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Chocolate & Zucchini

October 12, 2005

Gâteau au Yaourt

Gâteau au Yaourt

[Yogurt Cake]

As I've mentioned before, Maxence is a big advocate of the adage "if it ain't broke don't fix it". In other words, when a classic recipe is fabulous, don't meddle with it, and just do what you're told. Obviously I have trouble following that piece of advice, and more often than not I'll surrender to the urge and tweak a little something here and a little something there -- substitution is my middle name.

But Maxence had been craving the glorious simplicity of a Gâteau au Yaourt for a while (his grandmother's gâteau au yaourt to be specific), and on Sunday afternoon he decided to bake one for us. Gâteau au yaourt, as its name implies, is a cake which calls for yogurt: very easy to make and even easier to love, it is often the first cake that French kids learn how to bake.

It is a fluffy, cloud-like and moist affair, not too sweet, and just perfect for any time of day -- breakfast, dessert, afternoon snack, any time at all, trust me. It is particularly tasty fresh out of the oven when it is warm and crusty (do let it cool for about half an hour), but it will keep delightfully well wrapped in foil for a few days, as the flavors develop and the top crust softens and turns a little melty on your tongue.

And well, I have to admit, however much I liked the raspberry almond variation I made a year ago, this is definitely a cake that's worth eating in its most innocent version. Oh, I'm not saying I won't keep building on it and using it as a base recipe for other cakes -- that's just who I am -- but I will keep pressing Maxence for him to bake me more of this one!

Gâteau au Yaourt

- 2 eggs
- 250ml (1 cup) whole milk plain unsweetened yogurt (if you use two 125ml or 4oz tubs, you can use them to measure out the rest of the ingredients)
- 200g (1 cup) sugar (you can use an empty tub of yogurt and measure the equivalent of 2 yogurt tubs if you used the 125ml or 4oz kind)
- 80ml (1/3 cup) vegetable oil (or a bit less than 1 yogurt tub)
- 2 cups all-purpose flour (or 4 yogurt tubs)
- 1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla paste/extract
- 1 tablespoon light rum

Preheat the oven to 180° C (350° F), line the bottom of a round 25-cm (10-inch) cake pan with parchment paper and grease the sides. In a large mixing-bowl, gently combine the yogurt, eggs, sugar, vanilla, oil, and rum. In another bowl, sift together the flour and baking powder. Add the flour mixture into the yogurt mixture, and blend together -- don't overwork the dough. Pour the batter into the prepared cake pan, and bake for 30 to 35 minutes, until the top is golden brown and a cake tester comes out clean. Let stand for ten minutes, and transfer onto a rack to cool.

More Entries Like This One:
~ Blueberry Yogurt Cake
~ Chocolate and Pistachio Surprise Cake
~ Raspberry Yogurt Cake
~ Blueberry Oat Bran Muffins
~ Green Tea and Red Bean (Matcha and Azuki) Cake Roll

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Permalink | Posted by clotilde in Cakes & Desserts - Recipe Inside! - [favorites]
 Comments (112)

the yogurt is missing from the instruction. i suppose it's mixed with first step. why not mix the dry ingredients first? for oil-based cakes, i usually combine the dry ingredients first, then fold in the liquid ingredients a bit(except for the oil) and the oil last, very quickly.

Posted by kayenne on October 12, 2005 10:20 AM

tweak it by using fruit-flavored yogurt! ;P

Posted by kayenne on October 12, 2005 10:21 AM

this cake sounds yummy, would love to try to make it. when do you mix in the yogurt?

Posted by Panda on October 12, 2005 10:25 AM

Oops, thanks for catching this: the yogurt is mixed in at the very first step. Kayenne: I normally mix the dry and wet ingredients separately too, but this is Maxence's grandmother's recipe as she gave it to me and it works fine, so I gave it as is. Feel free to do it your way if you like!

Posted by clotilde on October 12, 2005 10:29 AM
 

Wow, does this look fluffy and delicious. I am going to have to make it this weekend for some out of town guests coming in. I bet it would be delicious with some fresh fruit on the side as well.

Thanks for all the great recipes Clotilde! Do we tell you that enough?

All best,
Maureen in Oakland

Posted by happenstance on October 12, 2005 10:32 AM

forgot to ask, is the yogurt you used unsweeten?

Posted by Panda on October 12, 2005 10:34 AM

Bonjour Clotilde!

Pourrais-tu me renseigner, please? Tu utilises quelle marque de Yaourt? (genre bio, danone normal, yaourt brassé???) et puis, "baking powder", c'est bien de la levure alsacienne en poudre?
Je te remercie d'avance!
Je vais faire le même, avec une petite goutte de fleur d'oranger pour parfumer subtilement...
Merci encore pour ton superbe site!
Charlotte

Posted by charlotte on October 12, 2005 11:30 AM

Panda - Nope! Plain and unsweetened.

Charlotte - Any brand/kind will work, I recommend whole-milk ones (La Laitière and such, but be careful because some of those are 150ml, not 125ml like the recipe calls for). And yes, "baking powder" is the same as "levure chimique" like l'Alsacienne!

