Greek yogourt cake with lemon
Learn to make this perfect Greek yogourt cake bursting with lemon flavour! The texture and flavour of this snacking cake cannot be beat. Serve it with a simple dusting of icing sugar. This is a perfect cake to serve with afternoon tea, as a sweet breakfast, or dessert after a meal.
If you are looking for a basic, delightful, slightly tangy snacking cake, this is it. Nothing fancy, nothing complicated, and nothing else required.
Why I love this recipe
First off, I have to say that I love that so many of you love this recipe! There has been so much positive feedback about it over on Facebook, Pinterest and Instagram. Thanks for trying the recipe guys!
I personally love this cake because it is simple. You don’t need icing, you don’t need any special techniques or fancy ingredients. This is just a great lemon cake.
I also love that this cake is made with oil instead of butter. One of the most frustrating things about baking a cake with butter is dealing with the butter itself! Making sure that it is at room temperature, or melting it…sometimes that is just too much effort! In this cake though, all I have to do is pour the oil. Done!
Key ingredients
This cake can be made with pretty basic ingredients that you likely already have in your kitchen. Take a look at what you will need:
Flour I almost always use basic all-purpose (sometimes referred to as plain or regular) flour in my baking. This cake is no exception! All purpose flour is easy to find, less expensive than other varieties (usually) and really versatile.
Lemon I always use fresh lemons, and buy organic whenever I can, especially when I will be using both the zest and the juice, the way I do in this recipe.
Yogourt I use plain (unflavoured) Greek yogourt in this cake recipe. I like to use at least 2% milk fat yogourt. Greek yogourt is great because it is thick, and works well to create a lovely texture in this cake.
Sugar The cake is sweetened with granulated white sugar added to the batter.
Eggs I use large eggs in this cake. It is apparently always best to use room temperature eggs when baking (but honestly, I often use them straight from the fridge, and it is fine).
Vegetable oil The fat in this cake comes from vegetable oil. It is light, almost flavourless and gives a great crumb.
Vanilla Like my parents, I usually use vanilla powder in my baking. You can use vanilla extract if you prefer though.
Baking powder This is the leavening agent used in this cake recipe. Basic, easy to find, and very effective.
Salt Always add a bit of salt to your baked goods – it really helps to bring out the flavours.
Icing sugar I like to decorate this cake with a light dusting of icing sugar. This is optional, but it is easy enough and looks pretty, so why not!
How to make it
Even non-bakers will find this recipe easy to follow and with amazing results!
Step 1
Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit, and grease your 10-12 inch bundt pan with vegetable oil.
Step 2
In a medium size bowl, whisk to combine the flour, baking powder and salt. Set it aside.
Step 3
In another medium size bowl, whisk together the yoghurt, lemon juice and lemon zest.
Step 4
In your electric stand mixer (you can also use a hand held mixer) beat the eggs with the sugar for 2-3 minutes. Slowly add in the oil, followed by the vanilla (extract or powder).
Step 5
With your mixer speed on low, carefully add the flour mixture to the mixing bowl containing the eggs and then add the yoghurt mixture. Be careful not to over mix.
Step 6
Pour the batter into your prepared bundt pan, and bake in the middle rack of your oven for 60-65 minutes. Test with a toothpick; if it comes out clean then your cake is ready. If you notice your cake is browning too much on top while baking, cover it loosely with a piece of aluminum foil. Remember, this is a dense but moist cake and will take a full hour to bake.
Step 7
Remove your cake from the oven, and allow the cake to cool in the bundt pan for approximately 10-12 minutes before removing it. Set it to cool on a baking rack.
Step 8
Let cool on a wire rack. Once your cake is completely cooled, dust it with icing sugar. Enjoy!
Recipe substitutions
If you prefer to use olive oil you can use that instead of vegetable oil in the cake batter.
This cake can be made with vanilla extract instead of vanilla powder.
You can use orange zest and orange juice in lieu of the lemon. You can also use lime!
Storing
This cake will keep really well for several days at room temperature. It can also be wrapped well and frozen for up to 6 months. Simply thaw at room temperature to serve and dust with icing sugar at that time if desired.
Baking tips
If you prefer a less dense, but equally delicious cake, you can reduce the amount of all-purpose flour to 2 1/2 cups or 375 grams.
All ingredients should be at room temperature before you start preparing your batter. Eggs and yogourt should sit outside of the refrigerator for approximately 1 hour before starting to bake. This ensures a smooth batter, and will create a fluffier cake.
It’s always nerve-wracking exciting to allow a bundt cake to cool and to then flip the pan over and see a thing of beauty emerge. That is, if the cake comes out in one piece. No matter how delicious your cake has the potential to be, if you don’t grease your pan thoroughly and carefully, you could wind up with a bit of a disaster. Don’t believe us? You should, we speak from experience.
