Raspberry Yogurt Cake Recipe: A French-Inspired Tender and Tangy Treat

Raspberry Yogurt Cake Recipe

There is a cake in France that children learn to make almost before they learn to tie their shoes. It is called gâteau au yaourt, and it begins with a small tub of plain yogurt. The clever part comes next.

The empty tub becomes the measuring cup for everything else, so nobody needs a scale, and nobody needs to do any math beyond counting tubs.

I first baked this style of cake with a friend’s kids, and I still remember how proud they looked carrying the tubs to the counter. That is the whole spirit of the recipe. It is forgiving, it is quick, and it invites small helpers.

This Raspberry Yogurt Cake Recipe is my favorite version of that classic. It keeps the simple yogurt method, folds in fresh or frozen raspberries, and replaces part of the all purpose flour with almond flour.

The result is a tender cake with tart berry pockets and a soft, moist crumb that stays gently sweet rather than sugary.

It also happens to be one of the most useful cakes in my kitchen. It works as an afternoon treat with a cup of tea, as a breakfast cake on a slow weekend, and as a brunch addition when people start arriving around ten in the morning.

Because it bakes in a single round pan and slices neatly, it travels well to potlucks, church gatherings, and picnics.

Prep time is about 15 minutes, and the cake bakes for 30 to 35 minutes at 175°C (350°F). One 22 cm (9 inch) round pan makes 8 servings.

What Makes This French Yogurt Cake Special

French home baking usually leans on a kitchen scale. The yogurt cake is the charming exception. You start with 240 ml (1 cup) of plain yogurt, which in France is sold in two 120 ml (half cup) tubs, and those empty tubs then measure the sugar, the oil, and the flour.

It is a rare no scale recipe in a cuisine that normally weighs everything, and that is a big reason it is so popular with children. There are no tricky steps and no weighing involved.

The base cake is also endlessly adaptable. You can add citrus juice, zest, or peel, stir in chocolate chips or nuts, slice the cooled cake and sandwich a layer of jam inside, or finish it with chocolate frosting. This version takes the berry route.

Raspberries go into the batter in two layers, and almond flour replaces part of the regular flour, which makes the cake noticeably moister and adds a soft nutty background to the tart berries.

The flavor is subtle rather than sweet. That is exactly what makes it such a good fit for breakfast and brunch as well as an afternoon snack.

Ingredients for Raspberry Yogurt Cake

If you are measuring with the yogurt tubs, keep one empty tub on the counter. If you prefer cups, the amounts are all below. This makes 8 servings.

One quick note on the berries. Frozen raspberries go straight into the batter from the freezer, which makes this a cake you can bake in January as easily as in July. The almond flour is flexible too, so almond meal or finely ground almonds will do the same job.

Step by Step Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 175°C (350°F). Line a 22 cm (9 inch) round cake pan with parchment paper.
2. In a large mixing bowl, put the 240 ml (1 cup) plain yogurt, the 1 1/2 tubs (3/4 cup) sugar, the 1/2 tub (1/4 cup) oil, and the 3 large eggs.
3. Whisk everything together until it is combined and smooth.
4. In a medium bowl, combine the 3 tubs (1 1/2 cups) all purpose flour, the 1 tub (1/2 cup) almond flour, the 2 teaspoons baking powder, and the 1/4 teaspoon salt.
5. Add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients and fold it in with a spatula until you can no longer see white traces of flour. Do not overmix, and know that a few lumps are perfectly fine.
6. Pour half of the batter into the prepared cake pan. Scatter half of the raspberries evenly over the top.
7. Pour the remaining batter over the berries, add the rest of the raspberries on top, and sprinkle the surface evenly with the remaining 1 to 2 tablespoons of sugar.
8. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, until the top is springy and a cake tester comes out clean. If the top looks like it is browning too quickly, cover the cake loosely with foil for the rest of the baking time.
9. Let the cake rest on the counter for 15 minutes. Then lift it from the pan and transfer it to a rack to cool.
10. Serve slightly warm or completely cooled.

Tips for a Tender, Moist Cake

• Stop mixing as soon as the last white streaks of flour disappear. A light hand keeps the crumb tender, and small lumps will bake out on their own.
• Frozen raspberries go in straight from the freezer. There is no thawing step, and they hold their shape nicely in the batter.
• Keep the parchment paper lining. It lets you lift the cooled cake out cleanly without any extra fuss.
• Watch the top near the end of baking. If it is coloring faster than you would like, lay a piece of foil loosely over the pan and let it finish.
• Measure with the yogurt tub if you can. It is not just charming, it is the rhythm this recipe was built around.
• Sprinkle that last spoonful of sugar evenly across the top. It gives the surface a light, delicate finish.