Posted by clotilde on October 12, 2005 11:57 AM
 

this certainly sounds like a simple and delightful cake. i also posted about a yoghurt based cake today. i made last month, and then again this week - the cake won me over with its moistness. i will try this recipe soon i think.

as for tweaking with recipes, i too find that my boyfriend prefers to stick to the original. sometimes i find this annoying, especially if this concept is accompanied with a disgruntled look, but most of the time it strikes a perfect balance for us.

thanks for sharing a family recipe :)

Posted by saffron on October 12, 2005 1:14 PM

i came on the site and saw this recipe
then i ran down to the kitchen and made it
its so simple!
in the oven now
it looks yummy!

how would it taste with fruit flavored yogurt?
still as good?

Posted by Fishfishy on October 12, 2005 1:33 PM

The recipe for the yogurt cake sounds so great that I think I'll make it soon. I have a tub of goatmilk yogurt that needs using.

I stumbled upon your blog quite by chance this weekend and have been gulping up the archives in huge heaps. I'm still haunted by the images of that story about the candystore schoolgirl of 50.

Your blog has altered my perception of Paris which I have only seen in two small doses with my fiance and future father in law. And I certainly will think about my trips in France in a different way. After all I do love food adventures even though my North American puritanical background tries to make me pretend food is the devil incarnate.

I'll be haunting the halls of this food blog from now on I'm sure. And hopefully I'll be able to share a thing or two about Canadian westcoast Indian specialities like salmon candy, ooligan grease or seaweed soup with salmon eggs.

Posted by Canuckette on October 12, 2005 4:31 PM

Yogurt Cake is one of my favorite cakes too!
The recipe I make is very similar to yours. I love yogurt and the taste in this cake is very nice!
I am glad you enjoy it too!! Nice looking picture!
And how is everything going with the new book?! Can't wait to see it in the bookstore!
Ana

Posted by Ana Cardia on October 12, 2005 4:48 PM

I confirm what Clothilde wrote; it's the first cake French kids learn how to bake.
I've still got my own recipe, with drawing instead of words! Very cute.
There are several versions of the yogurt cake, and the best of all; all of them give a wonderful result. It is THE cake to bake for those not familiar with cooking.
My own recipe is: (for a big cake!)
4 eggs
3 cups of sugar
6 cups flour
2 yogurts (in UK I used: Actima Bio by Danone, or yogurt unsweetened or yogurt with fruits in it as Shape, Ski etc.)
1 cup of oil (even less....)
11g of baking powder
flavoring can be added: lemon juice, rum, Cointreau....)
Add eggs, sugar, mix, add yogurt, mix, then flour and oil, and that's all.
Can be done with a normal whisk.
Enjoy!

Posted by Sylvie on October 12, 2005 4:51 PM

Looks so Yummy! This is something I've never tried before. I think I must try to make it ! Here is my question. '1 cup' meaning 200ml & '1 TBSP' is 15g in my country. Are these same in France?

Posted by chikap on October 12, 2005 5:14 PM

I love French yoghurt cakes! Raspberries are a wonderful addition, as are ground almonds - as long as the almonds aren't stale (can you tell that happened to me?). Easy, rewarding, and deliciously simple! I usually plate my upside-down with a heavy dusting of icing sugar. Thanks for the new version to try, Clothilde!

Posted by Dawna on October 12, 2005 5:43 PM

What pleasure when someone bakes for the baker! ;> Chapeau, Maxence!

Posted by Rainey on October 12, 2005 5:51 PM

This is one of my favourite cakes ever - I learned to make it while living in France in my teens. It is never fail, and always delicious. But, if I may, I learned that there is no need to "measure" anything in cups. We simply used the "pot" of the yogourt as our guide to keep the ingredients proportional. 2 pots of flour, 1 pot of sugar, 1/2 pot of oil. The you just toss the pot away at the end - it makes fewer things to clean! For a larger (Yankee-sized) pot, I would add an extra egg, but in France, the yogourt pots are always smaller...

Posted by Jessica on October 12, 2005 8:14 PM

i just got a silicone bundt pan and a 6-cup muffin tray for about US$1.50 each. brand new at a "japanese" Php88 store here. gonna try making the yogurt cake using that. hehehe

fishfishy,
i don't see any reason why using a fruit yogurt would waste a good cake. i think it would build upon the flavor. especially if served with a complimentary or contrasting jam or preserve. =D

Posted by kayenne on October 12, 2005 8:15 PM

Sounds wonderful, must give it a try. Even though it means converting from cups etc. into British measurements. I'm sure I'll manage though.

Posted by Ant on October 12, 2005 8:26 PM

Mireille Guiliano, of "French Women Don't Get Fat" fame, was recently featured in New York magazine. Well, a photo of the inside of her fridge was, at least. There were fresh berries and several cups of homemade yogurt. She said that French people snacked on yogurt like Americans do on potato chips!

Posted by D on October 12, 2005 9:26 PM

I love your recipe for the raspberry almond version because I like cake moister and a little heavier than the average white cake, with a coarser crumb. I find that this works best with demerara (light brown) sugar; it gives a richness but does not overwhelm the delicate tang of the yoghurt. My one problem is that when I double the recipe, the centre of my cake never fully cooks before the edges are dried out. Does anyone else experience this, and is there any way to correct it? Thanks.

