So, You Want Cake but Have Zero Patience?
Alright, story time—last summer, it was so hot I couldn’t even face turning on the oven, but my sweet tooth was louder than a neighbor’s lawnmower on a Saturday morning. Enter: this 3-ingredient creamy yogurt cake with berries. My sister swears I invented it (I didn’t, but let’s go with it), and it genuinely saved the day when I wanted something a bit fancy but didn’t feel like faffing about. To be honest, the first time I made it, I thought, “Well, this’ll either be genius or wind up as a story about what not to do.” Spoiler: it’s become a regular for good reason. Oh, and don’t get me started on how my brother eats half before it even cools. Typical.
Why You'll Love This (Besides the Obvious...Cake)
I make this when I crave something creamy but can’t be bothered with complicated stuff. My family goes absolutely crazy for it because it’s like cheesecake’s chill cousin. Also, if you’re like me and sometimes just want cake now, this is your jam. (Side note: cleaning up is a breeze. Huge win. The number of sticky bowls I’ve washed in my life? Too many!) Oh, and if you have that one friend who’s always ‘not eating carbs’—they’ll probably eat this anyway. I mean, it’s mostly yogurt, right? Sort of?
What You'll Need (and What I Sometimes Sub)
- 2 cups (about 500g) plain Greek yogurt – I’ve used thick Icelandic Skyr too. My gran honestly insists on the full-fat kind, but honestly, I grab whatever’s in the fridge. Even vanilla yogurt works, though it makes it a bit sweeter.
- 4 large eggs – You could maybe use 3 if you’re low; it just comes out a bit softer (not the end of the world, honestly).
- ½ cup sugar (100g) – I sometimes swap in maple syrup or honey (makes it a tad runnier, but still delicious). My friend in Dublin likes coconut sugar—go wild.
- 2 handfuls fresh berries – I’m partial to raspberries, but blueberries, blackberries, or strawberries (even frozen in a pinch!) work just fine. Or, skip them and drizzle with jam later.
How to Make This (Trust Me, It’s Easy)
- Preheat your oven to 170°C (about 340°F). Or, actually, sometimes I just set it to 160°C if I’m using a glass dish. Either way, give it a minute to heat up.
- Grease a 9-inch (23cm) cake pan or a springform tin with a bit of butter. Baking paper helps if you hate sticking, but I’ve skipped it in a hurry and just used more butter. Works fine.
- In a mixing bowl, whisk together yogurt, eggs, and sugar until it’s smoothish. (This is when I usually sneak a taste—no shame.) If you’re using vanilla yogurt or honey, it might look a little lumpy. Don’t worry, it always evens out.
- Pour the mixture into your prepared tin. Scatter berries over the top. Or swirl them in for a marbled look. Sometimes my berries just sink—honestly, it’s all good.
- Bake for 35 to 40 minutes—keep an eye on it after 30. The top should be slightly golden and a bit wobbly in the middle (wobble is good here!).
- Let it cool for at least 20 minutes before slicing. I know, waiting is torture. But it’s worth it—trust me, I once cut it too early and, well, let’s just say it needed a spoon.
Notes from My Many Attempts
- Don’t panic if the cake puffs up and then sinks as it cools. Totally normal. If it cracks—well, more room for the berries to hang out, right?
- Actually, I find it works better if I use room temperature eggs. But more than once I’ve just used them straight from the fridge and it was fine.
- For a firmer cake, let it sit in the fridge overnight. I think it tastes better the next day, but nobody in my house has the self-control for that.
Stuff I've Tried (and One That Flopped)
- Swapping in lemon zest—delicious! Adds a bit of zing, though the kids were suspicious at first.
- Chocolate chips instead of berries—good idea in theory, but mine all sank to the bottom and made a weird layer. Maybe don’t do that unless you coat them in flour (which I always forget).
- Stirring in peanut butter… let’s just say, it sounded better in my head. The texture was, um, odd.
Do You Really Need Fancy Equipment? (Not Really)
I use a hand whisk and a mixing bowl—nothing fancy. If you don’t have a springform pan, a deep pie dish works. I even tried making it in a loaf tin once (came out a bit odd-shaped, but still tasty). No electric mixer needed, unless you want to feel like you’re on Bake Off.
How to Store (If You Somehow Have Leftovers)
Pop any leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge. It’ll keep for 2-3 days, probably. Though honestly, in my house it never lasts more than a day! If it does stick around, I sometimes eat it straight from the fridge with a spoon. Not even sorry.
Serving: The Way We Do It
I like mine with a dollop of extra yogurt and a drizzle of runny honey. My mum, though, always insists on a dusting of icing sugar (she calls it ‘a little snow on top’—bless her). If you want to go full fancy, a scoop of vanilla ice cream on the side is dreamy. We once tried it with warm custard and, well, that was next-level.
Real-Life Lessons (AKA, Don’t Do What I Did)
- I once tried rushing the cooling step and regretted it because the cake just fell apart into a creamy puddle (tasted fine, but not exactly photogenic…)
- Don’t overbake it, or it’ll get weirdly rubbery. Set a timer and resist the urge to keep checking ‘just in case.’
FAQ—You've Actually Asked Me These!
- Can I use low-fat yogurt? Sure! It’s a bit less creamy, but still good. Actually, I did that last week when I was out of the full-fat stuff. Nobody noticed.
- Do the berries have to be fresh? Nah. Frozen work just fine. Sometimes I even use a mix of both. Just don’t thaw them first or you’ll get extra juice (makes it pretty, though a bit messier).
- How sweet is it? Not tooth-achingly sweet. But if you want more, add a bit of extra sugar or serve with a sweet sauce. Or, on second thought, maybe just sprinkle some brown sugar on top before baking—yum.
- Can I make it gluten-free? It already is! No flour here. Which is handy when my cousin visits. (He’s gluten-free and always suspicious of cake for some reason.)
- Where can I get more ideas? Honestly, I find inspiration for tweaks at Smitten Kitchen and sometimes check Bigger Bolder Baking for fun variations.
Anyway, if you give it a go, let me know how it turns out—or if you find a combo that actually beats berries (I doubt it, but hey, prove me wrong!). Cake with three ingredients? It’s not magic, but it’s close enough for me.
Ingredients
- 2 cups plain Greek yogurt
- 4 large eggs
- 1 cup self-rising flour
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup mixed fresh berries (strawberries, blueberries, raspberries)
- Powdered sugar, for dusting (optional)
Instructions
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1Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and line an 8-inch round cake pan with parchment paper.
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2In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the Greek yogurt, eggs, granulated sugar, vanilla extract, and salt until smooth and well combined.
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3Gently fold in the self-rising flour until just incorporated. Do not overmix.
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4Pour the batter into the prepared cake pan and smooth the top with a spatula.
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5Bake for 40 minutes, or until the cake is set and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Allow to cool completely in the pan.
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6Remove the cake from the pan, top with fresh mixed berries, and dust with powdered sugar before serving.
Approximate Information for One Serving
Nutrition Disclaimers
Number of total servings shown is approximate. Actual number of servings will depend on your preferred portion sizes.
Nutritional values shown are general guidelines and reflect information for 1 serving using the ingredients listed, not including any optional ingredients. Actual macros may vary slightly depending on specific brands and types of ingredients used.
To determine the weight of one serving, prepare the recipe as instructed. Weigh the finished recipe, then divide the weight of the finished recipe (not including the weight of the container the food is in) by the desired number of servings. Result will be the weight of one serving.
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