Lemon Yogurt Cake

Updated: Apr 2, 2025 by christina.marsigliese · 61 Comments

My super easy Lemon Yogurt Cake is so soft and moist with bright lemon flavor and a tart and sweet lemon yogurt glaze. It is simple to make with basic ingredients and it all comes together in one bowl with a whisk and a spatula. You can have this cake ready in less than 30 minutes without any specialty ingredients, special equipment or skilled technique, so it is a great recipe to have for when you have guests coming on short notice. I don't know anyone who doesn't like lemon-flavored desserts, so this is sure to please! If you love baking with lemon, check out my popular Lemon Curd Crumb Cake and my Lemon Sugar Cookies.

lemon yogurt cake on cooling rack with slice cut out

WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS

Moist lemon cake - this cake is so moist and it will stay moist for days even when refrigerated (not that you will need it to store it for very long).
Soft yogurt cake - yogurt and oil creates a very soft texture that makes this cake so easy to eat.
Not too sweet - lemon juice and plain yogurt adds tanginess so that this cake isn't too sweet.
Lemon yogurt glaze - the cooled cake is finished with a simple lemon glaze made with yogurt and that's all it needs! It is so moist that it doesn't need any fancy frosting.

whole glazed lemon yogurt cake on cooling rack

INGREDIENTS FOR LEMON YOGURT CAKE

Here are some notes about the ingredients. For a full list of ingredients, check out the recipe card at the bottom of the page.

All purpose flour - you do not need specialty cake flour to make wonderful cakes. Just be sure to measure your flour correctly. Adding too much flour is the most common mistake and leads to tough and dry cake. The most accurate way to measure flour is using a scale. If you don't have one then fluff your flour with a spoon, sprinkle it into your measuring cup, and use a knife to level it off.
Granulated sugar - simple fine white granulated sugar keeps the flavor clean so the lemon shines.
Pure vanilla extract - I like this Madagascar Bourbon Vanilla extract.
Oil - although butter is delicious, oil makes very soft cakes. Since there is so much lemon flavor, oil is a great option here and it incorporates easily to make a smooth batter. Oil is liquid at room temperature while butter has more solid fats. That means if I were to use all butter, the cupcakes would have a firmer texture. Oil will help bring down the fat melting profile so that the cake layers stay soft. You can use any neutral oil like sunflower oil or canola oil.
Egg - one whole egg will provide structure, lift and of course flavor to this cake. The egg yolk with the lemon zest create the natural yellow color of the crumb.
Milk - you can use whole milk at 3.25% or 2% milk. I would avoid anything with less fat content than that (i.e. avoid skim milk).
Yogurt - it pairs so well with lemon and adds rich dairy notes, body and tanginess. I use plain full fat Balkan-style yogurt with 6% milk fat.
Lemon juice - there's lemon juice in the cake batter and the icing.
Lemon zest - this is where most of the lemon flavor comes from. Use as much as you want if you want even more lemon flavor.

lemon yogurt cake sliced on cooling rack side view

STEP BY STEP INSTRUCTIONS FOR LEMON YOGURT CAKE

STEP 1). Combine dry ingredients. Place sugar in a large bowl. Add lemon zest and rub it between your fingers until very fragrant and pale yellow-colored. This will extract all of the delicious lemon oils to flavor the cake. Add flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt to the lemon sugar and whisk until evenly blended.
STEP 2). Combine wet ingredients. Combine oil, egg, yogurt, milk, lemon juice and vanilla extract in a medium bowl and whisk until completely smooth.
STEP 3). Combine wet and dry ingredients. Pour the wet ingredients into the bowl with dry ingredients and gently fold it all together being sure to get down to the bottom and bring up any dry pockets. Stop right when the batter is fully combined and be careful not to over mix.
STEP 4). Bake. Spread batter evenly into the prepared pan using a small offset spatula and bake for 25-30 minutes until lightly golden and a skewer inserted into the center comes out clean. Let cool for 20 minutes in the pan and then transfer cake to a cooling rack.
STEP 5). Make the glaze. Combine powdered sugar, yogurt and lemon juice in a medium bowl and whisk until completely smooth. Place the cake on a wire rack and set the rack over parchment-lined tray. Pour the glaze over the cake letting it drip over the edges. Scrape up the glaze that drips off the cake onto the parchment and spoon it back over the cake. If you want, you can also add more powdered sugar to make a thicker icing, but I like this donut-glazed effect. Grate some more lemon zest over top while the icing is wet and serve immediately or store covered to serve later.

lemon yogurt cake sliced on cooling rack

EXPERT BAKING TIPS

Do not over-bake. The cake is ready when it springs back when pressed gently and a skewer comes out clean. It will not get very brown on the top, just lightly golden so don't wait for browning.
Use fresh oil. Rancid oil can ruin a cake, so ensure your oil is fresh and store it in a cool, dark and dry place.
Have eggs at room temperature. Take your eggs out of the fridge 2 hours before baking, or place them in a bowl of warm water for 15 minutes.
Sift the dry ingredients. This is a simple recipe that doesn't require a mixer, so to ensure you get a smooth batter that is homogeneous, it is important to sift the flour. This will help it incorporate evenly.

sliced glazed lemon yogurt cake on cooling rack top view

RECIPE FAQ

What type of oil is best for cake?

Firstly - use a fresh oil! Do not use anything that's been opened for a long time and when you store oil, it should be in a cool dark place. Light and heat accelerate oxidation reactions that can make the flavor turn rancid. My oil of choice for baking is sunflower oil for its clean and neutral taste, but any other oil such as canola or safflower will do.

How do I know when my cake is finished baking?

Once the center is springy and a toothpick comes out clean then the cake is ready. It will not get very brown, just lightly golden around the edges.

What is the secret to super moist cake and how do I make my cake more moist?

It's not more fat! Moisture comes from liquid, not fat. So you can add more butter and more oil, but it will really just make the cake more dense and more tender by shortening the texture. Fat will not make a cake moist as only liquids can add moisture. This cake is moist because of the amount of liquid.

How do you add moisture to cake?

A bit of oil makes the texture very soft and in turn gives the perception of "moistness". That's because oil is made up of mostly unsaturated fats that are liquid at room temperature. Butter contains more saturated fats that are solid at room temperature, therefore the texture of a butter cake will be more crumbly and firm.

Can I make the lemon yogurt cake in advance?

Yes, you can make this cake a day ahead and keep it covered in an airtight container until ready to serve. Add the glaze the day you plan to serve it.

slice of lemon yogurt cake on cooling rack side view

STORING AND FREEZING

How do I store Lemon Yogurt Cake?

This cake can be stored at room temperature in an airtight container for 2 days, then it should be stored in the refrigerator after that.

Can I freeze Lemon Yogurt Cake?

You can wrap and freeze the unglazed cake for up to three months. Wrap it in plastic wrap and place in a resealable freezer bag for storage.

Looking for other recipes with lemon? Try these:

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