Posted by Kate on October 12, 2005 10:06 PM

Fishfishy - I've never tried it, but I think a flavored yogurt would work fine (maybe you could remove a bit of the sugar to compensate) -- see, you're tweaking that recipe too! :)

chikap - The cup measurement I'm giving here is the US system: 1 cup equals 250ml, 1 tablespoon is 15ml.

Jessica - Yes, we do use the empty tub to measure out the rest of the ingredients (that's why the recipe is so kid-friendly), but since the size of yogurts varies so greatly nowadays (even in France) and it had brought some confusion when I gave the raspberry yogurt cake recipe last year, I thought it was clearer to give the cup measurement. I've edited the recipe with a note about using the yogurt tubs too, thank you!

Ant - If you use the empty pots of yogurt (and use 125ml yogurts) there is no need to convert! Hope you like it.

Kate - It sounds like the outside of the cake is baking too fast for the inside to catch up. Maybe you could try lowering the temperature a bit and baking the cake for a little while longer?

Posted by clotilde on October 13, 2005 12:42 AM
 

Kate, re the non-cooked middle of the cake ... I grew up using a combustion (read wood) stove and having moved to the 'big city' have had to get used to using gas and electric ovens, so this was a constant problem for me! I couldn't understand why my tried and true recipes that I'd cooked for well over 20 years were constantly having problems! I did use my mum's trick of putting a whopping great blob of whipped cream in the middle to cover up the slight glugginess, but in the end realised that dropping the temperature by 10 - 15 degrees (that's Celsius by the way) makes all the difference ... not a huge amount longer in cooking time but enormous amount of difference to the results!

Posted by Miss Lisa on October 13, 2005 3:40 AM

Oh my! I have just found your site and what a delight! As one who has a passion for food, for cooking and for the sacred space at table I am sure I will be back.

Posted by Stephanie on October 13, 2005 4:48 AM

That's so simple I am laughing at myself for buying it in a refrigerated foil packet yesterday! It's made by Cameo (Dr. Oetker) and you snip it open and pour into the pan. Your recipe wouldn't take much more time than that! Sounds yummy and I'm going to try it. Kim

Posted by Kim H on October 13, 2005 8:57 AM

Hiya! I made this cake tonight and it was tasty indeed ... even had a Frenchman at the table, and he gobbled it up. And he said his kids learned to make it when they were 5 or 6 :)

I shared the cake with all my housemates, and everyone loved it to bits. It seemed like it was only me who could taste something a tiny bit metallic -- I thought perhaps I was tasting the baking powder. I know that we're our own worst critics when it comes to cooking and baking -- or when it comes to anything at all, for that matter -- so I didn't bring it up to my grateful gobblers, wanting to not rain on their happy tummy parade. But have you ever experienced this? Any suggestions?

peace
Lisa

Posted by Lisa on October 13, 2005 9:03 AM

I *planned* to make the Yogurt Cake last night and decided to do Creamed Rice instead. Just like Tuesday, I *planned* to make canele batter, and made the Tarte Tatin! Everytime I pop into the archives I get such fabulous ideas. Thanks!

Posted by Monica on October 13, 2005 4:36 PM

I just posted about making a yogurt cake a few weeks ago, but I flavored mine with saffron and orange rind, and glazed it with a reduction of sweet orange marmalade and Cointreau. Delish!

http://thefabulousfoodie.blogspot.com/2005/09/weekend-roundup-liquid-dinners.html

I love reading your blog, and you have such wonderful pictures!

Posted by Aimee on October 13, 2005 4:40 PM

clotilde,
rum is also missing from the procedure. hehe

i made yogurt cake tonight. well, 2 actually. one plain, the other, i used strawberry flavored yogurt. folks here liked the strawberry one better. i like it. very moist and kinda crumbly. that's how it's supposed to be, right?

Posted by kayenne on October 13, 2005 5:04 PM

What an inspiring recipe! As I am fasting today, I have just made two yogurt cakes: one with coconut (half the sugar, as well) and one with orange juice substituted for the rum and vanilla, plus the zest of the orange, and with mini chocolate chips stirred in at the end.

The coconut cake is on the counter cooling, and the orange/chocolate chip cake is still in the oven. When I break the fast tonight I will taste them!

Posted by Kai Jones on October 13, 2005 9:25 PM

I made this when it was posted earlier, and I have used both whole and non-fat yogurt, the latter being what I routinely buy. Both seem to work just fine for me. Especially if you add fruit, which makes the cake both sweet and moist, the missing fat isn't really noticeable.
-berkeley girl

Posted by berkeley girl on October 14, 2005 4:52 AM

After reading this recipe at work and realizing that I actually had all the ingredients to concoct this, I dreamed about making it all day long. Rushed home after work, baked it, and enjoyed it with a cup of tea. Absolutely delicious and easy for someone who never makes desserts (I'm a soup person myself). Thank you so much!

