Bake

Blueberry-Thyme Yogurt Cake from Dorie Greenspan

by:
July  6, 2022
4.4
64 Ratings
Blueberry-Thyme Yogurt Cake from Dorie Greenspan
Photo by MJ Kroeger. Prop Stylist: Molly FitzSimons. Food Stylist: Anna Billingskog.
  • Prep time 15 minutes
  • Cook time 1 hour
  • Serves 8
Author Notes

This French yogurt cake is so simple, cookbook author Dorie Greenspan explains in Baking: From My Home to Yours, that in France it’s typically measured by scooping up flour, sugar, and oil right in the yogurt container. But yogurt comes in different sizes in the United States, so Dorie worked out a version of the recipe that could be re-created worldwide, either by weight or with measuring cups and spoons.

Pinching the citrus zest and herbs into the sugar is both therapeutic and memorable: It’s a genius trick you can take to other recipes to send good smells floating through your kitchen and, ultimately, your cake. As I was writing Simply Genius, Dorie had just taught this blueberry, lemon, and thyme riff for a cooking class, but feel free to get creative with other berries, citrus, and herbs.

Excerpted from Simply Genius: Recipes for Beginners, Busy Cooks & Curious People (Ten Speed Press, September 27, 2022).

P.S. For a sneak peek of 14 more new recipes and riffs with all preorders of Simply Genius, head here.
—Genius Recipes

What You'll Need
Watch This Recipe
Blueberry-Thyme Yogurt Cake from Dorie Greenspan
Ingredients
  • Softened butter or baker’s spray, for the pan
  • 1 1/2 cups (204g) all-purpose flour
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
  • 1 cup (200g) sugar
  • 1 or 2 teaspoons finely chopped thyme
  • 1 lemon
  • 1/2 cup (120ml) plain yogurt, at room temperature
  • 3 large eggs, at room temperature
  • 1/2 cup (120ml) oil, such as canola or olive oil
  • 1 cup (150g) blueberries
  • Lightly sweetened crème fraîche, for serving (optional)
Directions
  1. Get prepped: Heat the oven to 350°F (175°C) with a rack in the center. Generously butter the inside of an 8 1/2 by 4 1/2-inch (21 by 11cm) loaf pan (or coat it with baker’s spray). If your pan is 1/2 inch/1.3cm bigger all around, that’s okay—check the cake a little earlier as it might bake faster.
  2. Mix dry, mix wet: In a small bowl, whisk the flour, baking powder, and salt together. To a medium bowl, add the sugar and thyme and finely grate the zest of the lemon over it with a Microplane (save the naked lemon in the fridge for salads and use within a few days, before it dries out). Working with your fingertips, rub the ingredients together until the sugar is moist and aromatic. Whisk in the yogurt until it’s thoroughly incorporated, and then add the eggs one at a time, blending each egg into the batter before you add the next. When all the eggs are in, give the mixture a few energetic beats to bring it all together.
  3. Mix dry into wet: Switch to a silicone spatula and stir in half of the flour mixture. When it’s well incorporated, add the remaining flour and stir until blended. Add the oil to the bowl gradually, stirring and scraping the bottom and sides until you have a thick, smooth batter with a light sheen. Drop the berries into the batter and stir to mix them in evenly. Scrape the batter into the buttered pan, smoothing the top.
  4. Bake the cake: Bake the cake in the center of the oven until the cake is golden brown and starts to pull away from the sides of the pan and a toothpick or long, dry noodle inserted deep into the center of the cake comes out clean or with moist crumbs clinging, 55 to 60 minutes. With oven mitts, take the cake out of the oven and set on a wire rack or cool stove burner. Wait 5 minutes, then run a table knife between the cake and the sides of the pan to loosen the cake. Carefully invert the pan onto the rack, then flip the cake so it’s right-side up and finish cooling to room temperature. Serve with lightly sweetened crème fraîche, or nothing at all.
  5. Make ahead and store: The cake keeps best well-sealed at room temperature; it will be good for at least 4 days. It can also be frozen for up to 1 month—defrost, still sealed, at room temperature.
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38 Reviews

Baking1
Baking1 September 14, 2023
Also wanted to add that I put some lemon glaze on the very top of the cake, 1/2 lemon (use zest only), small amount of lemon juice one teaspoon to tablespoon, I use a tablespoon ( your preference on how strong lemon taste), 1/4 cup powdered sugar, and a little almond milk to make syrup like glaze, spread on top of cake loaf, so delicious!
 
