Lemon Vanilla Yogurt Cake Recipe

Recipe contributed by Harmless Harvest.

A nice slice of cake is the perfect indulgence— it’s fluffy, sweet, and oh so good. Thankfully, that’s an indulgence you don’t have to give up when you’re on a plant-based diet. Not using eggs may be a bit of a learning curve, but do you realize you can use yogurt in your baked goods? It’s true, Beauties! That’s why I’m so excited to work with Harmless Harvest, so I can share this lemon vanilla yogurt cake recipe with you.

This easy yogurt cake made with Harmless Harvest’s dairy-free vanilla yogurt has a delicious lemony flavor, with a subtle warm hint of vanilla. It’s light, delicious, and 100% vegan-friendly. Anyone else want some cake now!? :)

If I already had you at “cake,” you can go ahead and jump to the recipe below. But if you’re curious about why yogurt works so well in cake as a dairy-free baking alternative, keep reading.

Why Use Yogurt in Cake?

Using either greek yogurt or plain yogurt in your cake batter can elevate a recipe in so many ways. It can replace other baking components like sour cream, bringing all the flavor and texture without the dairy (and if you’re concerned with how much fat you’re consuming – less fat).

Yogurt has such a nice creaminess to it, and also gives the cake a lovely, moist texture. Yogurt’s acidic properties activate the baking soda in the cake, which makes the cakes light and fluffy.

We’re using vanilla in this recipe, but the yogurt’s flavor is important too. Plain yogurt itself can give a cake a lovely, old-fashioned kind of flavor, while flavored yogurts like lemon or vanilla can add additional flavors into the cake. Chocolate yogurt cake, lemon yogurt cake, French yogurt cake… the sky’s the limit!

If you come across other recipes recommending yogurt, but don’t specify plant-based versions, don’t worry! Plant-based yogurt works the same as their dairy counterpart (I’d personally say better!), so you can have your cake and eat it too. :)

Baking Without Eggs

If it’s been a while since you’ve eaten a slice of cake because you’re avoiding dairy and eggs, then you just haven’t tried one of the amazing alternatives. Trust me, you won’t even miss the eggs!

Eggs are used in baking for three reasons: Binding (holding ingredients together), leavening (helping baked goods rise), and moisture (preventing baked goods from being dry). Fortunately, there are lots of plant-based alternatives to eggs with the same benefits that you can use when vegan baking.

Fruit puree, including applesauce or mashed bananas
Vinegar and baking soda
Yogurt (dairy-free of course!)
Ground flax seeds or chia seeds
Aquafaba (chickpea liquid)

Give these a try if you’re looking for great dairy-free alternatives in your baking! It’s so important for our health to avoid dairy products where we can— this includes eggs, milk, butter, and regular yogurt.

I recommend keeping dairy-free yogurt in the kitchen, both as a versatile cooking staple and as a light snack.

The Health Benefits of Dairy Free Yogurt

Probiotic-rich foods are an important part of our diets. Fermented foods like sauerkraut, kimchi, kombucha, and dairy-free yogurt are helpful aids when maintaining gut health. When combined with a good probiotic supplement and digestive enzymes, these foods are amazing for helping you feel beautiful inside and out.

Yogurt is a popular health food because it’s high in vitamins and nutrients, as well as probiotics, but unfortunately, dairy yogurt also comes with some unpleasant side effects.

Dairy is mucus forming, so it can leave us feeling a little funky after we eat it. Not only that but dairy is a major culprit when it comes to acne and breakouts. Dairy yogurt’s acidity can also contribute to acid imbalance in our bodies, which can cause calcium loss in our bones and potentially even osteoporosis.

Dairy-free yogurt, on the other hand, doesn’t share these negative aspects. So you can enjoy all of those great probiotics and nutrients without any worry. :) Just keep in mind, the probiotic benefits of the yogurt are lost when heated, so although you won’t benefit directly from the probiotics in this delicious dessert, sneaking in a few spoonfuls while baking can do your gut some good!

Lovely Lemon Health Benefits

I recommend drinking warm lemon water every morning because these bright and beautiful citrus fruits have so many health benefits. I’ve been drinking it for years! It’s an Ayurvedic practice that aids digestion, boosts your immunity, and helps keeps your body free of toxins.

Lemons are so good for you and should definitely make an appearance in your kitchen in other ways. That’s why when I can add lemon in dessert recipes, I do!

Lemons are high in vitamin C, vitamin B6, and potassium. Studies have shown that eating plenty of fruits high in vitamin C can also reduce your risk of heart disease, and the citric acid in lemons may help prevent kidney stones.

Vitamin C in lemons can also help your body better absorb iron from your diet, which can help prevent anemia and is especially beneficial for our pregnant mamas!

And of course, lemons have amazing beauty benefits, including helping to stimulate collagen production! Your body needs vitamin C in order to produce collagen – as it is that amazing connective tissue that keeps your skin plump and appearing youthful.

Joys of Eating Cake on a Plant-Based Diet

So, can you eat cake on a plant-based diet? Of course you can! With just a few easy dairy-free substitutions.

I’m so glad that everyone can still enjoy cake on a plant-based diet; it can especially be helpful if you’re new to plant-based eating and need help with the transition. With the beautiful flavors from the lemon and vanilla plus the light and fluffy texture from using dairy-free yogurt, this is a match made in heaven.

If you give this recipe a try leave me a comment below, or tag me on Instagram so I can see all your beautiful and unique creations. If you love this recipe, please also share it with your family and friends on Pinterest!

Lots of love,