Posted by Shannon on October 14, 2005 5:08 PM

this recipe looks so yummy, I am going to make it today! I don't usually have rum on hand (vodka and tequila, yes), what could I subsitute for the rum?

BTW, I love your blog. One of my neighbors found it about a year ago and showed me, but I just recently rediscoverd it.

Posted by Jenny on October 15, 2005 5:32 PM

i too love this cake. my grandmother used to make it for me when i was a kid in paris. as a variation she would sometimes split in half horizontally (ie getting a top and bottom layer), spread a thin layer of home made apricot or strawberry jam and then put the two pieces back together again. yummy...

Posted by sandro on October 15, 2005 5:46 PM

Dear Clo
Thanks for the Raspberry version. I'll try it tomorrow with frozen framboises.
Did you ever try any salt version ? 1 tub grated parmesan in place of sugar is a pleasant way to begin. The mix my friends prefer is: one tub polenta, two tubs whole wheat flour, half a tub olive oli, one tub parmesan, half tub ham ( en petits cubes) half tub pistaches + baking powder as usual cooked in muffin moulds. Que le chocolat et les courgettes soient avec toi. Kat

Posted by Kat on October 15, 2005 8:43 PM

I tried this today, actually it is still cooling on my counter, sprinkled with cocoa and powered sugar, just had a slice still warm with raspberries.
The ease of this reminds me of another cake I make, Vegan Orange Cake, from the Joy of Cooking. Not too sweet, a little dusting of powered sugar, better the next day.

Posted by marcie v on October 15, 2005 10:33 PM

I just made this cake and it was great. Didn't have plain yogurt but instead used the vanilla maple yogurt I had. Served it with whipped cream that had a touch of maple syrup in it too.

Turned out well.
Thanks

Posted by stephanie on October 16, 2005 1:36 AM

I've just made this cake tonight - delicious and looks as beautiful as the photo! I've been reading your blog for only a few months but you have a gift for expressing your fascination with food that is simply enchanting! Congratulations and continued success!

Posted by jane on October 16, 2005 6:23 AM

Hi Clotilde,

I was very much drawn to your yogurt cake recipe. This is just the type of simple, vanilla-ish thing I always go for. I made it last week and ate it everyday for breakfast (once with a spoonful of an incredibly bitter orange marmalade I picked up in Salerno last year--actually a very nice match). Also good for bouts of insomnia, along with a little shot of brandy. I didn't have rum so I made it with Calvados. Pretty good, I thought. The cake is very fluffy, strangely like an angelfood (not sure why though with 2 egg yolks).

Thanks for this recipe. I'm be playing with it for a long time.


Erica De Mane
-author of 'The Flavors of Southern Italy'

Posted by Erica De Mane on October 16, 2005 4:47 PM

I made the cake last night and used Triple Sec instead of rum. It came out light and fluffy with lovely crispy edges. A friend tried it and said it reminded her of angel food cake that her grandmother used to make for all her birthdays.

Next time I will teach my 6 year old to make it!

Posted by Jenny on October 16, 2005 5:06 PM

I switched the vanilla and rum for almond flavouring and some Bristol Cream sherry, and it turned out just wonderfully. This is a great recipe, simple, but so tasty!

Posted by Paige on October 16, 2005 9:19 PM

Clotilde,

I made the cake a few days ago, but I substituted sour cream for the yogurt. It was very very good. Also, I made a trifle with the cake for dinner with the in-laws.

Love your site.

Min

Posted by Min on October 17, 2005 4:18 AM

I made this cake tonight and it was delicious. I topped it with warm bon maman cherry preserves. Thank you for this recipe. Can't wait to try the raspberry yogurt cake.

Posted by M on October 17, 2005 10:01 AM

So yummy and so easy to make, I'll definitely make it again, thanks so much!

Posted by Dave on October 18, 2005 10:52 PM

figures toi que je ne fais jamais rien dans ma cuisine et que pour une fois, j'ai cuisiné un gâteau au yaourt samedi.
Ca faisait bien longtemps que cela ne m'était pas arrivé.
Pour te souhaiter aussi un bon anniversaire pour le blog.

Posted by sophie kune on October 19, 2005 3:49 PM

Wow! This was so easy I made two, and took one to work, where it disappeared from the break room in minutes! Good thing I left the other at home, or I'd have never gotten to taste it at all!
Thank you, and thank Maxence and his grandmother!

Posted by linnstar on October 19, 2005 5:53 PM

I just made a variation of this for some friends for brunch today. Instead of raspberries, I added the seeds from 1 medium pomegranate. I spread a thin layer of the batter in a wax-paper-lined loaf pan (so the pomegranate seeds wouldn't burn at the bottom and stick), then mixed the remaining batter with the seeds and poured it in. The pomegranates made nice red speckles in the cake, which was moist and tart bites of pomegranate. Used just shy of a cup of white sugar. Made it in a loaf pan (55 min at 350 degrees).

-berkeley girl

Posted by berkeley girl on October 24, 2005 5:43 AM

I've never made cake from scratch. I made one this weekend with whole wheat flour and skim milk yogurt (I'm on a low-fat high-fiber diet) and it tasted great. Had some for breakfast on Sunday. One of these days I'll do it again with all-purpose flour and whole milk yogurt.

