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Lemon Yogurt Cake
This easy Lemon Yogurt Cake is a quick bread made with yogurt (Greek or regular) and lots of fresh lemon zest. It's moist, delicious, and it bakes in under an hour.
Prep Time
10 mins
Cook Time
10 mins
Additional Time
30 mins
Total Time
1 hr 30 mins
Servings: 8 servings
Calories: 470 kcal
Course:
Dessert
Cuisine:
American
Ingredients
For the Cake:
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder (see note 1)
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 cup PLAIN yogurt (regular or Greek, see note 2)
- 4 eggs
- 4 teaspoons lemon zest (see note 3)
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup vegetable oil (see note 4)
For the powdered sugar icing:
- 2 cups powdered sugar
- 1/4 cup lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest (optional)
Instructions
- Move an oven rack to the middle position and preheat oven to 350 degrees. Coat a 9-inch loaf pan with nonstick spray and line with parchment paper.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, whisk together 1 cup sugar, yogurt, eggs, lemon zest, and vanilla. Add the dry ingredients in batches, whisking to incorporate after each addition. Fold in oil and stir carefully until uniformly combined. Pour into prepared pan.
- Bake until a toothpick inserted comes out clean with a few crumbs attached, about 50-60 minutes. The cake should be fragrant and spring back when pressed lightly. Remove from oven and cool in pan 10 minutes.
- Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, stir together powdered sugar, lemon juice, lemon zest (if using) until smooth.
- Using a sharp knife, slice around the inside of the cake pan to loosen the cake. Flip out onto a large plate. Slowly drizzle glaze over the top. Cool cake completely. The glaze will harden in 20 to 30 minutes.
Cup of Yum
Notes
- Baking powder: Instead of yeast, quick breads such as loaf breads, muffins, biscuits, and scones use chemical leavening agents, in this case baking powder (baking soda is another example).
- Yogurt: Use Greek yogurt, regular yogurt, whole milk yogurt, or even French yogurt.
- Lemons: Always zest your lemons before you cut them open to juice. It's much harder to zest half of a lemon!
- Vegetable oil: Avocado oil, rapeseed oil, sunflower oil, or canola oil are all neutral-flavored oils that will work here.
- Yield: 1 loaf cake makes about 8 slices.
- Storage: Store covered at room temperature for up to 4 days.
Nutrition Information
Serving
1 slice
Calories
470kcal
(24%)
Carbohydrates
75g
(25%)
Protein
6g
(12%)
Fat
17g
(26%)
Saturated Fat
12g
(60%)
Trans Fat
1g
Cholesterol
86mg
(29%)
Sodium
225mg
(9%)
Potassium
114mg
(3%)
Fiber
1g
(4%)
Sugar
56g
(112%)
Vitamin A
150IU
(3%)
Vitamin C
5mg
(6%)
Calcium
114mg
(11%)
Iron
2mg
(11%)
Nutrition Facts
Serving: 8servings
Amount Per Serving
Calories 470
% Daily Value*
| Serving | 1 slice | |
| Calories | 470kcal | 24% |
| Carbohydrates | 75g | 25% |
| Protein | 6g | 12% |
| Fat | 17g | 26% |
| Saturated Fat | 12g | 60% |
| Trans Fat | 1g | 50% |
| Cholesterol | 86mg | 29% |
| Sodium | 225mg | 9% |
| Potassium | 114mg | 2% |
| Fiber | 1g | 4% |
| Sugar | 56g | 112% |
| Vitamin A | 150IU | 3% |
| Vitamin C | 5mg | 6% |
| Calcium | 114mg | 11% |
| Iron | 2mg | 11% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.