An easy lemon yogurt cake with flecks of fresh rosemary. Soft and light and topped with a zingy lemon glaze.

I'm a big fan of combining herbs with fruit. Peaches go well with thyme, strawberries are excellent with basil and mint, and lemon pairs fabulously with rosemary in this lemon and rosemary yogurt cake.
Ingredients
This cake is deliciously light. There's no butter in this cake as it uses olive oil instead. Along with some added yogurt, this gives a moist and tender crumb.
I've added in some chopped fresh rosemary too, to add some floral notes to the zingy lemon. It's such a great combo.
Method
- In a large bowl, combine the sugar, lemon zest, and chopped rosemary. Rub it together with your fingers to release the oils from the lemon zest. This step smells amazing!
- Add in the lemon juice and stir, then add in the eggs, yogurt and oil. Whisk it together by hand to combine it.
- In a separate small bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt.Tip it into the wet mixture and fold it well to combine. There may be some lumps in the batter but that's okay.
- Pour the batter into the prepared cake tin and bake in a preheated oven for about 40 minutes until the top of the cake springs back when touched and a skewer inserted into the middle of the cake comes out clean.
- After baking, let the cake sit for a few minutes before removing and placing on a cooling rack.
The Glaze
Once the cake has cooled, mix together the icing sugar and enough lemon juice to make a thick but pourable glaze.
Drizzle it lavishly over the lemon rosemary cake. Garnish it with some extra sprigs of rosemary.
Cake Tin Sizes
The cake can be baked in a few different tins.
I have baked this pictured cake in an 18cm/7inch round tin but a loaf tin could also be used.
Full Recipe
Lemon and Rosemary Yogurt Cake
A soft and light lemon yogurt cake with flecks of fresh rosemary. Topped with a zingy lemon glaze.
Ingredients
Lemon and Rosemary Yogurt Cake
- 165g granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon lemon zest
- 2 tablespoon fresh rosemary, finely chopped
- 60g lemon juice
- 2 large eggs
- 125g greek yogurt
- 112g olive oil
- 225g all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoon of baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
Lemon Glaze
- 2-3 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- 120g icing sugar
- Fresh rosemary
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F). Grease or line a cake tin (either an 18cm/7inch round cake tin or a loaf tin could be used.)
- In a large bowl, combine the sugar, lemon zest and chopped rosemary. Rub it together with your fingers to release the oils from the lemon zest. Add in the lemon juice and stir
- Add in the eggs, yogurt and oil and whisk it together by hand to combine it.
- In a separate small bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt.Tip it into the wet mixture and fold it well to combine. There may be some lumps in the batter but that's okay.
- Pour the batter into the prepared cake tin and bake for 35-40 minutes until the top of the cake springs back when touched and a skewer inserted into the middle of the cake comes out clearn.
- Let the cake sit for a few minutes before removing and placing on a cooling rack.
The Glaze
- Once the cake has cooled, mix together the icing sugar and enough lemon juice to make a thick but pourable glaze.
- Drizzle this over the cooled caked. Sprinkle with a little fresh rosemary.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 10 Serving Size: 1 gramsAmount Per Serving: Calories: 279Total Fat: 12gSaturated Fat: 2gUnsaturated Fat: 0gCholesterol: 49mgSodium: 227mgCarbohydrates: 39gFiber: 1gSugar: 24gProtein: 4g
Anu says
Can I substitute dried Rosemary in both the cake & glaze? Thanks!
Elien says
Hey you could but only use a pinch as it’s much stronger in flavour
Gabby says
I only have 22cm and 20cm cake tin; there any difference if I use a 20cm cake tin instead of 18cm? (Other than size.) I assume it may bake differently but would like to hear your opinion.
Elien says
Hey Gabby, you can definitely use a 20cm cake tin. It's what I used to use for this recipe. The only thing is that it makes a flatter cake than the 18cm. Baking time may be slightly shorter too 🙂
Fiona says
Could I please check that it’s definitely grams for the oil and yogurt and not ml?
Elien says
It’s grams 🙂
Gk says
Can you use nonfat plain Greek yogurt in the recipe ?
Home Grown Happiness says
Yes you can 🙂