Emelia Jackson's French yoghurt cake is the epitome of easy

RecipePosted Sat 25 Jul 2026 at 12:00pmSat 25 Jul 2026 at 12:00pmPrep time: 15 minutesCook time: 35 minutesSkill level: LowServes: 10-12Emelia Jackson says this cake has an accessible ingredient list and an "all-in-one method". (Supplied: Armelle Habib/Murdoch Books)This recipe is "the epitome of easy cake", says Emelia Jackson.Her version of the ratio-driven French yoghurt cake or "gateau au yaourt" requires very little equipment and is simple enough for kids to tackle."It's just such an easy cake to whip up at any time," she says.The recipe includes a sour cherry compote to serve with the cake, but the ingredients list calls for frozen fruit, making it feasible year-round."It offers a bit of tartness, a bit of sweetness, dresses up what is fundamentally a very simple cake."Sour cherries are also particularly meaningful to Emelia."When I was growing up my grandma — my baba — always had morello cherries in jars in the pantry or sour cherries in the freezer. It's just a very Eastern European ingredient to incorporate into your daily life."However, she says the formula can also be easily adapted.The compote could be omitted and different fruit or even chocolate chips could be folded into the mixture instead."It's a beautiful one just to have with a little cup of tea in the afternoon, but you can also use it as the base cake or like a layer cake for celebrations."Tips:An oil-based cake retains moisture for longer than a butter-based cake, and so Emelia says this cake can cater tea breaks and help fill lunch boxes for three to four days after baking.The sour cherry compote can be included or simply left out. It can be enjoyed with just a dusting of icing sugar.You can fold chocolate chips through the batter "like a chocolate muffin cake" or add stewed fruit too. "The moisture of stewed fruit through the batter adds something really beautiful as well," Emelia says.Emelia says she's also made variations of this recipe that are similar to an upside-down cake by drizzling some honey into the base of the tin, laying out batons of rhubarb and adding the cake batter on top.This upside-down method could work with your favourite seasonal fruit, such as stone fruit or blueberries.Emelia Jackson's French yoghurt cake Prep time: 15 minutesCook time: 35 minutesSkill level: LowServes: 10-12IngredientsFor the cake:125g natural or Greek-style yoghurt, plus extra to serve65 ml neutral-flavoured oil, such as grapeseed or rice bran oil3 eggs1 tablespoon vanilla bean paste250g caster (superfine) sugar375g plain (all-purpose) flour1 tablespoon baking powderFor the sour cherry compote:400g frozen sour cherries1 cinnamon stick65g caster (superfine) sugar½ vanilla bean or ½ teaspoon of vanilla bean pasteMethodPreheat the oven to 160°C fan-forced. Line a 25 x 10cm loaf tin with baking paper.In a large mixing bowl, combine the yoghurt, oil, eggs and vanilla and whisk together to combine. In a separate bowl, combine the sugar, flour and baking powder and whisk to combine.Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and use a spatula to gently mix them together. Be careful not to over-mix here, as you don't want a tough cake. Transfer the batter to the loaf tin and smooth out the top.Bake for 30-35 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the centre of the cake comes out clean. Allow to cool in the tin for 10 minutes before turning it out onto a wire rack to cool completely.For the sour cherry compote, combine all of the ingredients in a saucepan with 2 tablespoons water and bring to the boil over medium heat. Continue to boil until the liquid has thickened to a syrupy consistency, then set aside and allow to cool. Remove the cinnamon stick before serving.To serve the cake, cut a 2cm slice and serve with a dollop of yoghurt and some sour cherry compote.This recipe is taken from You Had Me at Cake by Emelia Jackson.