Is it possible to make super fluffy Yogurt Cake without using flour? Of course you can. I will show you gluten-free healthy cake. This is my version of French Yogurt Cake – better than typical French yogurt cakes. Super fluffy without wheat flour and leavening agents(baking soda or baking powder). Trust me I used to sell this cake!
What is yogurt cake
I had no idea that something called Yogurt cake existed until I lived with a French housemate who taught me that French children are taught to bake Yogurt Cakes. Am I a creative genius or what?! My food blog largely focuses on sustainability, healthy cooking, and wellbeing. I believe that what you consume affects your life. Cakes are delicious, but a notorious killer. But it doesn’t have to be right?
That is why I started to test, create, and sell wholefood-based cakes that minimize or replace sugar, wheat flour, heavy creams, and butter with healthy ingredients or healthier alternatives such as yogurt, legumes, beans, and spices, as well as root vegetables and plenty of wholesome ingredients where possible. It might be hard to imagine if you’re not used to this concept, but I have tested it many times and my clients love them too. I’m going off on a tangent a little here. Back to yogurt cake!
What is yogurt cake? Yogurt cake, or gâteau au yaourt, is a classic French baked good. It is a simple, tangy, and soft cake made of three main ingredients: flour, eggs, and plain or Greek yogurt. There are many different variations of yogurt cakes, but most recipes call for more or a lot of flour than yogurt.
But my version doesn’t include any flour. With only 2 main ingredients you can make a real yogurt cake. It stays true to the name of cake, made mainly with yogurt and egg. Perhaps a tiny bit of corn flour. You can totally opt out corn flour.
Why you will love this recipe
Super-fluffy: Expect this yogurt cake to be super light and fluffy. A typical yogurt cake would be slightly denser or more like sponge cake than my version of yogurt cake. This cake recipe yields a creamier, lighter, and fluffier cheesecake-like texture.
Leavening agents-free & Gluten-free (no wheat flour) : You don’t need any baking powder or baking soda for this recipe. You might wonder how it’s possible to make it fluffy with only yogurt. The secret is an egg white. Keep reading if you want to find out more. Also, it is virtually flourless. I used 1 tablespoon of corn flour (gluten-free), but you can easily leave it out. So basically, you won’t need flour or flour alternatives to make a cake.
Wholesome: Most cakes in the market contain way too much sugar. Many people enjoy the level of sugar in cakes without realizing how much sugar goes into making a cake! This cake requires much less sugar, so you can add a little more, but not too much, please :). I intentionally added a small amount of sugar in the cake batter because the berry compote used as the cake topping will be a little sweet.
Ingredients and Baking Method Explained
Yogurt:
I love yogurt. Not the kind with sweeteners and lots of other undesirable additives, though. I’m talking about plain or Greek yogurt that is naturally fermented and good for your health. I used Greek yogurt in two ways: I incorporated it into the body of the cake and used it as a part of the cake topping. To make the yogurt topping, I strained the yogurt a little to remove some of the whey (the watery part of yogurt) so that it stays firm on top like yogurt cheese. Then I placed berry compote as a nice topping on top of the yogurt spread.
Eggs :
Eggs are a crucial ingredient in non-vegan cakes. In this recipe, I used the egg whites and yolks separately because they serve different purposes. Egg yolks contribute flavor, moisture, and richness to baked goods. On the other hand, egg whites help aerate the batter. When whipped, egg whites incorporate air, increasing their volume by 6-8 times. This aeration acts as a great leavening agent, eliminating the need for additional leavening agents like baking soda or baking powder. So, when you whip egg whites to make meringue, this is how it happens.
Corn Flour (optional):
You can choose to add corn flour depending on the consistency of your cake batter. If your yogurt is watery, you can add a little bit of corn flour to make it firm. Alternatively, you can strain the yogurt to remove some of the whey if you don’t want to use corn flour.
Lemon or orange zest (optional):
The citrus zest adds a zesty and refreshing flavour to the cake. It pairs perfectly with a yogurt cake. For the cake batter, you will only need zest, not juice.
Vanilla Extract:
Vanilla extract is commonly used in cakes to provide aroma and enhance the sweetness of other ingredients.
Berry Compote:
Berry compote is a quick sweet berry sauce that works great as a topping for desserts. It’s made by cooking berries (fresh or frozen), sugar, cinnamon and lemon juice in a pot for around 10 minutes. The goal is to cook it until it becomes syrupy while keeping the shapes of the berries intact. If you cook it for a longer time, the berries will break down and the compote will become more like a jam, losing its firm texture.
Equipment and Tools
- Two large mixing bowls
- Hand mixer or whisk
- Spatula
- Baking tin
- Baking line paper
Storage
Consume this cake ideally within 3 days, especially if you have strong self-control :). Unlike typical yogurt cake recipes that contain more flour than yogurt, this cake will become wetter over time. Freezing the cake is not recommended for the same reason. Trust me, you won’t need to freeze it because this delicious cake will become your go-to post-meal dessert. Not only is it incredibly delicious, but it’s also light and healthy.
Video Short
Ingredients
Cake Batter
- Yogurt 400g
- 5 Eggs (yolks and whites separate)
- Sugar 6 tbs
- Corn flour((optional) 1-2 tbs or more (depending on the texture of your chosen yogurt)
- Lemon or orange zest
- Vanilla extract 1ts
Berry Compote - topping
- Berries (frozen or/and fresh) - any of your chosen berries
- Sugar 2 tbs
- Lemon juice 1 tbs
- Cinnamon powder half teaspoon
Instructions
Step 1 - Preparation (Mise en place)
- Collect all the ingredients for the cake batter and topping as well as the necessary equipment and tools. You can find more details in the blog and ingredients section.
- Separate eggs into whites and yolks
- Strain Plain or Greek Yogurt if it is a bit runny for cake batter. If runny, you may run a risk of wet cake and does not hold the shape well (unless you use corn flour or flour to fix it).
- You may need 3 or 4 tbs strained Greek or plain yogurt (for the cake topping). But it is optional.
- Line the cake tin with baking paper and a little bit of oil.
Step 2 - Make the Yogurt Cake Batter
- Preheat the oven at around 170°C (340°F)
- In a large mixing bowl, whip 5 egg whites with 2 tablespoons of castor sugar until they form medium to stiff peaks using an electric mixer or by hand.
- In another large mixing bowl, mix 5 egg yolks and 4 tablespoons of sugar well. Then, add yogurt, grated citrus zest and vanilla extract and mix. At this stage, decide whether to add corn flour. For me, I used only 1 tbs corn flour. But it would not be necessary. (see note)
- Gradually fold the whipped egg whites into the cake batter mixture, making sure not to overmix to avoid killing the leavening effect of the whipped egg white.
- Transfer the cake batter into the lined cake tin.
- Bake it for around 45 minutes or until the cake is beautifully risen, no longer wet on top, and has a nice caramelized appearance on top.
- Cool down the cake completely on a rack in a room temperature.
Step 3 - Berry Compote
In a pan, add frozen or fresh blueberries (your chosen berries), sugar, lemon juice and cinnamon powder for around 5-10 mins till it becomes a well-combined berries syrup. Cool down the berry compote before using it as the topping.
Step 4 - Decorate the cake
Once the cake is completely cooled, spread strained or firm Greek yogurt and add berry compote and fresh berries on top.
Notes
- Corn flour would not be necessary in most of cases. But depending on the texture of yogurt, this may differ. If unsure, adding a few more corn flour gradually can help hold the cake batter nice and firm.
- If using corn flour, sift the cornstarch into the batter using a mesh strainer. Fold in the cornstarch until no lumps remain.