Thanks for the recipe.

Posted by seeker on October 24, 2005 4:00 PM

This has to be my favorite recipe from your website!! Already made twice in a row. First time sticking with the original recipe and second time with almond streusel topping. The cake came out with nice and warm aroma filling in the air. Both got rave reviews. My husband already claimed that it's his favorite cake from me!!

Many thanks.

Posted by Calla on October 31, 2005 1:53 PM

This site is wonderful. I just found three of your recipies and all three of them sound fantastic. In fact, I am jumping in my car to get some ingredients before the grocery closes for the night. Thank you!!!!

Posted by Avrille on November 2, 2005 5:41 AM

This was delicious with Meyer lemon zest and fresh blueberries! Thanks, Clothilde!

Posted by Kaetchen on November 9, 2005 8:51 PM

Clotilde, I had a disasterous effort at making this lovelyh-souding cake! I can't wait to try it when I get it right but I thought it might give you a laugh to read about it: :-)

Posted by Cin on November 14, 2005 1:12 PM

I just made this cake and the house smells wonderful! Very easy to whip together. It had only one minus though, a slightly bitter aftertaste. I was wondering if there was too much baking powder (1 tbsp) in it? I can't think of anything else.

Posted by Rebecca on November 16, 2005 3:31 AM

hello,
i'd seen this recipe on the site a while ago and it's simple and pleasing manner appealed to me. so i finally made it tonight on a whim and it turned out quite nice, i think it would be delicious with a cup of hot chocolate and will try that out tomorrow! the only thing different is that i didn't have any rum on hand, do you think that it changes the taste terribly much?


anyway, delicious and content. i like the idea of it with fruit, how versatile it is!

Posted by gaelyn on November 23, 2005 8:44 AM

This sounds delicious. I will bring it to a Christmas party this afternoon.

By the way, it's so easy to make homemade yogurt - I'm going to use my own to make this cake. I almost never buy yogurt anymore.

I use a gallon of the best organic milk I can find (1 percent, two percent, or whole milk, as you please) and slowly bring it to a boil. Many recipes specifically state one should avoid boiling, but our Albanian violin teacher told me that with American milk, boiling gives the yogurt a lovely texture. It's true; when done, the yogurt slides cleanly off the spoon instead of sticking.

After the milk has boiled (and stir it constantly, so it won't burn), let it cool to the point where it won't burn your finger, but still feels very warm - maybe 105 degrees Farenheit.

I then add about 1/2 cup of starter yogurt, which is at room temperature. I put the top on the pan, wrap a blanket around it and either leave it in a very warm corner, or put it in the oven with the door closed, to keep it away from drafts. I may add a closed jar full of very hot water to the interior of the oven to keep the temperature warm. Just warn your family not to turn the oven on!

Within four to five hours you should have lots of lovely homemade yogurt. I then transfer it to the refrigerator, and let it chill. The weight of the yogurt will actually cause the whey to separate. It's very good for your heart, so you can either stir it in, or use a turkey baster to remove it if you like a thicker yogurt. I save any excess whey and use it when I make treats for my dogs - they love it.

Bon appetit, tout le monde!

Louise

Posted by Louise Denegre on December 4, 2005 2:57 PM

I just finished baking the Greek version, yaourtopita. It is virtually the same except instead of rum add finely grated lemon rind. Then the interesting part is after the cake is out the oven and cooled, prick all over the top of the cake with a fine skewer and pour over a hot lemon syrup. Leave to cool before serving. The syrup is made with lemon juice, sugar and honey. Its lovely, but it is tweaking.

Posted by Claire on December 11, 2005 8:17 PM

My grandmother used to make me make this when I was little, I add in frozen blueberries now, and replace sugar with raw sugar. Also last night I added a drop (a bit too much though) of lemon extract because I was out of rum, but it is still delightful. I find your recipe the most basic / best tasting just like my meme's.

Posted by Tristin on December 20, 2005 6:17 PM

Clotilde,

I just found your website via The Kitchen and made this gateau and your Coquillettes au Comté et Pousses d'Epinard for dinner. I've never cooked French food and I realise that these recipes are like ones I've had at my favorite restaurant in Chicago; simple, elegant. Funny that these are both children's recipes!

I was wondering if you could reccommend a cookbook. I know you're working on your own, but until then do you have any suggestions for a book about simple, fresh, French food?

One other thing, your gateau did come out a bit too brown on the bottom and sides. Next time I'm going to check it at 40 minutes.

Posted by Scazza on January 15, 2006 4:00 AM

I baked this cake yesterday: it was my first try with a yogurt cake, and it was just perfect.
It has a delicate vanilla flavour I find irresistible! I'm looking forward to baking it again... The almond raspberry version seems really appealing, and I happen to have some frozen raspberries in the fridge. :-)

Posted by Miss Piggott on February 6, 2006 9:41 AM

How do Frenchwomen stay so thin, especially when they love cakes? What size portion do you recommend? And what size do you actually eat? I did a little math and decided that 1/16 of this cake is "like" a slice of bread with a tablespoon of jam and 2 teaspoons of butter (which is probably too much butter and jam for one slice of bread). Good eating includes portion control. And having enough guests over when you bake a cake!

