Lemon and blueberry yoghurt loaf cake
A dense and moist yoghurt loaf cake with jammy bursts of blueberry and a lemony tang.
10 mins
45 mins
135 kcals
serves 12
Image credit – Chris Terry
Lemon and blueberry yoghurt loaf cake recipe
This lemon and blueberry yoghurt loaf cake is a dense and satisfyingly moist cake with jammy bursts of sweet blueberry and a lemony tang. The moist consistency comes from the yoghurt used instead of the usual butter, margarine or oil. Not only does this give the cake a satisfyingly heavy consistency, but also helps to keep the calorie-count low for such a tasty cake.
Before you make this cake, please be aware that it is not a light and fluffy cake, it has a dense and heavy consistency. This cake was inspired by a delicious lemon yoghurt cake that I tried from a bakery on the Isle of Skye a few years ago which I just thought was extra-satisfying because of the quite heavy consistency.
In this post:
How easy is it to make this lemon and blueberry yoghurt loaf cake?
My favourite cake recipes are all very simple to put together, and this is no exception. It’s incredibly simple just to whisk together the wet ingredients and then fold in the flour and blueberries. You will only need one large mixing bowl.
Loaf cakes are also a favourite of mine because of their simplicity. There is no need to bake different layers or use multiple tins. To keep life even easier I use loaf tin liners which I buy online, in the supermarket, or in Lakeland which means that I don’t even need to cut out or measure baking paper.
Why you will love this lemon and blueberry yoghurt loaf cake
The taste: The flavours of lemon and blueberry are perfectly complementary, the tartness of the lemon is offset by the sweet jamminess of the blueberries.
The texture: This is a dense, moist cake which is truly satisfying to eat.
The simplicity: With a simple list of ingredients, most of which many of us will already have in the cupboards or fridge, this lemon and blueberry loaf cake couldn’t be easier to make.
The look: This is a lovely looking cake which is marbled with the sweet cooked blueberries, and bakes with a delicious golden brown top. Sometimes the pattern of blueberries throughout the cake will cause a gorgeous, jammy crack across the top of the cake. This cake looks beautiful when served, and is also easy to cut up to share.
What ingredients do I need to make lemon and blueberry yoghurt loaf cake?
Fat-free Greek yoghurt: I love the consistency of cake made with yoghurt, and it’s a great way of saving on calories too. I use Greek yoghurt because it tends to have a nice, thick consistency which works well in this recipe. Yoghurt adds moisture to the cake, and also adds extra depth of flavour, complementing the tanginess of the lemon and the sweetness of the blueberries and vanilla.
Eggs: I always buy large, free-range eggs.
Caster sugar: Just a relatively small amount of sugar in this recipe adds enough sweetness, which adds to it being an overall healthier cake option than most cakes which reply on far more sugar.
Vanilla extract: A small hint of vanilla flavouring adds a subtle extra flavour twist which makes this lemon and blueberry loaf cake even more delicious. Make sure that you buy vanilla extract rather than vanilla essence. Vanilla extract is a product of actual vanilla beans and has an authentic and robust flavour, whereas vanilla essence is an artificially flavoured product.
Lemon: Lemon zest is a great way to add a zesty flavour punch into a cake, I use a microplane to finely grate my lemon zest- it’s much quicker and more efficient than most zesters, and ensures that it is nice and fine.
Self-raising flour: Self-raising (self-rising in the US) flour already contains baking powder, so there is no need for additional raising agents.
Blueberries: Cooked blueberries are such a treat! In a cake like this they taste sweet and jammy, and also add beautiful colour. If you are going to use frozen berries then this may affect the cooking time and consistency (see frequently asked questions).
What equipment do I need to make lemon and blueberry yoghurt loaf cake?
- Large mixing bowl: I have a large, stainless steel mixing bowl that I use for cake making. It’s lightweight and easy to wash up.
- 900g/2lb loaf tin: This is a standard sized loaf tin
- Loaf tin liners or baking parchment: Loaf tin liners are the easiest option because they just pop straight into the tin, but you can line the tin with regular baking parchment if you prefer.
How to store lemon and blueberry yoghurt loaf cake
This lemon and blueberry yoghurt loaf cake can be stored in an airtight container for up to 4 days. If you still have some left after this time I would recommend individually tightly wrapping the slices in clingfilm and keeping in the freezer. You can store this in the freezer for up to 3 months. to defrost simply thaw it at room temperature.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS ABOUT: LEMON AND BLUEBERRY YOGHURT LOAF CAKE
Why isn’t my cake cooked through?
