!
- Any type of neutral-flavored oil works well in this recipe. I have made it with sunflower oil, grapeseed oil, canola oil and avocado oil. They all work well.
- This recipe calls for lemon zest and lemon juice. Always zest your fruit before squeezing for the juice. The best way to zest a citrus fruit is with one of these microplane zesters. They're not expensive and can be used for many years before having to replace.
P.S. Wondering what our tiny, but charming Paris abode looks like? We'll be sharing a post tomorrow titled "Our Little Paris (very little) Apartment" with lots of pictures.
- ½ cup plain yogurt or Greek yogurt
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 3 large eggs
- 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- grated lemon zest from 1 medium-size lemon
- ½ cup sunflower grape seed or canola oil
- ¼ cup fresh lemon juice
- ¾ cup of powdered sugar
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Preheat the oven to 350˚F (175˚C). Spray an 8-inch round cake pan with baking spray, rub inside surface of pan with a paper towel to cover evenly with the spray. Line bottom of pan with parchment paper and spray parchment paper lightly. Set aside.
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In a large bowl, combine the yogurt, sugar, and eggs - stirring until well blended.
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Add the flour, baking powder, salt and zest, mixing to just combine.
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Add the oil and stir well. Don’t worry, at first it will seem to separate, but keep stirring till smooth.
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Pour the batter into prepared pan.
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Bake for 30-40 minutes or until the cake feels springy to the touch and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean (every oven is different, so check with the toothpick test rather than the time). Be careful not to overbake though.
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Cool cake on a wire rack for 10 minutes; then turn it out of the pan onto the rack.
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Combine the lemon juice and powdered sugar in a small bowl and stir until smooth. With a pastry brush, gently pat the glaze all over the cake. Just keep going over the cake till the glaze is gone. Some of it will drip off, but most of it will soak in. Allow cake to cool completely. Sprinkle with powdered sugar if desired and serve.
Adapted by Chris Scheuer from Orangette.
Susan says
What a happy little cake! Absolutely wonderful I didn't do the best getting it out of the pan. That just means I have to practice on a few more of them. I'm dreaming of filling the next one with your Impossible Lemon curd, which should be 10 stars by my accounting method.
Chris Scheuer says
So glad you enjoyed it, Susan!
Rondi says
Quick, easy and delicious! I made it for after dinner tonight, hoping I would have enough for breakfasts this weekend but everyone loved it so much, I will have to make another for breakfast!
Chris Scheuer says
Awesome! Thanks for letting us know, Rondi!
Martha Collins says
You have saved my reputation. In the past any thing I've made with lemon has been inedible, usually much too tart. This recipe is perfect. My medium lemon yielded the right amount of zest and exactly 1/4th cup of juice. The result was light, fluffy and just lemony enough. My husband said it was one of the best I've made. Thank you , Chris.
Chris Scheuer says
That's awesome, Martha! Thanks for letting us know!
Emily Segal says
I adore this recipe!!!! I have made it so many times - and it is scrumptious! Do you think it could be frozen?
Chris Scheuer says
I'm so glad, Emily! Yes, you can freeze this.
tj says
can i use date sugar instead or normal in the cake
Chris Scheuer says
Hi TJ, I haven't tried baking with date sugar, so I can't say for sure.
Valérie says
Bonjour ! I'm French and my mamie and my maman used to make that cake very often. Because it was so easy to make, they would give it us for our "goûter", wrapped in tinfoil and we would bring it at school. They would use differenr flavours (lemon, vanilla, orange... or even bits of apples, pears. ) I make it myself, and my daughter has the recipe (she lives in England ! She might spread it around !)
Chris Scheuer says
I love that, Valérie! Thanks for sharing your story 💕
Tammy says
This recipe looks delicious and I can't wait to try it!! My husband has to limit his fat intake but loves lemon flavored anything. I wondered if I could substitute applesauce for the oil in the recipe like I have in other baked goods? Will this change the teture?
Chris Scheuer says
Hi Tammy, I haven't tested this recipe with applesauce so I really can't say. I would think that the texture would be different. It might be better to go with a recipe that's been tested with applesauce.
Jenna Harris says
Hello! I love this recipe so much! I was wondering if it was possible to use oranges instead of lemon and get the same effect?
Chris Scheuer says
It's delicious with orange: https://thecafesucrefarine.com/ridiculously-easy-orange-olive-oil-cake/
The olive oil is also delicious although you could use a mild-flavored oil too.