Posted by Family Nutritionist on February 9, 2006 7:57 PM

I came here from the brunch thread and thought I would tell you that this yogurt cake is delish if you add a swirl to the cake and particularly good for brunch or breakfast...I make a crumble of brown sugar, butter, cinnamon, or whatevder else I feel like...nuts are great... or oatmeal, of apple filling etc etc...I dump it on the cake and stir it in the batter before I bake or I just leave it crumbled on top..

Posted by RuthieG on February 25, 2006 4:55 PM

I made this cake last night, because my other half had been working very late and I thought I'd treat him to a lovely warm cake when he got home. He loved it! In fact, I think I hear some shuffling in the kitchen at the moment. He's having yet another piece!

I think next time I make it, I might just have to replace some of the sugar with maple to give it a more Canadian flavour! ;)

Posted by Vero on March 11, 2006 11:32 AM

I just made this cake last night, and it was great! Such wonderful flavors that develop. I didn't tinker with the recipe, but I couldn't help serving it with other things... like caramel tangerines and clove ice cream. :)

Posted by Nina on March 22, 2006 2:49 AM

i made this cake one morning, using what i just happened to have in the fridge. i made it using rye flour, as my sister has a wheat allergy, and i put sliced fresh plums in the centre, with a sprinkling of ground almonds. it was very good and wholesome tasting, with just the right tang from the yogurt.

Posted by karyna on March 30, 2006 4:59 PM

Is baking powder same as baking soda? Can I use baking soda for this recipe?

Posted by Panda on April 6, 2006 10:44 AM

Panda - Baking soda is not exactly the same as baking powder (powder is soda with acidic salt added). Baking soda is not often used in French baking (which is why this recipe calls for baking powder, but since the batter is fairly acidic from the yogurt, you should have good success with baking soda (use the same amount).

Posted by clotilde on April 6, 2006 10:55 AM
 

Thanks, it's in the oven as we speak. I tried making the cake last time and failed coz I accidently put only 1/2 the qty of yoghurt in, oops... Besides, I bought some baking powder, just in case...

Posted by Panda on April 6, 2006 12:09 PM

Dear Clotilde,
I made this cake twohours ago.Me and my husband loved yogurt cake a lot...
what a simple recepie and easy made delicious cake!!!!Thanks to you...

Posted by muki on April 7, 2006 8:29 PM

My family and I LOVE IT!!!!!

It contains a UNIQUE & PERFECT flavor... Not rich or heavy, at all.

I gave this recipe to my aunt; She tried it(LOVED IT!), & now she makes about 10 of these for Christmas time, wraps them nicely, and gives them to family and friends.

Chaque fois que nous allons à la maison de ma tante, il y a un gâteau délicieux de yaourt qui nous attend!!

Posted by Juliette on June 11, 2006 8:54 PM

Clotide

One question, the récipe calls really for 1 tablespoon baking powder or is that one teaspoon.

Many thanks

Posted by Jane on August 22, 2006 6:28 PM

after having made this recipe a few times, i figured i should comment and say thank you! my kids (6 and 8) love making it (and eating it) too.
my daughter loves plain cakes, so even when i tweak it, i try to make another plain one. being this easy, we don't mind making more!

Posted by chanie on September 28, 2006 7:13 AM

Using the base receipe I am making this gateau for an healthy morning start. I hope you enjoy the cake.
2 eggs
1 cup of fat free milk plain unsweetened yogurt
1 cup of brown sugar
3 tbs of melted unsalted butter
1 cup of oat-bran flour blend
1 cup of whole weet flour
1 tablespoon of baking powder
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 tablespoon of triple sec
1/2 cup of semiswett chocolate chips
1/2 cup of walnut

You can follow the original receipe just beat the eggs with the brown sugar until nice and fluffy and add the yogurt, the melted butter and the mixed dry ingredient.
You can also spread walnut on top before start baking the cake
Bake for 35-40 min until the cake tester comes out clean.

Looking forward to receive your comment.

Massimo

Posted by Massimo on October 1, 2006 7:26 PM

I baked my cake for 40 minutes and cooled it for 15 minutes in the pan. When I took it out of the pan the cake collapsed in the centre. The outside of the cake was baked but the centre was still wet. I trimmed the baked outside edges and we ate that part which was delicious! Did anyone else have this problem? I would like to try this recipe again.

Posted by Deborah on October 15, 2006 1:17 AM

Hi Clotilde!

I just tried you recipe and the cake turned out oh-so-YUMMY!! Thanks so much for the recipe! Oh and I LOVE your site!!

Cheers! =)

Posted by Beverly on October 17, 2006 4:46 PM

I hit on your blog on Thursday - I forget now what I had been searching for, as I got so caught up in this!

On Saturday I baked the yogurt cake which is almost ridiculously easy to make and delicious. On Sunday I hid the last couple of slices to use as a base for an English trifle, with a bit more rum sloshed over, of course! I can recommend that, too.

