Chocolate Yogurt Cake
Easy to make with delicious chocolate flavor, this Chocolate Yogurt Cake has a moist, dense texture with a light and tender crumb. Made with cocoa powder, oil and yogurt, it’s a simple and elegant dessert!
Single layer cake recipes are simply the best for special occasions or weeknight desserts! This one pan chocolate cake and chocolate bundt cake are two other favorites.
When it comes to the best chocolate cake recipes, you will often find that the cakes are loaded with butter and smothered under layers of fluffy buttercream frosting. This chocolate yogurt cake recipe uses plain, whole fat yogurt instead of butter and the results are drool-worthy!
This chocolate cake recipe with yogurt is moist, super-chocolatey and has the best tender crumb. You will need a mixer to incorporate air into the batter to keep the cake light, but you could use a whisk if you would like.
Serve this cake for a decadent breakfast, as an afternoon snack or for dessert. It really is the best combination of my favorite chocolate cake with mocha frosting and easy yogurt cake!
Why You Will Love Chocolate Cake Recipe with Yogurt
- Decadent: While this may have a few less calories than a regular chocolate cake, yogurt chocolate cake is not what would be considered a health food with its rich, chocolate flavor and sweet taste.
- Easy to make: Simple ingredients, a few steps and this yogurt chocolate cake is ready to bake in the oven!
- Tender and moist: Using yogurt plus oil makes this cake so moist! Unlike butter, even if you decide to refrigerate it it will stay nice and moist.
- Anytime cake: Fancy enough for guests yet easy enough for a weeknight, this cake goes to show that a delicious cake doesn’t need to be complicated or layered with frosting.
Ingredients Needed
- Cake flour: With less protein content, cake flour is best for cakes. All-purpose flour can be used but your cake will have a coarser crumb.
- Dutch process cocoa powder: Also known as dark cocoa powder this type of unsweetened cocoa powder isn’t as bitter as regular cocoa powder. Do not substitute natural cocoa powder or your cake may not rise as well.
- Baking powder and baking soda: Leavening agents for lift and rise.
- Salt: Enhances the taste of the other ingredients.
- Eggs: Two large eggs and one large egg yolk add binding and additional moisture.
- Granulated sugar: White sugar adds sweet taste.
- Yogurt: I used plain, whole fat yogurt. You can also make Greek yogurt chocolate cake.
- Vanilla extract: Adds depth of flavor.
- Oil: You can use vegetable oil, sunflower oil or corn oil.
- Milk: 2% milk or whole is best for rich flavor.
- Powdered sugar: Is an optional garnish but adds an elegant touch plus sweet taste to the cake.
Variations
- Chocolate chips: Add up to a cup of semi-sweet chocolate chips. Use some in the batter and some sprinkled on top of the cake before baking. Use dark chocolate chips or white chocolate chips for contrasting colors.
- Glaze: Add a rich chocolate glaze to the cake after it has cooled!
- Espresso: Add up to a teaspoon of espresso powder to the cake batter to intensify the chocolate flavor.
- Nuts: Add some crunch to your chocolate yogurt cake by folding in ½ cup toasted pecans or walnuts into the batter. You could also add some glazed pecans on the top!
- Less oil: If you are looking to reduce the oil further and actually make a healthier chocolate yogurt cake, replace ½ cup of the vegetable oil with ½ cup applesauce.
- Cupcakes: Chocolate yogurt cupcakes would be perfect for individual sized cakes! Fill each muffin tin lined with a paper liner ¾ full and bake for around 18 to 22 minutes.
- Marble cake: While you could make this into a marble cake, just make this easy Italian marble cake instead!
How to Make Chocolate Yogurt Cake
To start, whisk dry ingredients together of flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a bowl to remove any lumps then set aside.
Next, using an electric mixer, beat the eggs, egg yolk and sugar until foamy. Add the yogurt and vanilla then beat on low until combined.
