French “Gâteau au Yaourt” (A No-Measure Cake)

Name: French “Gâteau au Yaourt” (A No-Measure Cake)
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 45 min
Total time: 50 min
Cuisine: French
Ingredients: 1 pot of natural yoghurt (about 125mls); 2 pots of self raising flour; 1 pot of caster sugar; Half a pot of vegetable oil (or mild olive /coconut oil if you prefer - all will work); 3 large free-range eggs; Splash of vanilla essence; Small pinch of salt; Whipped cream; Fresh berries; Icing sugar

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This has to be one of the easiest cake recipes you will ever make. It is completely foolproof. Based on a classic French “gâteau au yaourt” (yoghurt cake), all you need is one bowl, one tin and one whisk - that’s it… no scale required! All the measuring is done using a 125ml yoghurt pot. It is perfect as a simple afternoon tea cake recipe or for serving at a coffee morning with friends - I like to serve mine with softly whipped cream and seasonal berries, but this is entirely optional.

This is also the perfect child-friendly baking recipe due to its simplicity. Little hands will love getting involved with the pouring and stirring (and, of course, the eating!). Once you have mastered the base recipe, you can get creative with different flavours like the zest of a lemon or orange - scroll down to the FAQs for more ideas. I have to say, I do love the classic vanilla flavour, it is almost impossible not to reach for another slice…

Why you will love this French “Gâteau au Yaourt:

All you need is one bowl, one tin and one whisk - that’s it… no scale required!
It is perfect as a simple afternoon tea cake recipe or for special occasions too.
This is also the perfect child-friendly baking recipe due to its simplicity. Little hands will love getting involved with the pouring and stirring (and, of course, the eating!)

You will need the following ingredients:

Natural full-fat yoghurt - using yoghurt adds moisture to the gateau, alongside a slight tangy flavour to balance out the sweetness of the sugar and vanilla. You need to use a full-fat yoghurt for the best results.

Self-raising flour - this helps give the cake a light and airy texture.

Caster sugar - I like to use caster sugar in baking, you could swap for golden caster sugar (the gateau will be slightly darker) or granulated sugar, if you have it on hand.

Vegetable oil - this is a flavourless oil that helps produce really moist cakes. You could also use sunflower oil or a mild olive oil instead.

Eggs - use free-range eggs if you can. I also recommend choosing large eggs stamped with the British Lion logo.

Vanilla extract - always choose vanilla extract, vanilla bean paste or vanilla pods (avoid vanilla essence which will give you a synthetic flavour).

Salt - this won’t make the gateau taste salty. A small pinch of salt in baking cuts through the sweetness and elevates the other flavours. I like Maldon Flaky Sea Salt.

Whipped cream - you could either spread on top or serve a dollop on the side. Always use double cream or whipping cream (single cream doesn’t have the fat content to whip up properly). You can sweeten it with a little icing sugar and vanilla extract, if you like.

Fresh berries - this is entirely optional but a lovely decoration. I like to use whatever is in season - strawberries, raspberries, blueberries and cherries always look so pretty on a gateau (and taste delicious).

Icing sugar - a dusting of icing sugar adds a subtle sweetness and is such a pretty way to finish a cake.

See recipe card for the exact recipe with a full list of ingredients and measurements

Gâteau au yaourt slice with strawberries on white plate

Substitutions and Variations

Vegetable oil - you could also use sunflower oil or a mild olive oil instead. Don’t use fancy stuff as that is just a waste in a cake like this and you don’t want olive oil to be dominant flavour (unlike olive oil cakes for example)

Caster sugar - golden caster sugar also works and so does granulated sugar. Caster sugar gives the finest texture and lightest colour but the other two options will still produce a delicious gateau. Don’t use brown sugar here.

Variations: Think of this as the base recipe. It is utterly delicious in its own right, but you can definitely get creative and add your favourite flavours to the cake batter. I love adding some lemon zest or orange zest for a citrusy twist (perfect for anyone who loves lemon drizzle cake), or you could add a couple of drops of almond extract for a subtle almond flavour. You could even try stirring a handful of blueberries into the cake batter before pouring into the tin for a delicious blueberry muffin inspired yoghurt gateau.

Here’s how to make French Yoghurt Pot Cake

Here's a step by step guide for what you need to do, but you can find the full recipe below for detailed instructions.

ONE: In a large mixing bowl, use the yoghurt pot to measure out the cake ingredients. Once emptied of yoghurt, refill according to the recipe with the other ingredients.

TWO: Crack in the eggs then whisk together extract until you have a smooth batter. Add a pinch of salt and whisk again.

THREE: Pour into the prepared tin and bake for about 45 minutes - or until well risen, golden and a skewer inserted in the centre comes out clean (it can take up to 1 hour, depending on your oven, but I always like to check after 45 minutes to ensure it doesn’t overbake).

FOUR: This gateau is delicious as it is, but if you would like to decorate it: set the gateau onto a flat plate. Using a palette knife or the back of a spoon, generously spread with whipped cream on top. Decorate with fresh berries and dust with icing sugar. Enjoy!

Cooking Tips

Don’t overthink: The trick is to not overcomplicate the recipe. It’s so foolproof and hard to mess up that you should just bung it all in the bowl using the emptied yoghurt pot and call it a day. Don’t try to convert and use scales as it honestly won’t be as good. Simplicity at its best!

Baking Time: It should bake for about 45 minutes but I would keep an eye on it as all ovens are different. As this is a simple cake with no drizzle, glaze or icing, you want it perfectly cooked! Check it at the 40 minute mark but it can take up to an hour. It should be well risen, golden and a skewer inserted in the centre comes out clean.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is a French “Gâteau au Yaourt”?

A ‘gâteau au yaourt’ is one of the most popular ‘everyday’ cake recipes in France and often served to children for breakfast or as a ‘goûter’ (a mid-afternoon snack). It is a simple, family-friendly recipe that uses a yoghurt pot to measure out all the ingredients (and is often one of the first cakes French children learn how to make). The unbelievably moist texture and subtle vanilla flavour is hard to beat.

What can I serve with this French “Gâteau au Yaourt”?

You can serve it as it is and it will be utterly delicious - or, like I have suggested in the recipe, you can top with freshly whipped cream, seasonal berries and icing sugar. You can also serve the whipped cream on the side and opt for a berry coulis or compote instead.

Can I use different flavours of yoghurt in this French “Gâteau au Yaourt”?

I have tested this with plain yoghurt, which is what I would recommend trying it with first. You can definitely try it with different yoghurt flavours, but be mindful of how sweet they are and how it will impact the overall sweetness of the cake.

What is the difference between vanilla extract and vanilla essence?

Quite a lot - and I always recommend using vanilla extract (or vanilla bean paste or pods). A good quality vanilla extract should be made from natural ingredients by soaking vanilla pods in water and ethyl alcohol. The liquids absorb the flavour of the vanilla, creating ‘vanilla extract’. In contrast, vanilla essence is a synthetic vanilla flavouring which gives an artificial taste (it will also be much cheaper).

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Made this recipe and loved it?

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