Posted by Joan on November 19, 2006 2:05 PM

I have made a cake and it is delicious and only concern I have - how to make a cake without bitter taste of baking powder...

Posted by Natalya on February 7, 2007 2:22 AM

I just made this cake, whilst a nor'easter blows through New England. The warm, vanilla smell permeated our big drafty home and the anticipation of eating was so strong I had to avoid temptation with a wintry walk with my dog. A delicious treat on returning. I ate it simply with a mug of red tea and milk. This gateau is a ray of sunshine; in fact, it resembles very much a golden sun.

Cooking notes: I used whole milk french vanilla yogurt (as it was what I had). I used orange flavored rum (as it was what I had). I used maybe one T. less sugar than the recipe called for, but I don't think that was absolutely necessary. My little cousin has more of a sweet tooth and ate her slice alternating between globs of vanilla frosting and chocolate ganache.

Bon chance, a +tard!

Posted by Courtney on February 14, 2007 11:14 PM

Yum. I've made this twice now, once substituting triple sec for rum and adding the zest of one orange and a pinch of saffron, and once adding zest of one lemon and about a teaspoon full of crushed pink peppercorns. I bake it in a heartshaped pan and sprinkle the top with demerrara sugar, so it sparkles. For the second one, I also sprinkled the top with whole pink peppercorns. They both looked beautiful and tasted delicious. The only thing I would change about the original recipe is I think it needs a pinch of salt.

Posted by bettyrocker on February 23, 2007 10:15 PM

Just made this recipe for the first time and it was delicious. My husband is a big chocolate fan, so I made a sour cream chocolate glaze for the top of the cake. The sour cream gave the chocolate a nice tang, which worked well with the cake. Will definitely make this again.

Posted by Canadian lurker on March 5, 2007 6:31 AM

Hi all,

What would the baking time be if making this recipe as cupcakes instead? (I have a really tiny toaster oven!!)

Many thanks in advance!

Posted by Rach3 on April 5, 2007 12:49 PM

hi there
i have used a similar recipe with allspice and cinnamon - it was delicious.
The the topping was a mixture of butter honey nuts and coconut that is cooked on top of the stove and then poured on after the cake is baked - delicious - does anyone have a recipe.

Posted by sara on April 12, 2007 12:12 PM

Love this. My husband and kids ate half it already-just baked last night! I had it for breakfast with warm blueberries on top. So yummy. I used vanilla yogurt and added a bit of cinnamon and can't wait to try other variations.

Posted by tracy on May 9, 2007 7:08 PM

super! I was just looking for the measurments in english, merci! (je ne savais pas combien mesurait un pot de yaourt

Posted by claire on May 23, 2007 1:31 AM

I just baked this cake and threw in coconut and almond shavings- the light flavor of the cake really takes well to the coconut!

Posted by Christine on July 26, 2007 5:35 PM

I just made your cake and substituted culinary lavender sugar - fantastic! Merci!

Posted by Joan on July 29, 2007 6:17 AM

hi clotilde! everytime i make this cake it turns out wonderfully! thank you for the recipe.

i was thinking about trying a version with fresh strawberries this weekend. do you think it will work? can you make any recommendations?

thanks!

Posted by texas girl on September 7, 2007 4:51 PM

Merci pour cette recette! Ma mere faisait le meme genre de gateau quand j'etais petite. Il me tarde qu'il soit cuit ^-^

Posted by Celia on October 10, 2007 11:57 PM

This is a wonderful cooking blog! A friend told me about this site after she made this cake and bought it over. Simply gorgeous. Is there any way this recipe could be adapted to make a chocolate yoghurt cake?

Posted by nadia on October 21, 2007 9:29 PM

This is a wonderful recipe, thank you for sharing it with us! I've made it several times for goûter and I've gotten a lot of praise for it!

Posted by Sarah on February 8, 2008 1:07 PM

Oh wow, I just happened to come across this page. I wasn't even planning on cooking anything. And hey well it worked out great! Thanks for the recipe.

Posted by Sasha on April 6, 2008 5:09 AM

this is absolutely heavenly for a grey parisian sunday like today!
i cheated and skipped the vanilla and rum, and snuck in a few tablespoonful of clear acacia honey.
beautiful.
thanks!

Posted by miss d on April 6, 2008 6:47 PM

We just made this using home-made goat yogurt and gluten free flour
(Whole Foods brand) - it's perfect! thank you for such a wonderful and easy recipe

Posted by Melissa Blum on April 27, 2008 5:46 AM

I just made this cake with coconut yogurt and reduced the amount of sugar. Yum! One of them I added a swirl of dark chocolate too ... my guests should be impressed! Thank you for the fabulous recipe!

Posted by caradey on June 1, 2008 7:03 PM

Instead of oil, I added 1/3 cup of pureed peaches, and it turned out beautifully. Apple sauce will work too, or any fruit you've got around.

Posted by kml on July 23, 2008 9:32 PM

Hi Clotilde,
thanks for the wonderful recipes. I was just wondering if the oil is really necessary. With the yogurth it should be enough? My mother often replace butter with yogurth, if possible...
C.

