These Lemon Yogurt Loaf Cakes are delicious, moist and so easy to make. They are topped with a thick Lemon flavoured Fondant Icing. It's a great recipe for using Plain or Greek Style Yogurt.
One of my favourite cakes to make is a Lemon Cake. I much prefer to make them in 1lb loaf tins. That way I can keep one and give one away. Cakes of this size bake much quicker than in larger tins.
If you love Lemons, this is for you. The Lemon flavour is very strong and sharp throughout. This is created by adding a Lemon Syrup to the baked sponge. And Lemon Juice and zest to the Fondant Icing Topping.
But you can reduce the Lemon flavour by using preboiled water, as an alternative to Lemon Juice, in the Fondant Icing Topping. But don't omit the Lemon Syrup.
Does yogurt make cakes moist?
Yogurt adds moisture and fat to cake recipes. Which is why I often add a couple of tablespoons to some of my recipes.
If you wonder what to do with any leftover Yogurt try these Blackberry and Oat Muffins or a Vanilla Bundt Cake with a Blueberry Sauce. Or this Nordic Spice cake, which uses just a few tablespoons of Yogurt.
If you have an excess of Lemons or Limes for that matter. I have a great Lemon Curd Recipe or this Lime Curd Recipe that you can try.
I also have a delicious Coconut and Lime Cake recipe which uses the same 1lb loaf tins. This Marmalade Cake recipe is a great way of using up the last few tablespoons from your jars of Saville Marmalade.
This Orange Madeira Cake is made using a 2lb loaf tin. It has an Orange flavoured Icing topping and decorated with slices of fresh orange.
List of ingredients
- Butter - Always at room temperature. It's much easier to beat together with the sugar.
- Self Raising Flour - This contains a raising agent so that you don't have to use plain flour.
- Eggs - Medium sized
- Lemons - Unwaxed.
- Caster sugar - Granulated sugar will be fine. But as the granules are larger than caster sugar, it will take much longer to break down. So you will need to beat the butter and sugar together for longer.
- Icing sugar - Sieve to avoid creating lumps in the fondant topping.
- Yogurt - Plain or Greek Style will be fine. Always use a thick variety to avoid creating a runny cake batter.
Step by Step instructions
Once you've switched on the oven. (Fig 1) - Grease and line 2 x 1lb loaf tins with baking parchment or cake liners.
Using an electric mixer. (Fig 2)- Beat together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
Gradually add the eggs, one at a time. Adding a little flour between each one to help prevent curdling. Mix until well combined. Add the remaining flour and mix until well combined. Add the yogurt. Mix until well combined
(Fig 3) - Add the Lemon zest. Using a wooden spoon or spatula and not the electric mixer. This will avoid much of the zest getting stuck around the beaters. Mix until well combined.
(Fig4) - Pour the batter into the prepared cake tins and bake in the centre of the oven for 40 – 45 mins. Or until baked, testing the centre of each cake with a skewer until it comes out clean.
(Fig 5) Leave in the tins to cool. Do not turn them out at this stage.
While the cakes are cooling. Make the sugar syrup.
Gently warm to sugar, zest, and lemon juice in a small pan until the sugar has dissolved.
(Fig 6) - While the cakes are still slightly warm, spoon the syrup over each loaf. Leaving them in the tins allows for any syrup to soak through the cakes rather than pour over the sides. Leave the cakes in the tins to cool completely.
How to make the Fondant Icing Topping
(Fig 7) Mix together the icing sugar and lemon juice - a little at a time, until you have a thick spreadable, but not runny, fondant paste. Add the lemon zest and mix well.
(Fig 8) Spread the fondant evenly over the top of each cake.
If the icing is too thin, add more icing sugar. If too thick, add a few more drops of lemon juice.
Tips and FAQ's
These 1lb loaf cakes will keep in an airtight container for a few days.
You will need a total of 3 lemons to make this recipe
If you don't have enough lemon juice to make the fondant icing topping. Or if you want to reduce the Lemon flavour in the cake as a whole. Use cooled preboiled water instead.
Although I haven't tried this yet, you could substitute the Lemons for Oranges. However, you may need to adjust the amount of Orange juice and zest.
Keen to bake more?
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If you make this recipe, please leave a comment with a rating, to let me know how you got on.
