Blackberry Lemon Yogurt Cake
on Jul 02, 2020, Updated Dec 19, 2021
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This blackberry lemon yogurt cake proves that berries make basic vanilla cake pretty special. Baked in a round cake pan, it’s an easy dessert.
I can polish off a pint of berries even before I’ve finished putting away my groceries.
It feels indulgent in a way because strawberries, raspberries and all their cousins are pricey, but the situation changes during berry season.
Those once expensive splurges become a deal.
And they are a sale I just can’t pass up!
Besides devouring them straight from the container, I use berries in salads like a blackberry arugula salad with basil pesto vinaigrette and a strawberry salad with pistachio-crusted goat cheese.
When I’m in the mood for something sweet, simple fruit crisps and crumbles are always a good option for dessert.
Of course there are cakes, too.
Berries make even the most basic yellow vanilla cake instantly special.
There is a raspberry buttermilk cake that I have on repeat throughout the year. In season I use fresh berries and out of season I repurpose the frozen berries that would have gone into my morning smoothie in a cake.
That seems like a totally appropriate swap—dessert instead of breakfast!
I love baking with buttermilk because it’s a bit tangy. Greek yogurt is another way to get this flavor.
I have a feeling that I’m not the only one who is more likely to have Greek yogurt in my fridge rather than buttermilk.
This blackberry lemon yogurt cake is the latest addition to my berry season baking.
How To Make A Blackberry Lemon Yogurt Cake
To start, I combine flour, baking powder and salt.
In a separate bowl, I rub the zest of a lemon into a cup of granulated sugar. It ends up with the feeling of wet sand and scent of bright, zippy lemon.
Into the lemon sugar I whisk Greek yogurt, vegetable oil, 2 eggs and vanilla extract. Then I fold in the dry ingredients.
To break up the berries so they spread throughout the cake and to add sweetness, I use a fork to mash them with 1 tablespoon sugar.
Instead of just stirring in the berries and ending up with a stained cake, I spread a cup of batter in the bottom of the pan and scatter over about half of the blackberries.
I like bites of blackberries in the middle of the cake.
Then I smooth on the rest of the batter and top it with the remaining blackberries and their juice.
The blackberry lemon yogurt cake is ready once it has baked to a deep golden brown.
You can serve it with vanilla ice cream or whipped cream if you want, but it’s just fine on its own.
More Fruit Dessert Recipes
Sour Cherry Crumble
Blackberry Lemon Yogurt Cake
Cherry Pistachio Cake
Salted Caramel Apple Pie
Black Raspberry Chocolate Chip Ice Cream
Blackberry Lemon Yogurt Cake
Ingredients
- 1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 cup plus 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
- Zest of 1 lemon
- 3/4 cup whole-milk Greek yogurt
- 1/2 cup vegetable oil
- 2 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1-1/2 cups fresh or frozen blackberries thawed if frozen
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Grease a 9-inch cake pan with non-stick cooking spray.
- In a medium bowl, combine the flour, baking powder and salt.
- In a large bowl, rub 1 cup sugar with the lemon zest until the sugar is moist like wet sand. Whisk in the yogurt, vegetable oil, eggs and vanilla extract. Fold in the dry ingredients until just combined.
- In a small bowl, use a fork to mash the berries with 1 tablespoon granulated sugar.
- Spread 1 cup batter into the bottom of the prepared baking pan and spoon over half the blackberries. Spread on the remaining batter into an even layer and top with the rest of the blackberries.
- Bake for 30-35 minutes until the top of the cake is golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Cool the cake in the pan for 15 minutes before removing and cooling on a wire rack. Serve warm or at room temperature.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
This recipe turned out amazing! The texture reminds me a little of Costco muffins and thats how I will be making my next batch. Very good recipe and very versatile. Flavor is spot on, the yogurt is perfect in it for both texture and flavor.
I made this today and WOW is this delicious! It’s so versatile that you can eat it as a breakfast cake or add a whipped cream or cream cheese frosting and you have dessert. I’ll be keeping this on rotation for sure. Thank you