Posted by Claudia on July 28, 2008 3:00 PM

Claudia - The small amount of oil in this recipe helps the cake stay moist for a few days. But if the cake is going to be served and eaten entirely the same day, then yes, you can replace the oil with yogurt.

Posted by clotilde on July 28, 2008 3:22 PM
 

Hi Clotilde. I tried to make this last night and the flavor is good but the texture of my cake was more dense/gummy than it should be and it took longer to cook through so the top browned too much. I was hoping you could help me figure out what I did wrong. Here are several possible culprits I've considered:

1) Not sifting the flour.
2) Using a 9 instead of 10 inch pan.
3) Folding in a cup of frozen blueberries. I even tossed them with flour but they all sank to the bottom. Perhaps it would be better to sprinkle them on top next time instead of mixing them in?

Your blog is lovely and I hope I can correct my mistakes and get the proper results next time. Thanks!

Posted by Xiaolu on September 26, 2008 10:30 PM

Xiaolu - I myself never sift the flour, but the key to a light texture is to not overmix the batter: when you add in the flour, you should whisk it in just until no white traces remain -- no more. The batter should still be lumpy when you pour it into the pan.

And if you're sure your oven temp was accurate, then the blueberries likely explain why the cake took longer to bake (higher water content from the fruit). To prevent them from sinking to the bottom, I suggest you pour half of the batter into the pan, add half your berries, top with the rest of the batter, and finish with the berries.

Hope that helps!

Posted by clotilde on October 5, 2008 11:40 AM
 

so often the simplest things are the best. the older i get, the simpler i like things. i often find myself editing down a recipe or a meal to its very best elements. merci beaucoup to the great team of clotilde et maxence for this. i think i will go with a mix of some ripe organic fruits and berries on the side for dessert and then all by itself for snacking...

Posted by gretchen on January 9, 2009 5:54 PM

Wow, a raspberry almond version sounds divine. Lovely post.

Posted by carolina on March 18, 2009 9:01 PM

I make this cake more than any other. Simple and perfect. I use greek yogurt and dark rum. My kids call it Remy cake from Ratatouille.

Posted by Vanessa on March 22, 2009 11:43 PM

Today was my first time making this cake and it was DELICIOUS! I only had fat free plain yogurt, so that's what I used and I thought it tasted just perfect! It's great alone, or with some fresh fruit or tea. The cake did sink a bit in the middle - but that may have been because I used fat free yogurt instead of regular yogurt like the recipe called for. Perfect for family and guests!

Posted by Danielle on March 30, 2009 3:36 AM

I make it all the time too - with all kinds of tweaks. Here's a great recent one with coconut and white chocolate.

Thanks so much for the recipe!

Posted by cara on March 31, 2009 9:05 PM

Lovely recipe! Made it as-is except substituted lemon zest and 2 T. lemon juice for the rum. It did take 40 min to bake though (perhaps because of the extra 1 T. of lemon and had to use a 9-inch round pan). Fabulous cake that everyone enjoyed. Thank you for sharing.

Posted by NYCookingEnthusiast on April 5, 2009 5:22 AM

I baked the Gâteau au Yaourt this morning and served it in the afternoons with marinated strawberries. It was so delicious!
From now on this cake will be one of my favorites. Thank you!

Posted by Chaosqueen on June 20, 2009 7:30 PM

Hi Clotilde,
Thank you so much for this recipe! I recently baked this cake for a friend's bridal shower, and it was a huge hit! (both at the shower and before hand when I baked a practice cake) I made a lemon glaze for the shower cake, and it was just perfect. This cake is so well behaved- it is simple to make and slices beautifully. I am definitely keeping this recipe.

Posted by Mary Kay on September 6, 2009 1:41 AM

Hi Clotilde,
Can the recipe be adapted to bake in a 9X13X2 rectangular pan? Perhaps doubling it would work?

Posted by Ameya on September 15, 2009 9:57 PM

Ameya - To adapt this recipe for a 9-by-13-inch pan, you will need to scale up the recipe by 1.5, starting with 3 eggs, 1 1/2 cups yogurt, 1 1/2 cups sugar, etc.

Posted by clotilde on September 18, 2009 12:43 PM
 

Thanks for a wonderful recipe. I skipped the rum and added lemon zest and chopped lemon verbena. As a fairly novice baker, I think I've finally realized why my cakes have always come out overcooked. If you truly cook it until a tester comes out clean, it is overdone. I've learned that I should take it out when the tester comes out with just a touch of batter, and trust that it won't be raw in the center. Do others agree?

Posted by spoiledonlychild on September 22, 2009 6:15 PM

Do you think I could make these into cupcakes?

Posted by Jessica on October 6, 2009 6:07 PM

Jessica - Yes, definitely, I think this would work as a good cupcake base.

Posted by clotilde on October 7, 2009 11:12 AM
 

I love this cake so much... it's such a simple pleasure. I love it with a bit of lemon too, and I just made one with walnuts that was fantastic too. Subtle, but walnutty. (Pic on my blog) but I think your simple plain yoghurt cake is just the best.

Posted by Victoria on October 18, 2009 5:01 PM
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