This yogurt cake is soft and moist. It only needs 4 ingredients and doesn’t require any eggs or butter. The cake is an easy, one-bowl recipe and you don’t need a mixer to make it.

This yogurt cake is a quick and easy cake to prepare for any event or just for a simple afternoon dessert.

Ingredients

  • Vanilla yogurt
  • Self-rising flour
  • Maple syrup
  • Avocado oil

Vanilla yogurt: This recipe works best with whole milk yogurt which adds more richness and creates a more tender crumb. Make sure to use regular yogurt and not Greek yogurt, which is too thick and contains too much protein.

Self-rising flour: Self-rising flour is a flour blend that already includes a leavening agent and salt. If you don’t have self-rising flour on hand, you can also make a homemade blend using all purpose flour, baking powder and salt.

Maple syrup: The yogurt cake is sweetened with maple syrup and the sugar in vanilla yogurt. I recommend using maple syrup and not honey. Honey adds a strong honey flavor to the cake and will make the cake brown faster in the oven.

Avocado oil: Avocado oil gives this cake a tender, soft crumb. You can substitute with another type of oil, but you want to use a neutral-flavored oil, otherwise, you will taste the oil in the cake.

How to Make Yogurt Cake

  • The yogurt, maple syrup and avocado oil are whisked together until smooth and evenly combined. Add in the flour and fold it in with a spatula just until the flour is incorporated and there are no dry spots in the batter. It is okay if there are some small lumps in your batter.
  • Transfer the batter to your prepared cake pan. Bake the cake for about 40 minutes or until golden brown and set in the center.
  • Allow the cake to cool for about 20-30 minutes before removing it from the pan and placing it onto a wire rack to finish cooling.
  • If desired, you can decorate the cake before serving. This cake is decorated with whipped cream frosting, fresh berries and dusted with a little powdered sugar.

Expert Tips

  • The cake’s sweetness level will vary depending on the vanilla yogurt brand you use. If you prefer a less sweet cake, choose a vanilla yogurt with less sugar added. If you prefer a sweeter cake, choose a vanilla yogurt that is sweeter.
  • We recommend using maple syrup instead of honey. Honey will cause the cake to brown too quickly before it is done cooking.
  • It is best to fold in the flour with a spatula, mixing gently to avoid overworking the batter. If you overmix, the cake will come out dense.


More Yogurt Cake Recipes

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4 Ingredient Yogurt Cake

This 4-Ingredient Yogurt Cake is soft, moist, and incredibly easy to make. Made with vanilla yogurt, maple syrup, avocado oil, and self-rising flour, this simple yogurt cake comes together in minutes with no eggs or butter needed. It’s lightly sweet and perfect for brunch, snacking, afternoon tea or an easy dessert.
Servings: 12 slices
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 40 minutes
Total Time: 50 minutes
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Ingredients

  • 3/4 cup (219g) vanilla whole-milk yogurt
  • 1/2 cup (4 fl oz/118 ml) maple syrup
  • 1/4 cup (2 fl oz/60 ml) avocado oil
  • 1 1/2 cups (190g) self-rising flour, see note before starting

Instructions
 

  • Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease a 7-inch round springform cake pan with non-stick cooking spray. Line the bottom with a parchment round. The sides do not need to be lined, but they should be well greased.
  • In a large bowl, whisk together the yogurt, maple syrup, and avocado oil until smooth and well combined.
  • Add the self-rising flour and fold it in with a spatula just until the flour is incorporated and no dry streaks remain. Be careful not to overmix. It’s okay for there to be some small lumps in the batter (see photo in post for reference).
  • Transfer the batter into the prepared cake pan and smooth the top. Bake for about 40 minutes, or until the cake is golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs. If you apply light pressure to the surface of the cake, it should bounce back.
  • Let the cake cool in the pan for 20-30 minutes before transferring it to a wire rack to cool completely.
  • Once cooled, the cake is ready to serve. You can also decorate the cake before serving. My cake is decorated with whipped cream frosting (recipe in the notes section), fresh berries and a dusting of powdered sugar.
  • Cut the cake with a large sharp knife. Store any uneaten cake in an airtight container in the fridge.

Notes

  • Self-rising flour note. There are 2 main kinds of self-rising flour sold in the US. One that is a lower protein (2 grams per 1/4 cup serving) flour and one that has a regular amount of protein (3 grams per 1/4 cup (30g) serving). The amount of protein affects how much liquid is absorbed. For this recipe, I tested it with Gold Medal self-rising flour* (regular amount of protein). Please use a self-rising flour with a regular amount of protein (3 grams per 1/4 cup), or make your own self-rising flour with the recipe below.
  • *These product links are affiliate links. This means I earn a commission from qualifying purchases.
  • Homemade self-rising flour: Whisk together 2 cups all purpose flour, 1 tbsp baking powder and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Make sure your all purpose flour has a regular amount of protein (3 grams per 1/4 cup). Most brands in the US contain this amount but there are some brands with higher protein (4 grams per 1/4 cup) such as King Arthur Flour and Bob's Red Mill, which will not work well for this recipe. Measure out 1.5 cups for the recipe. 
  • Optional whipped cream frosting:
    • 1 cup heavy cream
    • 2-3 tbsp sugar
    • Add heavy cream and sugar to a mixer and mixer on high speed until soft peaks form. Spread frosting over surface of the cake. 
  • Estimated nutrition does not include optional frosting.
Serving: 1slice, Calories: 147kcal, Carbohydrates: 22g, Protein: 2g, Fat: 6g, Saturated Fat: 1g, Sodium: 184mg, Sugar: 10g, NET CARBS: 22
The nutrition information provided are only estimates based on an online nutritional calculator. This is not a comprehensive list of all the nutrients in the recipe (i.e., does not include vitamins, cholesterol, etc). I am not a certified nutritionist. Please consult a nutritionist or doctor for accurate information and any dietary restrictions and concerns you may have.
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