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My Citrus Greek Yogurt Cake is the perfect dessert for all of your spring and summer events! Bright, moist, and just perfectly sweet, this cake is sure to be well loved by everyone around your table.
If you follow along on my Instagram, you saw that we recently made this cake for our SideDish Greek Vinaigrette launch party! I wanted a bright cake to complement the rest of our fresh menu and this cake delivered. The guests loved it!
If you’ve never had olive oil cake, you’re missing out! It’s a Mediterranean cake that’s slightly sweet and finished with olive oil to add a subtle flavor while also helping to keep the cake moist. In my second book, The Comfortable Kitchen, Cady (our Defined Dish COO!) actually created the Lemon Avocado Oil Cake for a twist on the classic and that served as the base for this recipe, but with a few twists!
For this Citrus Greek Yogurt Cake, we chose to use olive oil instead plus incorporated Greek yogurt for additional moisture and pistachios for additional nuttiness. The combination with the Greek yogurt drizzle is truly out of this world. This cake is the perfect (slightly) sweet ending for your upcoming Easter celebrations or any spring and summer gathering you have on your calendar!
Ingredients:
- Cooking Spray
- Large Eggs
- Whole Milk Plain Greek Yogurt
- Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- Pure Maple Syrup
- Orange Zest
- Lemon Zest
- Freshly Squeezed Orange Juice
- Freshly Squeezed Lemon Juice
- Vanilla Extract
- Almond Extract
- Lightly Salted Pistachios
- Super-Fine Almond Flour
- Tapioca Flour
- Kosher Salt
- Baking Powder
- Baking Soda
- Powdered Sugar
Step-by-Step:
Step One: Prep Oven and Baking Pan
Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 350°F. Set a 9-inch cake pan on a sheet of parchment paper. Trace the bottom of the pan onto the paper, then cut out the circle. Lightly coat the pan with nonstick spray, making sure to coat the sides. Place the parchment round inside the pan and gently press it in place. Set aside.
Step Two: Whisk Wet Ingredients
In a large bowl using a handheld mixer (or stand mixer fitted with the whisk), beat the eggs on medium speed until pale yellow and frothy, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the Greek yogurt, olive oil, maple syrup, orange zest, lemon zest, orange juice, lemon juice, vanilla extract, and almond extract. Beat until well combined.
Step Three: Whisk Dry Ingredients
Place the pistachios in food processor and blend until just finely ground. (Don’t over blend or it starts to get pasty). Place in a separate large bowl with the almond flour, tapioca flour, salt, baking powder, and baking soda. Whisk to combine. It’s okay if there are still lumps, just whisk as well as you can.
Step Four: Combine Wet and Dry Ingredients
In 1-cup increments, slowly add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients, and beat at medium speed until just smooth. Carefully pour the batter into the prepared pan. Tap the cake pan lightly on the counter to release any air bubbles.
Step Five: Bake the Cake
Bake on the middle rack until the cake is golden brown and a toothpick or cake tester inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean, 40 to 45 minutes. If the cake begins to brown too quickly, place a sheet of foil loosely over the top.
Step Six: Cool the cake
Remove the cake from the oven and let it rest in the pan for 10 minutes. Run a butter knife around the edges to loosen it. Place a wire cooling rack on top of the cake pan and carefully flip it over so the cake releases onto the rack. Peel off the parchment paper. Using your hands or a sturdy spatula, gently flip the cake right-side up. Let it cool for 10 to 15 more minutes before slicing and serving.
Step Seven: Make Greek Yogurt Drizzle
In a small bowl, whisk together the Greek yogurt and powdered sugar until smooth. Store in fridge until ready to serve.
Step Eight: Slice and Garnish
Slice the cake and place each slice on a plate. Spoon the Greek yogurt drizzle over each slice, allowing it to cascade down the sides. Sprinkle with chopped pistachios and a touch of orange zest. Serve immediately and enjoy!
Recipe FAQs:
It is not! The Greek yogurt drizzle does bring some additional sweetness to the cake, but it is subtle. I’ve served this to non-cake lovers and it was a hit!
Yes! If hosting, you can definitely make this a day in advance. Bake the cake as directed and allow it to cool completely. Once cooled, wrap tightly and store on the counter. For the drizzle, make as directed and store covered in the fridge until ready to serve.
While you will likely end up eating the whole cake, if not, store the cake and yogurt drizzle separately. Store the yogurt drizzle covered in the fridge and the cake slices in an airtight container on the counter.