Alicia says
Omg I just made this and it’s one of the best cakes I’ve ever had. It’s so moist and lemony! I ate it for breakfast lol
Chris Scheuer says
Yay! I'm so glad, Alicia!
Nari says
Hi, I'm wondering if I could omit sugar because I'm using Greek Honey Yogurt which already is sweet. Any suggestion on how much sugar to add if using flavored yogurt? Thank you!
Chris Scheuer says
Hi Nari, I can't say for sure because I have not tested this recipe with sweetened yogurt.
Kelsey says
Hi Nari,
I would try using about 150g sugar if you are using honey yogurt.
The yogurt in this recipe calls for 1/2 cup which is about 125g of yogurt. The sugar within your yogurt would make up about a quater of this.
1 cup sugar equals 200g and so subtracting about 50 g of sugar from the recipe to make up for the sweet yogurt should be fine.
Chris Scheuer says
Thanks, Kelsey!
Justine says
Curious if anyones tried this recipe baked in a Bundt cake pan? Any recommendations?
Rose says
Hi Justine, I just made this in a Bundt pan (which I wouldn’t have thought of until I read your comment - so thanks!) and it came out beautifully. In my oven, 30 minutes at 350 and the cake was done. I haven’t tried the cake yet, it’s still cooling, but it looks delish, and based on chris’ other recipes I’m sure it’ll be amazing. Good luck!
Rose says
Oh wow. This must be what a lemon cloud tastes like. What a delicious cake!! Couldn’t wait any longer and tried a little slice while still a bit warm. I think it’s the first time I’ve actually rolled my eyes in that “omg, this is soooo good” way! Did not use full amount of icing sugar for the glaze, used maybe 1/3 cup and with the lemon juice, it was perfect and more than enough to go over the cake a few times. Thanks so much Chris. A definite make again and again recipe.
Chris Scheuer says
Thanks for sharing your results, Rose!
Caro says
Hey!! Thanks a lot ! Absolutely delicious 👍❤️And easy to make for a beginner 👍highly recommended
Chris Scheuer says
I'm so glad, Caro! Thanks for sharing your results!
Danielle Kurtin says
When I bake for myself, I bake with wild abandon- but when I bake for others, I dread not knowing how the texture and taste will be before I give it to/serve it for them. Yet with this recipe, I never have to worry. It's bright, tangy, moist, and super-lemony every time, and any stress of cooking for others is gone. I add a lot of lemon juice and a lot more zest to the recipe, and cut back on the oil to keep a good liquids:solids ratio. Sometimes I make candied lemons to put on top, which adds to the aesthetic and lemonyness 🙂 Thank you for such a wonderful recipe- I'm making it again today, and I'm looking forward to eating it tonight!
Chris Scheuer says
Awesome! I'm so glad to hear that, Denielle! I'm sure your candied lemons are a wonderful touch.
Bee says
Hi, would it taste weird if I used olive oil instead of canola oil? I have never used canola oil for baking so worried it might not be good? Your thoughts?
Chris Scheuer says
Hi Bee, good question! Olive oil has a pretty strong flavor whereas canola oil is very mild and neutral-flavored. You can definitely use olive oil but the cake will be heavier and the lemon flavor won't "shine" as much. You could also use another neutral-flavored oil, such as sunflower, safflower, avocado or grape seed oils.These are all oils that will make the cake moist but won't take over in the flavor category.
Katy says
Hi Chris, I'm wondering if there is a reason that the oil is added at the end - rather than mixing it with the wet ingredients? By mixing it after the dry ingredients, some of the leavening from the bkg pwdr will be negated - at least that is what my Home Ec teacher taught me (way back in the Dark Ages). Thanks.
Chris Scheuer says
Hi Katy, that's a great question. But to get the answer, we might have to ask one of those French grandmothers! That's the way the original recipe was written when I got it. Actually, I've done it both ways since I first published the recipe and it works either way.
Steph Chee says
It was a thumbs up all round from the family. Love it! I only tweaked the sugar, reduced half cup. It's so moist, quick o put together the an amateur cook, definitely a keeper!
Chris Scheuer says
Awesome! Thanks for letting us know, Steph!
Fahdia Cason says
Hi please can you tell me if I can double the recipe
Chris Scheuer says
Yes, you can do that, Fahdia.