Lemon Yogurt Loaf Cake
Equipment
- 1lb Loaf Tin
- Baking Parchment
- Hand Mixer
INGREDIENTS
- 225 grams butter softened
- 200 grams caster sugar
- 4 medium eggs
- 225 grams self raising flour
- 150 grams plain yogurt or Greek Style Yogurt
- Zest of 1 Lemon
Syrup
- Zest of 1 Lemon
- 5 tablespoon Lemon Juice approx 2 Lemons
- 2 tablespoons caster sugar or granulated sugar
Fondant Icing Topping
- 120 grams icing sugar sieved
- zest of 1 lemon
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 170 deg fan assisted. Grease and line 2 x 1lb loaf tins with baking parchment or cake liners.
- Using an electric mixer. Beat together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
- Gradually add the eggs, one at a time. Adding a little flour between each one to help prevent curdling. Mix until well combined.
- Add the remaining flour and mix until well combined.
- Add the yogurt. Mix until well combined
- Add the Lemon zest. Using a wooden spoon or spatula and not the electric mixer. Mix until well combined.
- Bake in the centre of the oven for 40 – 45 + mins. Or until baked, testing the centre of each cake with a skewer until it comes out clean.
- Leave in the tins to cool. Do not turn them out at this stage.
- While the cakes are cooling. Make the syrup
- Gently warm to sugar, zest, and lemon juice in a small pan until the sugar has dissolved.
- While the cakes are still slightly warm, spoon the syrup over each loaf. Leaving them in the tins allows for any syrup to soak through the cakes rather than pour over the sides. Leave the cakes in the tins to cool completely.
Fondant Icing Topping
- Mix together the icing sugar and lemon juice a little at a time, until you have a thick spreadable, but not runny, fondant paste. Add the lemon zest and mix well.
- Spread the fondant evenly over the top of each cake. Leave to set before serving.
Notes
Baker's Tips
- These 1lb loaf cakes will keep in an airtight container for a few days.
- You will need a total of 3 lemons to make this recipe
- If you don’t have enough lemon juice to make the fondant icing topping. Or if you want to reduce the Lemon flavour in the cake as a whole. Use cooled preboiled water instead.
- Although I haven’t tried this yet, you could substitute the Lemons for Oranges. However, you may need to adjust the amount of Orange juice and zest.
Grace
I love this lemon cake, it's my second go at baking it. My cake rises really well, checked it's cooked and I take it out it sinks. The second time I left it in the oven an extra 2 minutes, again had a very good rise and minutes later sinks again. Not sure where I'm going wrong
Lynn
Hi Grace, I'm sorry to hear that your cake sinks when you take it out of the oven. Are you checking the cake with a skewer to make sure that it comes out clean? If there is any batter still left on the skewer it will need to remain in the oven a little longer, often a good 5 - 10 mins depending on how much batter you see on the skewer. Another thing to remember, when you open the oven door, you will lose some heat and it can often take a few minutes to get back up to temperature again. So do allow for that. I also suggest you buy an oven thermometer to make sure that your oven comes up to the correct temperature before you bake.
Carolyn
hi, LOVE this cake and have made it a few times. As the writer above, my cake always sinks also. I check that it is cooked well before taking it out of the oven and leave to cool and it sinks, every time. not sure why? It still gets eaten but it's shame to see it so flat.
Lynn
I'm delighted that you like the cake. Perhaps add a few extra minutes to the baking time the next time you make it, to allow for those missed unbaked areas to bake fully. I find those areas are often just underneath where the cracks appear.
Sally
Just made this cake , although I did use the wrong size cake tin, it tastes and looks great. Will definitely be making this again. Does is freeze well ? I assume without the icing, thanks
Lynn Hill
I'm pleased that you like the recipe. Even with the icing on, I'm sure it will freeze and thaw successfully. Make sure you wrap it sufficiently to avoid any freezer burn.
Jeff the Chef
I love, love, love lemon cake. I've never made a cake with yogurt, but I've used sour cream and buttermilk and I've loved that, so I'm sure I'd love yogurt in a cake. Thanks for the recipe!
Lynn Hill
I hope you like it. Let me know how you get on with the recipe.
Eileen
Sounds fab and will definitely make this after Christmas. I’d like to make it into a 2lb loaf cake - would it work with a longer baking time please?
Lynn Hill
It should work with a bit longer baking time in a larger tin. However, it may not be such a deep cake as the 1lb tins, because of the volume of batter will generally not be enough for a 2lb tin. Just keep an eye on it while it's baking.
Don't open the oven too early, just in case it starts to sink in the middle. If it looks as if it's starting to go too brown on top, yet needs more baking time. Place a sheet of baking parchment over the top to help prevent it going much darker.
Eileen
Thank you very much Lynn