Here is the easiest 3 ingredient yogurt cake that you will ever make. This cake has a firm texture that is also creamy and makes a lovely summer dessert.
You will love how low in sugar and calories this yogurt cake is as the only sugar added comes from the sweetened yogurt. This is the perfect flourless cake to serve to your gluten free family and friends!
This low-key yogurt cake is made with only 3 ingredients (super basic ones too) that you likely already have at home. The vanilla yogurt gives the cake a dreamy, dessert taste that goes beautifully with fresh berries and my 2-Ingredient Caramel Sauce! You’ve got to try it.
Check out my easy 3 Ingredient Peanut Butter Cookies (no egg), 3 Ingredient Peanut Butter Brownies or these 3 Ingredient Crepes for other tasty treats with minimal ingredients.
Why you'll love this recipe
- Flourless and gluten-free
- Low in sugar
- Made with only 3 ingredients
- Minimal equipment and clean up
- As a neutral base, it pairs with so many different toppings and fruits
Ingredients & substitution notes
- Vanilla yogurt: Make sure to use high-quality vanilla or plain yogurt for the best results (I love vanilla greek yogurt). I recommend using one that is full fat and sweetened. If the regular yogurt you use is unsweetened, it might be too mild or bland in flavor. Or you'll need to add a little bit of sugar.
- Cornstarch: Gives the cake its structure while keeping it light and tender. I haven’t tried it but potato starch and arrowroot flour should be good alternatives.
- Eggs: Eggs (whole and extra egg whites) provide moisture and help bind the ingredients together. I recommend high quality organic free-range eggs.
See recipe card for quantities.
How to make a 3 ingredient yogurt cake
STEP 1: Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Add the eggs and extra egg white to a large mixing bowl and beat by hand until frothy. You can also use an electric hand mixer.
STEP 2: Add the yogurt and whisk again until fully incorporated.
STEP 3: Sieve the cornstarch in stages, through a fine mesh sieve. Gently tap on the side of the sieve with your hand. See how to do it here in my video.
STEP 4: Line springform pan with a piece of parchment paper. Pour the cake batter into the prepared cake pan. Bake on center rack for about an hour. Remove the cake tin from the oven and let it rest/sit at room temperature in the pan for about 30 minutes. Transfer the cake onto a wire rack and let it cool for a further 30 minutes.
Top tips
- High-quality eggs: Since there are 5 eggs included in this cake, it's really important to choose fresh, high-quality (I prefer organic free-range) eggs for best results.
- Type of yogurt: Choose full-fat sweetened yogurt.
- Whisk thoroughly to avoid corn starch crumbs
- Baking time: Monitor baking time carefully to avoid the cake being under or overdone.
- Check doneness after the 55 minutes mark by gently shaking the cake. An easy way to tell is if it ripples in the center, it is not yet ready. If it only wobbles a little, it is ready to come out of the oven.
- Serve warm: put the cake in microwave or oven and reheat until warm
- Toppings: This cake is lightly sweetened so I love to add toppings, my favorite being this Peanut Butter Caramel Sauce!
- Golden top: For a golden top, pop the cake on the top wrack for the last 5 minutes. Alternatively, caramelize it for a minute or so under the broiler. You will need to watch the cake very carefully.
Topping ideas
- Caramel Sauce: this is my absolute favorite topping
- Powdered sugar
- Melted chocolate
- Fresh fruit
- Coulis
- Powdered sugar: sieve it over the top.
- Powdered sugar and cocoa powder mix: sieve it over the top.
Variations & add-ins
- Sweeter: This 3 ingredient Greek yogurt cake is only lightly sweetened. For a sweeter cake feel free to add a quarter cup of granulated sweetener such as soft brown or white sugar.
- Spices: on their own or as a blend: Cinnamon, ginger, cardamom, nutmeg, chai spice
- Lemon, lime or orange zest: for more tangy flavors. Or add ½ a teaspoon of lemon juice
- Flavored yogurt: Use different fruit flavored yogurt like chocolate or berry
- Vanilla extract: for stronger vanilla flavors
- Almond extract: as an alternative to vanilla
- Fresh berries: add them into the batter
- Chocolate chips (top with shaved chocolate)
Equipment
- Electric hand mixer or whisk
- Springform or cake pan
- Parchment paper
Pairing suggestions
These are my favorite drinks to serve with this 3-ingredient yogurt cake:
Storage
- To store: Store any leftover yogurt cake in an airtight container in the refrigerator. This cake will stay moist for several days if properly stored.