The year was 1994. It was winter, and like most Montreal winter days back then, there was plenty of snow, and the air was crisp and frigid. It was Saturday evening and I was getting ready to go out with friends for a night that would start on Crescent Street and likely end up on St. Laurent. Unknown to me, Helen had decided that for her, that Saturday evening would be one of domesticity. Having recently delivered her own little bun, a gorgeous, joyful little girl, Helen now had a bundt cake in the oven.
At approximately 9:30 pm, my doorbell rang. Odd. I was meeting my friends downtown and not expecting company. I opened the door curiously, and came face to face with my dear, terror-stricken brother-in-law, holding my adorably oblivious niece. The conversation went something like this:
Billie: What are you doing here? I’m going out.
Brother-in-law: Can we come in?
Billie: I’m going out…and where’s Helen?
Brother-in-law: She baked a cake.
Billie: Oh….(suddenly having visions of previous baking fails at the hands of her dear sister) ….Oh….
Brother-in-law: So, can we come in?
Billie: But what actually happened?
Brother-in-law: I’m not sure. She baked a cake. Then I heard a lot of banging. And I’m not sure, but I think she threw the pan across the kitchen. She didn’t hit anyone, so that was good.
Billie: Ah. Did she use a bundt pan?
Brother-in-law: A what?
Billie: You know, a bundt pan. The circular pan with a hole in the middle.
Brother-in-law: I think so. I saw it in the garbage can, along with the cake.
Billie: Umm… yeah. So, why are you here exactly?
Brother-in-law: I figured she needed some alone time. And, I also may have asked her what she did wrong.
The moral of this story? Don’t be like Helen in the 90’s (And most definitely, don’t be like her husband). There is a reliable way to remove a cake from a bundt pan in one piece, and Helen now knows that you need to do the following:
- Grease your pan carefully and thoroughly. I know that many recipes recommend butter, or oil and a light dusting of flour. I tend to use cooking spray, or vegetable oil applied with a paper towel all over the surface, and never dust with flour. For me, this works beautifully all the time.
- Allow your cake to cool, but not too much. Usually, a 10 minute cooling period is just right.
- I like to place a cooling rack over the top of the cake pan and then flip over. I then shake the pan gently back and forth to loosen the cake from the sides of the pan, and then slowly lift the pan off of the cake.
VIDEO: Make Greek yogourt cake with lemon
Recipe variations
If you love the idea of this cake, then I think you will also like to make my Lemon ricotta cake or my Olive oil cake with lemon. Another great lemon cake that I think you would enjoy is my Raspberry lemon jelly roll cake – a perfect summer dessert!
Frequently asked questions
Can I use olive oil instead of vegetable oil in this recipe?
You sure can! The ratio for substituting the vegetable oil with olive oil is 1:1, meaning that you would use the same amount of olive oil as the vegetable oil required. I love baking with olive oil, and in fact, most of my cake recipes use olive oil; it gives a distinct and delicious flavour, and sometimes color to cakes or muffins. In this Greek yogourt cake with lemon however, I opt for the lighter, less pronounced flavour of the vegetable oil. If you’re looking for a citrus flavoured cake which uses olive oil, I have got this one for you: Olive oil cake with lemon.
I have never heard of vanilla powder! Can I use vanilla extract instead?
In my Greek home growing up, the vanilla of choice was always powdered. It was actually years later that I realized that vanilla came in liquid form. I still use vanilla powder in my baking, primarily for nostalgia’s sake, but there are other benefits too. Because of its dry form, you can use powdered vanilla to flavour icing sugar if you want to use that to dust your cake, or doughnuts. You can also use it in dry mixes for muffins or cakes. And, because there is no liquid in it, powdered vanilla can be used to flavour chocolate you are tempering. If you don’t have vanilla powder, or prefer to use the extract, use double the amount of extract than I call for in the powder format.
What if I don’t have a bundt pan? Can I use a different type of baking pan?
Yes! I love using bundt pans because they are so pretty, but I recognize that not everyone has a bundt pan, and not everyone likes using them. There is always a bit of trepidation as you flip the pan over, hoping that your cake comes out unscathed. You can usually always swap out the cake pan suggested in a recipe, so long as you know the volume of the original pan recommended, and what an equivalent would be. The Joy of Baking website has a great, detailed, table of baking pan comparison. You can consult it here.
Related recipes
Do you want to see more bundt cake recipes? We’ve got these:
Orange and cranberry olive oil cake One of my favourite cakes of all time! I love the sweet and tart combination, and the crumb of this cake is absolutely incredible!
Double chocolate zucchini cake You will not believe how much zucchini is in this cake! You can’t taste it, but the cake is so moist!
