A seasonal and zesty Blood Orange French Yogurt Cake – the yogurt and olive oil batter makes a light and tangy cake that is quick and easy to whip up. Simple never tasted so good!
You guys, I can’t stop cooking with blood oranges at the moment. Any dish that needs lemon or some citrus to brighten it up, gets a hit of freshly squeezed and zested blood orange.
Ain’t citrus season grand?
Watch the video and cook along with me:
Are Blood Oranges, Oranges?
Blood oranges are oranges! They’re a natural mutation and get their distinctive crimson colour from naturally occurring pigments called anthocyanins – the same pigments which give us purple cauliflower!
Aside from their distinctive colour, blood oranges have a pronounced raspberry taste to them. And if you’re lucky to eat them at the right time, they’re the perfect mix of sweet and tart.
And a perfect stand-in for lemon in a Gâteau au Yaourt, or French yogurt cake!
A Charming History
Also knows as Gâteaux de Mamie, which translates to Granny Cake, this simple but flavourful cake is a staple across France.
Sure, each granny might have her own little secret ingredient or twist, but the cakes, to this day, are still made using pots of yogurt as the measurement ‘cup’. (Just look up ‘French yogurt pots’ and you’ll see what I mean. Wish my set yogurts came in cute little glass jars…)
The recipe is simple; you just need 1 pot of yogurt, 2 pots sugar, 3 pots of flour, 1 pot oil – then eggs, baking powder and flavourings!
…Or if you’re used to weighing your ingredients when baking, I’ve got you covered in the recipe.
Tips for Making Blood Orange French Yogurt Cake
- Yogurt. I use plain Greek yogurt for this recipe, but natural yogurt works too. A flavoured Greek-style yogurt, like a vanilla one, might work if it’s not too sweet, but I haven’t tested that! Omit the vanilla in the recipe if you’re going to try a flavoured yogurt.
- Oil. This cake uses oil instead of butter and is key in keeping it light and moist. I use olive oil – not extra virgin olive oil – to give a richer taste, but you can use vegetable, sunflower or any other neutral-flavoured oil. You could even use avocado or coconut oil, but it will change the cake’s flavour a little.
- Citrus. Traditionally, this cake is made using lemons. But it’s citrus season and blood oranges make for a special, seasonal flavour. As a bonus, they also naturally colour the icing glaze to a pretty pale pink. But you can use any citrus you like. Try the traditional lemon, get more zesty with lime, and oranges and tangerines pair really well with the vanilla in the recipe. Pomelo would be a delicious and interesting choice too.
- Citrus zest. Please, please, please zest your citrus directly into your mixing bowl. If you zest your fruit onto your chopping board or a plate, you lose a lot of the natural oils that increase the flavour and smell. It’s also messier. So… zest directly into you mixing bowl!
- Toppings. If you’re not into glazes or frostings, you can absolutely skip it. Alternatively, you can dress this cake with a simple sprinkle of powdered sugar and serve it plain, with marmalade, with berries, or even better, berries and a little sweetened crème fraiche.
- Storage. Store the Blood Orange French Yogurt Cake at room temperature in an airtight container for 3 to 4 days.
Try these other baked treats:
Let me know if you make the French Yogurt Cake and what citrus you use in the comments! I love hearing from you.
Blood Orange French Yogurt Cake (Gâteau au Yaourt)
Ingredients
- 220 g flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 220 g caster sugar
- 140 g Greek yogurt
- 3 eggs
- Zest from 2 blood oranges
- 1 teaspoon vanilla paste
- 125 ml olive oil
- 35 g icing sugar
- 2 tablespoons blood orange juice
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 180°C. Grease a 17cm loaf tin with some butter and lightly dust the sides with flour before lining the base and sides with baking paper. Set aside.
- Sift the flour and baking powder into a large mixing bowl and set aside.
- In a separate mixing bowl, combine the caster sugar, Greek yogurt, eggs, blood orange zest, vanilla paste and olive oil. Whisk until combined.
- Pour the wet mixture into the dry mixture and stir until a smooth batter forms.
- Pour the batter into the prepared loaf tin and bake for 50 to 60 minutes. The cake is ready when it’s golden and a skewer inserted into the middle comes out clean.
- Allow the cake to cool in the tin for 5 to 10 minutes before turning it out onto a wire rack to cool completely.
- To make the glaze, add the icing sugar and blood orange juice to a mixing bowl and whisk until a smooth glaze forms.
- When the cake is completely cool, drizzle or pour it all over the top, letting it drip down the sides. Serve as is or with berries and some sweetened crème fraiche.
Cook along with me
Notes
- Store the Blood Orange French Yogurt Cake at room temperature in an airtight container for 3 to 4 days.
