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Sliced Greek lemon yogurt cake on a marble board showing a moist crumb and glossy syrup-soaked top, lemon halves nearby

Soft Greek Lemon Yogurt Cake with Lemon Syrup Soak

A soft olive oil and Greek yogurt cake soaked in warm lemon syrup, baked in a 23 cm / 9-inch round pan.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 45 minutes
Total Time 2 hours 5 minutes
Servings: 10 servings
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: Mediterranean
Calories: 376
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Cake
  • 280 g all-purpose flour spooned and leveled
  • 2 tsp baking powder
  • 1/2 tsp baking soda
  • 1/4 tsp fine salt
  • 3 eggs large; room temperature
  • 200 g granulated sugar
  • 120 ml olive oil extra virgin
  • 250 g full-fat Greek yogurt room temperature
  • 2 tbsp lemon zest about 2 lemons
  • 60 ml fresh lemon juice
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
Lemon Syrup
  • 100 g granulated sugar
  • 120 ml water
  • 60 ml fresh lemon juice
  • 2 tbsp honey

Method
 

Make the Batter
  1. Heat the oven to 170 C / 340 F. Grease a 23 cm / 9-inch round cake pan and line the base with parchment.
  2. Whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt together in a bowl. Set aside.
  3. In a large bowl, whisk the eggs and sugar together for about 2 minutes, until pale and slightly thickened.
  4. Whisk the olive oil, yogurt, lemon zest, lemon juice, and vanilla into the egg mixture until smooth.
  5. Fold the dry ingredients into the wet mixture in three additions, mixing just until combined. The batter should be thick but pourable.
Bake and Soak
  1. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top. Bake for 40 to 45 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean and the top is golden.
  2. While the cake bakes, combine the sugar, water, and lemon juice for the syrup in a 16 cm / 1-quart saucepan. Simmer for 5 minutes, until slightly thickened, then stir in the honey off the heat.
  3. As soon as the cake comes out of the oven, poke holes all over the top with a wooden skewer.
  4. Slowly pour the warm syrup over the hot cake, letting it soak in before adding more. Let it sit for 20 minutes so the syrup absorbs fully.
  5. Cool the cake completely in the pan on a wire rack, about 1 hour, before turning out and slicing. Slicing too soon while the crumb is still wet will cause it to fall apart.

Notes

  • Spoon and level the flour, don't scoop straight from the bag.
  • Poke holes in the hot cake before pouring on the syrup.
  • Cool the cake fully in the pan before slicing, about 1 hour.
  • Use room temperature eggs and yogurt for a smoother batter.