Drizzle in the oil and milk then add the whisked ingredients and beat on low to combine.
Pour batter into a prepared pan and bake until baked through, test for doneness with a toothpick. Let cool in the pan before inverting and moving to a wire rack to cool completely. Dust with powdered sugar before serving and enjoy.
Tips For Making Easy Chocolate Yogurt Cake
- Grease cake pan: Grease and flour your cake pan so the cake slides out easily. Depending on the type of pan used you may be able to line it with parchment paper.
- Type of yogurt: I used whole fat plain yogurt. You could use Greek yogurt or even a flavored yogurt such as vanilla yogurt if you would like. Sour cream could be used in a pinch!
- Room temperature ingredients: Room temperature eggs, milk and yogurt mix into the cake mix smoother resulting in an evenly baked cake.
- Avoid overmixing: As with most baked goods, avoid overmixing your chocolate yogurt cake as it leads to dense or worse yet gummy results.
- Don’t overbake: Start checking for doneness a few minutes before the cake is done. Insert a toothpick into the center of the cake, if it comes out clean or with a few crumbs your chocolatey cake is done!
- Read the recipe: It’s worth noting that with most baked goods, reading the recipe not only once but twice will lead to the best results!
What does yogurt do in a cake?
Yogurt in a cake adds a unique tangy taste that balances sweetness, it adds moisture and makes the cake have a denser, tighter crumb.
Can I use Greek yogurt instead of regular yogurt?
Yes! This can be made into a chocolate cake with Greek yogurt! Use Greek yogurt as a 1:1 substitute.
What pan is best to use when making this chocolate yogurt cake recipe?
While I made this in a 9-inch bundt pan Ciambellone style like my classic Italian bundt cake, you can make it in a springform pan or tube pan if you would like. A 9-inch round cake pan may work if it has higher sides.
I do not recommend a loaf pan as you may need to make adjust measurements for it to bake properly, just make this chocolate bread instead.
How to serve this chocolate cake?
For a weeknight dessert, enjoy a slice of this rich chocolate cake with a scoop of vanilla ice cream. You could double the recipe if you would like and turn it into a layered cake like this frosted vanilla birthday cake!
More Chocolate Cake Recipes
- Baci Chocolate Birthday Cake
- Chocolate Pear Cake
- Chocolate Swiss Roll Cake
- Chocolate Pudding Cake
- Chocolate Glaze Marble Cake
So when you are looking for a delicious simple chocolate cake made with yogurt then I hope you give this easy cake a try! Enjoy!
Chocolate Yogurt Cake
Ingredients
- 2 cups cake flour
- 4½ tablespoons cocoa (sifted) unsweetened dutch processed
- 1¼ teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 2 large eggs (room temperature)
- 1 large egg yolk (room temperature)
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- 1 cup yogurt plain whole fat
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- ½ cup + 3 tablespoons oil (vegetable oil, coconut oil, light olive oil or melted and cooled butter) (154 grams total, if you double the recipe then double this amount)
- ¼ cup milk (2% or whole milk)
EXTRAS
- 1-2 tablespoons powdered sugar
Instructions
- Pre-heat oven to 350F/180C. Grease & flour or spray a 9 inch bundt or tube pan.
- Whisk together the flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
- Beat the eggs, yolk and sugar until foamy 3-4 minutes. Add the yogurt and vanilla beat on low until combined. Drizzle in the oil and milk while beating. Add the whisked ingredients beat on low to combine (1 minute).
- Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake 30-35 minutes or until a toothpick comes out dry or with a couple of crumbs attached. Let cool 15-20 minutes in the pan then move to a wire rack to cool completely. Dust with powdered sugar before serving. Enjoy!
Wondering if I could add chocolate chips a nuts to this cake. Any advice?
Hi Kathy, yes I think that would work, toss the chocolate chips with 2-3 teaspoons of flour so they don’t sink, it’s also a good idea to freeze them first then toss with flour. I hope you enjoy it. Take care!