I hope y’all enjoy this recipe as much as I do! Comment below once you try it!
For More crowd-friendly dessert Recipes, try these:
No-Bake Chocolate Peanut Butter Cookies
Grain-Free and Dairy-Free Carrot Cake
Citrus Greek Yogurt Cake
Ingredients
For the Cake:
- Nonstick cooking spray
- 3 large eggs
- ½ cup whole milk plain Greek yogurt
- ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
- ½ cup pure maple syrup
- 1 teaspoon orange zest
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest
- 1/3 cup freshly squeezed orange juice
- ¼ cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon almond extract
- ½ cup lightly salted pistachios
- 2¼ cups super-fine almond flour
- ½ cup tapioca flour
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- 1½ teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
For the Greek Yogurt Drizzle:
- 1/3 cup whole milk plain Greek yogurt
- 1/3 cup powdered sugar
For Garnish:
- Orange zest
- ¼ cup roughly chopped lightly salted pistachios
Instructions
Bake the Cake:
- Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 350°F. Set a 9-inch cake pan on a sheet of parchment paper. Trace the bottom of the pan onto the paper, then cut out the circle. Lightly coat the pan with nonstick spray, making sure to coat the sides. Place the parchment round inside the pan and gently press it in place. Set aside.
- In a large bowl using a handheld mixer (or stand mixer fitted with the whisk), beat the eggs on medium speed until pale yellow and frothy, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the Greek yogurt, olive oil, maple syrup, orange zest, lemon zest, orange juice, lemon juice, vanilla extract, and almond extract. Beat until well combined.
- Place the pistachios in food processor and blend until just finely ground. (Don’t over blend or it starts to get pasty). Place in a separate large bowl with the almond flour, tapioca flour, salt, baking powder, and baking soda. Whisk to combine. It’s okay if there are still lumps, just whisk as well as you can.
- In 1-cup increments, slowly add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients, and beat at medium speed until just smooth. Carefully pour the batter into the prepared pan. Tap the cake pan lightly on the counter to release any air bubbles.
- Bake on the middle rack until the cake is golden brown and a toothpick or cake tester inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean, 40 to 45 minutes. If the cake begins to brown too quickly, place a sheet of foil loosely over the top.
- Remove the cake from the oven and let it rest in the pan for 10 minutes. Run a butter knife around the edges to loosen it. Place a wire cooling rack on top of the cake pan and carefully flip it over so the cake releases onto the rack. Peel off the parchment paper. Using your hands or a sturdy spatula, gently flip the cake right-side up. Let it cool for 10 to 15 more minutes before slicing and serving.
Meanwhile, Make the Greek Yogurt Drizzle:
- In a small bowl, whisk together the Greek yogurt and powdered sugar until smooth. Store in fridge until ready to serve.
To Serve:
- Slice the cake and place each slice on a plate. Spoon the Greek yogurt drizzle over each slice, allowing it to cascade down the sides. Sprinkle with chopped pistachios and a touch of orange zest. Serve immediately and enjoy!
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Photography and styling by Eat Love Eats.
Wonderfully moist and the right amount of citrus. I did not have tapioca flour and used all almond flour and it turned out perfect.. I also did not have whole yogurt for the frosting and used a vanilla nonfat yogurt with powdered sugar to taste and it turned out fabulous.
Glad you loved it
I’d like to try this, but can all purpose flour be used instead of the two flours in the recipe?
This was so good!! I made it two days in a row…one for a birthday and one for Easter. Everyone loved it!
wow, that makes me SO HAPPY!
This was perfect for Easter! Not overly sweet and so lovely and bright for spring!
thrilled it was a hit!
Perfectly moist, with a great nutty flavor and citrus that’s not overpowering. I recommend adding some vanilla/almond extract or orange zest to the glaze because it tasted like plain powdered sugar without. Also, if you don’t have tapioca flour and aren’t gluten free, you can substitute all purpose flour 1:1.
So good! Subtle citrus flavor perfect for the spring and summer.
So delicious and moist, you’d never know it’s gf. Used Tangerines instead of Oranges but otherwise followed it exactly and it’s perfect!
So happy you loved this one!
Could I use regular flour or what can use that I would have on hand?
I’d love to make this but am not a fan of orange flavoring. Could I use just the lemon? Would I replace the orange with more lemon? Thank you!
The orange is subtle but if you prefer you can use all lemon!
Excited to make this but would like to replace tapioca flour. What can i substitute? Would lower fat Greek yogurt work?