Lemon Basil Yogurt Cake Recipe - The Woks of Life (2024)

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Lemon Basil Yogurt Cake Recipe - The Woks of Life (1)

by: Sarah

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Lemon Basil Yogurt Cake Recipe - The Woks of Life (2)

It’s a relatively rare occurrence when the sheer delight and originality of a new recipe totally and completely makes your day. Today is that day, my friends.

Okay, so at first glance this cake does kind of look like jalapeño cornbread or something with all those rand-o green specks in it. The cognitive dissonance caused by what looks like dried parsley floating in your cake batter can be difficult to get used to at first.

But you WILL get used to it, because this cake—it’s genius. Of course, lemon and basil together isn’t really a new combination. A world of pasta recipes and a plethora of over-priced hand soaps can attest to that.

But in a dessert? Oh man.

The main cause for this Lemon Basil Yogurt Cake was this huge basil plant that’s thriving in our overheated, sun-pounded, south-facing apartment. There’s really no gradual, pleasant transition to Spring in Beijing.

It just goes from really cold to really hot in the span of a couple weeks, and we’ve already had 80 degree weather here. Meanwhile, the state mandates that the air conditioning across the city won’t be turned on until they say so. So we’ll just have to sit here and melt until then.

The Basil:la-di-da! Happy times!

Lemon Basil Yogurt Cake Recipe - The Woks of Life (3)

Us:Not the light! We’re meltinggggg!! MELTING!!!!We might as well be this guy right now:

Ahem. While trawling the internet for interesting recipes in which basil plays a starring role, I came across a Trader’s Joe’s lemon basil cake, involving one of their boxed cake mixes.

Considering the closest Trader Joe’s Vanilla Cake mix is probably approximately 7,456 miles away, I decided to adapt my own yogurt cake recipe. It’s an incredibly moist, light, yogurt olive oil cake that will knock yo’ socks off.

A few packs of yogurt with sketchy expiration dates in the fridge + a basil plant in need of pruning = TRIUMPH.

Recipe adapted fromTrader Joe’s Cake

Lemon Basil Cake: Recipe Instructions

Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease and flour an 8-inch round pan or standard loaf pan. In a medium bowl, whisk together 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, 2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder, and 1/2 teaspoon salt.

Using your fingers, mix the sugar with the lemon zest in a large bowl until the sugar has the texture of damp sand.

Add the yogurt and lemon juice, and mix well. Then add the vegetable oil, eggs, vanilla, and basil. Whisk until well-blended. Ignore the weirdness. You won’t regret this!

Carefully fold in the dry mixture until just combined.

Pour into prepared pan and bake until a toothpick comes out clean. Baking time depends on what pan you used (it took around 45 minutes in an 8-inch round pan).

Make the glaze (we’re not really “glaze” people, but we highly recommend you don’t skip this one) by combining the powdered sugar, lemon juice, and milk. Stir. When the lemon basil cake is cool, drizzle the glaze over the top.

Slice and serve this refreshing Lemon Basil Yogurt Cake with a strong cup of coffee!

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5 from 15 votes

Lemon Basil Yogurt Cake

The impetus for this Lemon Basil Yogurt Cake was this huge basil plant that's thriving in our overheated, sun-pounded, south-facing apartment. There's really no gradual, pleasant transition to Spring in Beijing.

by: Sarah

Course:Dessert and Sweet Stuff

Cuisine:American

Lemon Basil Yogurt Cake Recipe - The Woks of Life (14)

serves: 8 servings

Prep: 10 minutes minutes

Cook: 50 minutes minutes

Total: 1 hour hour

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Ingredients

For the cake:

  • 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 2 ½ teaspoons baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup sugar
  • finely grated zest of 2 lemons
  • 3/4 cup yogurt
  • 1 tablespoon lemon juice
  • 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil (or vegetable oil)
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1/3 cup basil (finely chopped)

For the glaze:

  • ½ cup powdered sugar
  • 2 teaspoons lemon juice
  • 1 teaspoon milk

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease and flour an 8-inch round pan or standard loaf pan. In a medium bowl, whisk together 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, 2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder, and 1/2 teaspoon salt.

  • Using your fingers, mix the sugar with the lemon zest in a large bowl until the sugar has the texture of damp sand. Add the yogurt and lemon juice, and mix well. Then add the vegetable oil, eggs, vanilla, and basil. Whisk until well-blended.

  • Carefully fold in the dry mixture until just combined. Pour into prepared pan. Bake 40 to 50 minutes (adjust time according to the type of pan you used), or until a toothpick comes out clean.