A quick takeaway: the batter should look slightly uneven when it goes into the pan. Overmixing is the one mistake that turns a tender cake into a dense one.

Serving Ideas and Make Ahead Notes

This cake is lovely served slightly warm and equally good completely cooled, and both are worth trying. Warm from the pan, the raspberries taste brighter. Fully cooled, the crumb firms up and slices cleanly, which is what I usually want when I am packing it to take somewhere.

Let it rest on the counter for 15 minutes after baking, then lift it from the pan and move it to a rack. If you are serving it the same day, a light dusting of powdered sugar or a spoonful of whipped cream is plenty.

If you would rather work ahead, bake it earlier in the day and leave it covered at room temperature until you are ready to set it out.

In my house it rarely survives past the first afternoon, so on busy weeks I bake two and send one home with whoever helped count the tubs.

Easy Variations to Try

The base yogurt cake is famous for how easily it changes shape. Once you have made this raspberry version a few times, you can start playing with the formula.

• Citrus: add fresh juice, zest, or peel for a bright, clean flavor.
• Chocolate chips or nuts: stir a handful into the batter for extra texture.
• Jam layer: bake the cake plain, slice it in half once it has cooled, and spread jam between the two layers.
• Chocolate frosting: keep the cake itself simple and finish it with frosting instead of berries.

If you keep the raspberries, remember that the almond flour is part of what gives this version its extra moisture, so it is worth measuring it properly rather than guessing.

How to Serve It at Gatherings

Because it serves 8 and slices neatly into wedges, this cake has earned a regular spot in my potluck rotation. For a dessert table, cut it into 8 generous wedges, or into smaller squares if there are a lot of other sweets competing for attention.

It sits happily next to a fruit salad, a plate of cookies, or a pot of coffee.

To travel with it, let it cool completely first, then keep it on its parchment round and set it in a covered carrier or under a large upside down bowl.

It holds up well on a picnic blanket, at a church supper, or on a brunch table where people are grazing for a couple of hours. And if you are baking with children, this is the cake to hand them.

They can measure every ingredient with the yogurt tubs, stir the batter with a spatula, and drop raspberries on top without any risk of overworking the crumb.

That is really the point of this recipe. It is simple enough for a weeknight, special enough for a celebration, and generous enough to share.

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Raspberry Yogurt Cake Recipe There is a cake in France that children learn to make almost before they learn to tie their shoes. It is called gâteau au yaourt, and it begins with a small tub of plain yogurt.

• Total Time: 45 min
• Yield: 8 1x

Ingredients

Scale 1x2x3x

240 ml plain yogurt
1 1/2 tubs sugar
1/2 tub oil
3 large eggs
3 tubs all-purpose flour
1 tub almond flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
300 g raspberries, fresh or frozen; no need to thaw if frozen
1 to 2 tablespoons sugar, for sprinkling

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Instructions

1-Preheat the oven to 175°C (350°F): Preheat the oven to 175°C (350°F). Line a 22-cm (9-inch) round cake pan with parchment paper.
2-In a large mixing bowl, put the: In a large mixing bowl, put the yogurt, the 1 1/2 tub sugar, the oil, and the eggs.
3-Whisk together until combined: Whisk together until combined.
4-In a medium bowl, combine the flour,: In a medium bowl, combine the flour, almond flour, baking powder, and salt.
5-Add the flour mixture to the wet: Add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients and mix it in with a spatula until you can’t see white traces of flour. Do not overmix; some lumps are OK.
6-Pour half the batter into the cake: Pour half the batter into the cake pan. Cover evenly with half of the raspberries.
7-Pour the other half of the batter,: Pour the other half of the batter, and add the other half of the raspberries on top. Sprinkle evenly with the remaining sugar.
8-Put into the oven to bake, for: Put into the oven to bake, for 30 to 35 minutes, until the top is springy and a cake tester comes out clean. If it looks like the top of the cake is browning too quickly, cover loosely with foil for the rest of the baking time.
9-Allow to rest on the counter for: Allow to rest on the counter for 15 minutes. Lift from the pan, and transfer to a rack to cool.
10-Serve slightly warm or completely cooled: Serve slightly warm or completely cooled.

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• Prep Time: 15 min
• Cook Time: 30 min
• Method: bake