There are a few factors which can affect how the lemon and blueberry yoghurt cake bakes:
Oven temperature: Ovens can vary hugely in their temperature, even if the dial says it is the correct temperature. I keep an oven safe thermometer in my oven to keep an eye on temperature and make sure my recipes are accurate, but if your oven runs particularly hot or cold, this can affect the way that this cake bakes. On this subject, if you do not fully pre-heat your oven before putting the cake in, it will take longer to cook.
Hotspots: Some ovens have hotspots (you may have noticed that when you have cooked something on a tray, one side will appear browner than the other.) This can cause the cake to cook unevenly. One way to deal with this is to turn the cake tin halfway through cooking to try and ensure an even bake.
Frequently opening the oven door: If you keep opening the oven door to take a peek at your cake, then the oven will lose heat and the cake will take longer to cook. Try to resist the urge unless you are turning the cake halfway through cooking because you know that your oven has hotspots.
Ingredient variables: There will always be variables in ingredients, some brands of yoghurt are more watery than others, lemons come in many different sizes, and blueberries can also vary hugely in their size and juiciness. If the cake batter ends up containing a lot of extra moisture then then chances are that it will take a little longer to cook. Frozen berries will affect the cook time on this cake, it’s best to defrost the berries first, or adjust the cooking temperature to give it a bit longer.
Loaf tin size and material: I use a commonly available, non-stick carbon steel 2lb loaf tin, but again these can vary in size and depth between brands so this may affect the cooking time, as could using a different material, such as silicone.
How can I tell if my cake is cooked through?
Insert a sharp knife, or a wooden cocktail stick into the thickest part of your cake. If it comes out coated in batter, or very wet crumbs then the cake needs to cook for longer. If it comes out with just a couple of dry crumbs, or clean, then the chances are that the cake is cooked through.
My cake is undercooked, what should I do?
Just allow the cake longer in the oven. I usually check on it at 5 minute intervals. If you want to prevent the top of the cake from browning any further, then cover the tin with tin foil before putting back into the oven.
I cut my freshly baked cake then realised it wasn’t fully cooked in the middle, what should I do?
If you thought the cake was ready, took it out of the tin and cut it only to realise that there is still wet batter in the middle, it’s not too late to fix it! Simply pop it back in the tin, cover with foil, and bake for longer, checking it at 5 minutes intervals.
Why didn’t my lemon and blueberry yoghurt loaf cake rise?
Out of date flour: Double check the expiry date of your self-raising flour, out of date flour is likely to be a cause of a cake not rising.
Oven temperature: If the oven temperature is too low, this can hinder the cake from rising properly.
Opening the oven door: Frequently opening the oven door during cooking can cause temperature fluctuations, and this can prevent the cake from rising properly.
This cake is intentionally dense, not light and airy: Please remember that this cake is meant to be dense, and moist, which gives it a satisfying consistency. The overall result will not be a light and fluffy cake.
How does this lemon and blueberry yoghurt loaf cake work if I am following Slimming World?
This is definitely a treat if you are following Slimming World, but the good news is that it only works out at 5 syns a slice.
These are the ingredients which need to be synned:
Caster sugar: 5 syns per 25g (20 syns total)
Self-raising flour: 4.5 syns per 25g (36 syns total)
Cooked blueberries: 2 syn per 100g (5 syns total)
Total syns for whole cake: 61
Divided into 12 slices: 5 syns per slice
Lemon and blueberry yoghurt loaf cake
- Total Time: 55 minutes
- Yield: 12 servings 1x
Description
A dense and moist yoghurt loaf cake with jammy bursts of blueberry and a lemony tang.
Ingredients
225g (8oz) fat-free Greek yoghurt
3 eggs
100g (3 1/2oz) caster sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
finely grated zest and juice of 1 lemon
200g (7oz) self-raising flour
250g (9oz) blueberries
Instructions
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1. Preheat the oven to 180°c/160 °c fan (350°F), Gas Mark 4.
2. In a mixing bowl, whisk together the yoghurt, eggs, sugar, vanilla extract, lemon zest and juice. Fold the flour through the mixture, then stir in the blueberries.
3. Scrape the mixture into a 900g (2lb) loaf tin lined with baking parchment and bake on the middle shelf of the oven for 45 minutes. When it’s ready, the cake will have risen and will be a light golden colour on top. See tips above in ‘Frequently Asked Questions’ for advice on checking if the cake is cooked through.
- Prep Time: 10 mins
- Cook Time: 45 minutes
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So nice to find a cookery app that gives slimming world syn values. I am going to start with the sweet potato falafel and then on to the blueberry and lemon cake.