Marble cake A Greek classic! This was a popular cake during my childhood, and my parents would make in on birthdays and other special occasions. It is so good!
Lemon and blueberry olive oil cake A citrusy and berry filled cake that will delight everyone with how pretty it is, and how delicious it is!
Pin this recipe if you like it!
Helpful baking supplies
Although not absolutely essential, I really find that these items make baking this easy cake, even easier! This is basic stuff guys, and supplies you can use with many recipe!
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Greek yoghurt cake with lemon
Equipment
- Bundt cake pan
Ingredients
- 3 cups all purpose flour see Recipe Note
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 ½ cups Greek yoghurt, plain (we use 2%)
- 1/3 cup fresh lemon juice or 80 ml
- 1 tablespoon lemon zest, packed
- 3 large eggs
- 1 ½ cups sugar
- 3/4 cup vegetable oil
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract or 1/2 teaspoon vanilla powder
- icing sugar to be used for dusting cake optional
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit, and grease your 10-12 inch bundt pan with vegetable oil.
- In a medium size bowl, whisk to combine the flour, baking powder and salt. Set it aside.3 cups all purpose flour, 2 teaspoons baking powder, 1/2 teaspoon salt
- In another medium size bowl, whisk together the yoghurt, lemon juice and lemon zest.1 ½ cups Greek yoghurt, plain, 1/3 cup fresh lemon juice, 1 tablespoon lemon zest, packed
- In your electric stand mixer (you can also use a hand held mixer) beat the eggs with the sugar for 2-3 minutes. Slowly add in the oil, followed by the vanilla (extract or powder).3 large eggs, 1 ½ cups sugar, 3/4 cup vegetable oil, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- With your mixer speed on low, carefully add the flour mixture to the mixing bowl containing the eggs and then add the yoghurt mixture. Be careful not to over mix.
- Pour the batter into your prepared bundt pan, and bake in the middle rack of your oven for 60-65 minutes. Test with a toothpick; if it comes out clean then your cake is ready. If you notice your cake is browning too much on top while baking, cover it loosely with a piece of aluminum foil. Remember, this is a dense but moist cake and will take a full hour to bake.
- Remove your cake from the oven, and allow the cake to cool in the bundt pan for approximately 10-12 minutes before removing it. Set it to cool on a baking rack.
- Let cool on a wire rack. Once your cake is completely cooled, dust it with icing sugar. Enjoy!
I asked my husband what kind of cake he wanted for his birthday and he said, “You know that Greek cake that is round and has a hole in the middle? It tastes like lemon and has sugar on top?” No, I had no idea so I came here to look and it was the latest recipe! Thank you!
That’s amazing Nikolia!!! We’re so happy that you came to look, and you found our cake. We hope that your husband loved it, and happy birthday to him!! One of us celebrated a birthday on the 14th 🙂 June is a great birthday month!
What are the nutritional statistics for the Greek lemon yoghurt cake?
Sorry Diane, we don’t have nutritional stats for our recipes. It’s cake, so it’s not the healthiest thing you can eat, but once in while, it’s great 🙂
Poli orea!!! Love!!! 💘 Such a simple and delicate balance of flavours. Very moist cake!!! Made for the first time and turned out great! Efharisto!!!
Bravo!! We are so happy to hear that! Thanks for letting us know and we are so glad that you enjoyed the cake 🙂
Can I sub sour cream for Greek yogurt? Same amount?
Hi Jill! That should work just fine, and yes – same amount. Happy baking! We hope you love this cake as much as we do 🙂
Sounds delicious. Just what I like – not too sweet or heavy.
Can I substitute Gluten Free Flour?
If so, how much?
Are there any other ingredients to add?
Thank you
Judi🌻
Hi Judi,
We’ve not made this cake with gluten free flour, although we know many who have and they said it was delicious! We suspect that you would use as much gluten free flour as the regular flour we call for. Good luck, and happy baking!
Hi wht s d substitute for eggs m d recipe
We usually use flax – for each egg we mix 1 tablespoon of ground flax seed with 2 1/2 tablespoons of water and mix. Good luck! and hope that helps 🙂
Hi there, your recipe sounds great and I really want to try it. I have a question, can I use sour cream instead of Greek yoghurt? Thank you
Good question Ramona, and thanks! We’ve never tried the cake with sour cream so we can’t be certain…however, there really is no reason why it wouldn’t work. Let us know if you do try it 🙂
Loveleh cake!
Is there a substitute for Greek yogurt?
If I halve the ingredients, do I need to make changes in baking time?
Hi Anahita,
Definitely if you halve the ingredients you will have to adjust the baking time as you will be making a smaller cake. And if you don’t have Greek yogourt, another full fat yogourt would do. Happy baking!
Thanks for the follow and for introducing me to your amazing site!
🙂 Hope you find lots to love here!
