Why you’ll love it
This is the cake I make when I want something impressive with almost no effort: a tender, moist yogurt loaf with bright lemon, mixed in one bowl, no mixer required. It’s equally at home next to morning coffee, as an afternoon snack, or dressed up with berries and cream for dessert.
Quick facts
- Prep: 15 minutes
- Cook: 50 minutes
- Total: 1 hour 5 minutes
- Servings: 10 slices
Ingredients
For the loaf:
- 1.5 cups (190g) all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
- 1 cup (200g) granulated sugar
- Zest of 2 large lemons
- 3/4 cup (180g) plain whole-milk Greek yogurt
- 1/2 cup (120ml) neutral oil (such as avocado or light olive oil)
- 3 large eggs, at room temperature
- 1/4 cup (60ml) fresh lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
For the glaze:
- 1 cup (120g) powdered sugar
- 2–3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
Instructions
- Heat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease a 9×5-inch loaf pan and line with parchment, leaving overhang for easy lifting.
- Infuse the sugar. In a large bowl, rub the lemon zest into the granulated sugar with your fingers until fragrant and damp — this releases the oils and perfumes the whole cake.
- Mix the batter. Whisk the yogurt, oil, eggs, lemon juice, and vanilla into the sugar until smooth. Sprinkle the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt over the top and fold gently just until combined.
- Bake 45–55 minutes, until deep golden and a toothpick comes out with a few moist crumbs. If browning too fast, tent loosely with foil for the last 15 minutes.
- Cool and glaze. Cool in the pan 15 minutes, then lift out and cool completely. Whisk the powdered sugar with lemon juice (start with 2 tablespoons, add more for a thinner glaze) and drizzle over the cooled loaf.
Tips
- Full-fat yogurt only. It provides the moisture and richness that make this cake tender; low-fat versions bake up drier.
- Room-temperature eggs blend in smoothly — cold eggs can make the batter lumpy. Quick fix: sit them in warm water for 5 minutes.
- Variations: Swap lemon for orange, or fold in 1 cup of fresh blueberries tossed in a spoonful of flour.
- Storage: Keeps 3 days wrapped at room temperature, or freeze (unglazed) up to 2 months.