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4 Ingredient Lemon Yogurt Cake

This lemon yogurt cake is soft, moist with a light lemon and slightly tangy flavor. The cake needs just 4 ingredients and doesn't require any eggs or butter. The cake takes only a few minutes to prepare and doesn't need a mixer.
Servings: 12 slices
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 35 minutes
Total Time: 40 minutes
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Ingredients

  • 3/4 cup + 2 tbsp (220g) lemon yogurt, see note before starting
  • 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.
  • 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.
  • Transfer the batter into the prepared cake pan and smooth the top. Bake for about 35-40 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) and lemon slices.
  • Cut the cake with a large sharp knife. Store any uneaten cake in an airtight container in the fridge.

Notes

  • Yogurt note: This recipe works with regular yogurt, not Greek or other types of thick yogurt which can affect the batter and make it too thick and the cake dense and dry. You want to use yogurt with around 6 grams of protein per 3/4 cup (170g). I used Yoplait lemon yogurt. I did also test this recipe with Noosa Lemon yogurt* because it is a very popular lemon flavored yogurt. Noosa is thicker than regular yogurt and contains slightly more protein than regular yogurt but not as much protein as Greek yogurt. If using Noosa Lemon, you would need to add another 1/4 cup yogurt and 1 more additional tbsp of avocado oil.
  • 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: 145kcal, Carbohydrates: 23g, Protein: 2g, Fat: 5g, Saturated Fat: 1g, Sodium: 186mg, Sugar: 10g, NET CARBS: 23
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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