Diana Lee says
Dear Chris, I have just tried out the receipe , i am using a 9.5 inches tray because i do not have a 8 inches tray. The taste is good BUT the texture of the whole outer skin is a bit hard, inside the cake texture is moist BUT not as moist as assumed. I have used 175 degree C to bake for 32 mins, the colour appearance is good . Please guide me the whole cake texture baked by you? Wait to hear from you ! Thanks Diana Lee
Chris Scheuer says
Hello Diane, I'm sorry you had a little trouble with this cake. Every oven is a little different. If you are using convection, you might want to lower the temperature to 163 or bake for less time. That would solve the problem of the outer skin being hard which would be caused by too much heat or too long in the oven.
The other variable is your pan. If you're using a larger pan (9 inches or more), the cake will not be as moist inside as it will be a thinner layer. You may want to increase the proportion of ingredients by one-half to accommodate your larger pan.
Hope that helps!
Diana Lee says
Hi Chris, many thanks for your response, i am using Bosch Brand Oven, the texture of the cake should be tender and moist ? you suggest i should lower down the degree to 163 degree and timing i can see to remain at 30 minutes to see the result. I will keep you posted on my next try. Thanks
Chris Scheuer says
Hi Diana, yes, the texture should be really moist and tender.
Lou says
Hi Chris,
Just made this.
Again your recipes are the best!
Thank you for all your posts.
Lou
Chris Scheuer says
Thanks so much, Lou!
Maryam says
Hi! I was wondering if I could leave out the lemon? Would the texture be okay? Also would a 7inch tin be too small? mine does have quite high sides but do you think it will cook fine in that size tin. Thank you, Maryam
Chris Scheuer says
Hi Maryam, you could definitely leave out the lemon. You might want to add a little extra vanilla and/or a few drops of almond extract if you like those flavors.
SC says
Made this last night and it was fabulous! Hardly see any recipes that don't use butter, using oil is so underrated and lets the real flavour of the cake shine.
Chris Scheuer says
Thanks so much, SC!
B says
can i use low fat yogurt? for some reason that's all the grocery store had 🙄
Chris Scheuer says
Hi B, yes, that will work!
Denise says
Just LOVE the labels. Would you please consider one for Mamie cake? Also, any idea how to package for gift-giving? Merci beaucoup!
We cannot stop making this, nor the almond clouds, nor the sweet basil dressing with basil from the patio! It's insane!
Chris Scheuer says
Thank you, Denise! I will definitely consider that, great idea! I bet these bags (https://amzn.to/2W3Y8gF) would work well for gifting, maybe with a piece of cardboard under the cake to stabilize it.
So happy you've enjoyed our recipes 🥰
Gail Locke says
I only had paper baking pans, not deep enough for the cake so I divided it between two pans. Cooked for 25 minutes at temperature, cooled and glazed them, then wrapped them well and put them in the freezer for an upcoming party. I am wondering if I should put a little more glaze on the cakes before I serve them. BTW, I have made these 3 times and they've cemented my cooking chops with the neighbors. What a classic and delicious cake. I plan to serve little pieces of cake, threaded on a skewer with blueberries and peaches and topped with a dab of whipped cream to make a faux blueberry, peach shortcake.
Chris Scheuer says
Thanks, Gail! I'm so glad you are enjoying this recipe. You could add more glaze if you wanted. And your skewers sound delicious!
Dee Dee Beard says
Just made this cake this evening and my husband and I love it! I, too, was a little apprehensive about using oil instead of butter, but totally agree with you. I think the use of the oil lets the lemon flavor shine-- otherwise the butter would compete with it. Truly a nice light and delicious cake with a glaze that takes it over the top. A bonus: It takes no time to put together. Thank you!!
Chris Scheuer says
Awesome! Thanks so much for letting us know, Dee Dee!
Stephanie Glennie says
I tried it out on my book club ladies today and they all loved it and want the recipe. Very easy to make gluten and dairy free and we are harvesting fresh lemons in NZ at the moment so even better. I doubled the lemon zest and it was divine.. Will be a favourite of mine. It also freezes well.
Chris Scheuer says
I'm so glad to hear that, Stephanie! Thanks for sharing your results.
Tee says
Just wondering if you can freeze? Thanks
Maureen says
Hi, would 1/2 cup of yoghurt be closer to 120 grams of yogurt not 100 grams?
Chris Scheuer says
Hi Maureen, I have a Metric converter in my recipe plugin. I checked it again and it says 100g but when I google "how many g in a half cup of yogurt, it comes closer to 120g in numerous conversion sites. So I have corrected that in the recipe.Thanks for taking the time to write.
Chris Scheuer says
Yes, you can, Tee!