  • Make the glaze by combining the powdered sugar, lemon juice, and milk. Stir. When the cake is cool, drizzle the glaze over the top.

nutrition facts

Calories: 365kcal (18%) Carbohydrates: 53g (18%) Protein: 5g (10%) Fat: 16g (25%) Saturated Fat: 3g (15%) Cholesterol: 44mg (15%) Sodium: 174mg (7%) Potassium: 202mg (6%) Fiber: 1g (4%) Sugar: 34g (38%) Vitamin A: 135IU (3%) Vitamin C: 3.5mg (4%) Calcium: 95mg (10%) Iron: 1.5mg (8%)

nutritional info disclaimer

TheWoksofLife.com is written and produced for informational purposes only. While we do our best to provide nutritional information as a general guideline to our readers, we are not certified nutritionists, and the values provided should be considered estimates. Factors such as brands purchased, natural variations in fresh ingredients, etc. will change the nutritional information in any recipe. Various online calculators also provide different results, depending on their sources. To obtain accurate nutritional information for a recipe, use your preferred nutrition calculator to determine nutritional information with the actual ingredients and quantities used.

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@thewoksoflife

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Lemon Basil Yogurt Cake Recipe - The Woks of Life (19)

About Sarah

Sarah is the older daughter/sister in The Woks of Life family. Creator of quick and easy recipes for harried home cooks and official Woks of Life photographer, she grew up on episodes of Ready Set Cook and Good Eats. She loves the outdoors (and of course, *cooking* outside), and her obsession with food continues to this day.

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Lemon Basil Yogurt Cake Recipe - The Woks of Life (2024)

FAQs

What does yogurt do in a cake? ›

Its creaminess helps keep baked goods moist. Its tanginess imparts a crave-worthy, old-fashioned flavor. Its acidity helps activate baking soda, which can make baked goods fluffy and light. It can step in for sour cream, mayonnaise or crème fraîche, bringin the same tangy with less guilt.

Why do you put lemon in cake? ›

Lemon is used to provide its unique flavor to a variety of cakes, including bundt, angel food or white cakes. However, lemon cake commonly refers to loaf cake with a tighter grain and more elastic crumb, much like a pound cake.

Can I use regular yogurt instead of Greek yogurt in a cake? ›

You have to be careful with swapping Greek yogurt and regular. In some applications, the thinner consistency of regular yogurt doesn't impact the recipe at all. With baking, if a recipe specifically calls for Greek yogurt, the added moisture from using regular yogurt instead might make the dough or batter too wet.

What ingredient does yogurt replace in baking? ›

From traditional comfort foods to fresh baked goods, Greek yogurt can substitute oil and mayonnaise. Oil: Replace oil with Greek yogurt when baking muffins, cakes and even waffles.

Can I use lemon juice instead of water in cake mix? ›

Sprinkle in lemon or orange zest to give your box cake batter a hint of zing. You can also replace the water with lemon, orange or lime juice or soda. Use this method with any type of cake mix, but it works best with lemon, yellow and white cake.

Why does my lemon cake taste bitter? ›

One of the most common misfortunes among bakers is that they are using too much baking soda or baking powder. Know that too much baking soda or baking powder in cakes will not just lead to a metallic and bitter taste, but it can also make a big mess in the oven as it will rise beyond expectations.

How to get intense lemon flavor in cake? ›

7) For concentrated lemon flavor, use lemon oil.

A little bit of lemon oil goes a long way. Recipes typically call for it in drops or up to 1/2 teaspoon because of its potent flavor.

Why add yogurt to cake mix? ›

It might not be traditional but it really does work. One little pot makes a wonderfully light sponge that is fluffy and moist (sorry I know we hate the word but it is 100% called for here). The yoghurt gives a tang and a creaminess to our cake.

What does yogurt replace in a cake mix? ›

You can use the same amount of plain yogurt to replace oil in any cake mix.

Can I skip yogurt in cake? ›

Yogurt contributes to the texture of baked goods. Substitutes like sour cream, buttermilk, or silken tofu can help maintain or approximate the desired texture. However, when using an ingredient like cottage cheese or heavy cream, the texture can chance.

What is the effect of yogurt in baking? ›

It helps baked goods rise.

Since Greek yogurt is naturally acidic, it reacts with baking soda in baked goods causing them to achieve a better rise. That acidity even provides a mellow tang that lends a balanced flavor to your treats.

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