Made the Lemon Yogurt cake! Absolutely fabulous!! Thank you for sharing your story and all of the wonderful recipes.
Hi Judy! You are welcome, and thank you so much for trying our recipe, and for letting us know that you enjoyed it 🙂 That makes us really happy!
Thanks for this recipe as I am just starting to get into Greek cooking.
You’re welcome Geri! Hope you love this cake, and also that you find much to be inspired by in our Recipe List. 🙂 Happy to have you here with us!
Is it possible to have the recipes in french please
Bonjour Brun. Malheureusement, pour le moment, nous n’avons pas la capacité de traduire nos recettes et tous les conseils et informations additionnels en français. Peut-être un jour!! Ce serait génial 😉 xoxo Billie et Helen
Just made this cake today, followed the recipe to a T . It’s super moist but way to lemony for my taste buds ( I used fresh lemons )
Thanks for trying our recipe Nellie! So glad that you found it moist. Next time try cutting the lemon rind in half and that should make it more to your liking 🙂 xoxo Helen & Billie
This is a delightfully moist, flavourful, and fluffy cake.
Good Food (Australia) published excerpts from Kathy Tsaples, Sweet Greek: Simple Foods & Sumptuous Feasts: “Greek Easter: Recipes for thiples and lemon-yoghurt cake,” 16 March 2018. I have used her yiaourtopita recipe several times since, and it is always a big hit with family and friends. Clearly, a competitive trial with your recipe was in order.
I’m pleased to say that both recipes produce excellent cakes. Nonetheless, your recipe has some advantages: the use of 3 eggs rather than 6; a simpler methodology not involving separating the eggs and whipping the whites by themselves; and a more pronounced lemon flavour.
So the winner — Mia Kouppa!
Yay!! We love that you enjoyed our cake Charles. So much fun that you did a “competition” between our cake and the one by Sweet Greek (we love her site!). Lots of great cake, that’s the best type of contest 🙂 xoxo Helen & Billie
I was hesitant to write this review since there were positive reviews. But this recipe didn’t work for me. I did NOT do any substitutions and follow the recipe. But the batter was too tick. The cake tasted good but of course the texture was very dense after baking was complete. I think the recipe needed more wet ingredients.
Hi Helen! We’re really glad that you wrote this comment / review; we appreciate feedback. We’re sorry however that you didn’t enjoy the cake as much as you expected to. This isn’t however a problem with the recipe (or your baking of it), it just happens to be a dense cake. If you’re looking for something light and fluffy, this is not the recipe for you. We do however have many desserts available on our website – if you scroll through our Recipe List you will find many cakes which are not dense; our pantespani for example, or our revani and both incredibly light and wonderful. xoxo Helen & Billie
A lovely moist cake…I used light olive oil and fresh lemons from mum’s tree. Very nice (y)
Fresh lemons must take this cake to the next level!! So glad you enjoyed it 🙂 xoxo Helen & Billie
What brand or kind of vegetable oil do you use? I have used Mazola in making quick breads and I don’t like the flavor.
Hi Susan, Sorry for the delayed response. We actually don’t stick to any particular brand. We do use Mazola, but have also used Saporito and even Unico. It is definitely important to find one that you like; in this cake the flavour may not be as pronounced as it would be in your quick breads. Hope that helps, Helen & Billie
I baked the Greek Yoghurt Lemon cake and must say, it is a winner. Can’t stop stealing a piece here and there. It freezes well, too. I must confess, this is the only way to contain myself.
Yay!!! So happy to hear that you loved this cake – it is one of our favourites too 🙂 Love your trick to pace yourself 🙂 xoxo Helen & Billie
Hi quick question can I use orange Juice and orange rind instead of lemon? To make it and orange cake?
Hi Marisa! You bet you can. We actually have a Greek yogourt cake with orange for a loaf pan, so you can either use that recipe, or swap the lemon for the orange in the bundt cake recipe 🙂 Enjoy! xoxo Helen & Billie
Hi Mia Kouppa
Can we substitute APFlour with almond flour…vegetables oil with olive oil and sugar with something else
Thank you kindly
Pam
Hi Pam 🙂 The oils can definitely be substituted. The sugar – for that you can try using a sweetener like monkfruit or Stevia (although we have not given that a try so cannot be sure how this would work). As for the flour, almond flour bakes up differently than regular flour does. You could try it, but we are not sure how that would work out – it would definitely be a different texture than the recipe as it is. Hope that helps, Helen & Billie
Hi could I use olive oil or butter instead of vegetable oil? I avoid seed oils in my cooking.
Yes, you most definitely can. Substitute equal parts – the taste will be different but will still be delicious. Also, we recommend swapping with the olive oil – it will ensure the right consistency and texture. Happy baking, hope you love it! xoxo Helen & Billie