- To freeze: I haven't tried freezing the cake.
- To reheat: I love serving this cake warm. Pop it into the microwave for a couple of seconds or in the oven on low heat for about 5 minutes or until warm.
FAQ
Not quite but it’s similar. It is firmer and the texture is more dense.
No, it is not possible to make an egg-free variation of this cake without a totally different result. The egg is what sets the yogurt.
The cake should be firm but not rubbery, you might have baked it for too long or at a too high temperature.
No, not with the same cornstarch ratio because it will water down the cake batter. I haven’t tested the recipe using a liquid sweetener.
I haven’t tested the recipe using potato starch but they are typically used interchangeably. I haven’t tested this recipe using regular flour but the cake is likely to be denser than if made with cornflour.
Related recipes
Looking for other recipes like this? Try these:
📖 Recipe
3 Ingredient Yogurt Cake
Equipment
- 1 cake pan (8 inch/ 20cm)
- 1 sheet of parchment paper
- 1 whisk or electric hand mixer
- 1 mixing bowl
- 1 fine mesh strainer or sifter
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups (500 g) vanilla yogurt (full-fat, sweetened), see notes
- ¼ + 1 tbsp cup (40 g) cornstarch
- 5 eggs (3 eggs, 2 egg-whites)
Optional
- ¼ cup (50 g) soft brown sugar
- peanut caramel sauce (topping)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C).
- To a mixing bowl add 3 eggs and 2 egg whites (or 5 whole eggs, see notes). Beat until frothy using an electric hand mixer or a whisk.
- Add the yogurt and whisk again until fully incorporated.
- Optional step: This cake is lightly sweetened, if you prefer a sweeter cake or won't add any sweet toppings then I recommend adding ¼ cup of granulated sugar (I prefer soft brown) to the yogurt and eggs.
- Place the fine mesh strainer over the bowl. Add the cornstarch a little at a time. Gently tap the side of the strainer with your hand to push the cornstarch through the strainer (see step-by-step photos or video).
- Line a cake pan with parchment paper. Pour the batter into the pan and bake on the middle rack for about 55 minutes.
- Remove from the oven. Let the cake sit in the pan for another 30 minutes before moving it onto a wire rack. The cake will deflate- that's normal. Let sit for another 30 minutes until fully cooled down (it will firm up even more).
- Serve with toppings of choice (dusted icing sugar, Peanut Butter Caramel Sauce) and enjoy!
Video
Notes
- Eggs: Since there are 5 eggs included in this cake, it's really important to choose fresh, high-quality (I prefer organic free-range) eggs for best results. I chose to use 3 whole eggs and 2 egg whites to reduce the amount of cholesterol but feel free to use 5 whole eggs.
- Type of yogurt: Choose full-fat sweetened yogurt. I love vanilla greek yogurt.
- Baking time: Monitor baking time carefully to avoid the cake being under or overdone (which might result in a rubbery texture). Check doneness after the 55 minute mark: Gently shake the springform pan. If the entire cake ripples, it should continue baking. If the dough only wobbles a little in the middle, the cake is ready.
- Golden top: If the cake is fully baked but you want to achieve a browned top, try placing the cake on the upper-middle rack for the last 5 minutes. Alternatively, you can turn on the broiler for a minute or two. However watch the cake closely, as it can go from lightly browned to burnt very quickly.
- Toppings: This cake is lightly sweetened so I love to add toppings such as dusted icing sugar, coulis, jam or my favorite being this Peanut Butter Caramel Sauce!
- Firmness: The cake will become firmer the longer it sits in the fridge.
- Serve warm: put the cake in microwave or oven and reheat until warm.
Angela says
Delicious! Thank you! Is it possible to use all egg whites instead of whole eggs?
Katie says
Hi Angela, Sorry I haven't used all egg whites so I can't say how it will turn out. The egg yolk gives it a little richer flavor and texture.