Baking1
Baking1 August 31, 2023
Great Recipe, just left out thyme as personal preference, but so delicious, and moist, and somewhat dense too! Very delicious with coffee or tea in the morning!!
 
bumbleward
bumbleward August 20, 2023
I made this cake with blackberries, which are plentiful in the UK at the moment. We have bushels of them. Hedgerow blackberries and small and hard, very different from what you can buy, and the recipe worked spectacularly with them. However, I am tempted to double the amount of fruit.
 
Chez J.
Chez J. July 28, 2023
Love her recipes. May try this one with a bit of lavender. Thoughts anyone?
 
Mike E.
Mike E. July 28, 2023
It should work as long as you stick with the lower end of the recommended amount, since you don't want it to overpower the blueberries.
 
Carrie T.
Carrie T. July 11, 2023
This is a great recipe! I didn’t have fresh or dried thyme on hand so I used a scant tsp of herbes de Provence — and it tasted great. Also, I did something not very French and put a simple lemon juice & powdered sugar icing on top- yes, it was gilding the lily but tasty!
 
Remy1234
Remy1234 June 13, 2023
I love Dorie's World Peace cookie recipe, so was excited to try this one. I did sub sour cream for the yogurt but was true to the recipe otherwise. I used olive oil, frozen blueberries (a great trick I learned from another recipe - they don't bleed into the batter and are well distributed as they don't sink to the bottom) and based on the comments, 2 teaspoons of fresh thyme from my garden. The crumb/moistness were good, but the thyme and blueberry combo didn't work for me. I wouldn't make this again, even with less thyme.
 
Mike E.
Mike E. June 13, 2023
Some variants of thyme are more assertive than others, which is why I usually use closer to one teaspoon. You want it to lightly perfume the blueberries rather than be a pronounced, stand-out flavor on its own.
 
kevvan
kevvan February 2, 2023
I made this over the weekend and it came out well. I think the only thing that did not work is that the blueberries sunk to the bottom. Next time I might dust them in flour to see if that tip actually works.
 
less T.
less T. December 25, 2022
I found the thyme too assertive/overpowering and the cake inedible. Shame.
 
jaycatlett@yahoo.com
[email protected] September 13, 2022
I used less than 1TBS of thyme - and perfect amount for me. Barely a hint. I think a few more blueberries would have been fine - and I almost forgot the oil - and the cake still turned out great. I baked in 6 small loaf pans for 22 minutes and would happily bake these again but will consider adding a Tbs of jam and or more fruit!
 
Barbchurch
Barbchurch August 17, 2022
Love this recipe this is my second time. Always a hit!!
 
deedee1200
deedee1200 August 7, 2022
I made this today, and it turned out very well. Definitely don't skimp on the lemon zest--I will probably do the zest of at least one and a half lemons next time (or get a giant lemon). Also, I used anise hyssop instead of thyme, because that is what I have growing in my garden; it added a subtle licorice note that was quite nice. I will probably up the herbs next time, too. I used 2 tsp this round, and I think that flavor could have been even stronger. Finally, I topped the cake with pearl sugar before baking.
 
Barbara M.
Barbara M. August 1, 2022
One other comment, I had apricot fruit spread that I mixed with grand marnier. That made a lovely sauce that I served on the side.
 
Barbara M.
Barbara M. August 1, 2022
My family and I loved this simple cake. I used rosemary instead of thyme and sprinkled coconut sugar on top before baking because it provides a nice crunch. Otherwise, I followed the recipe. I will use this batter with other fruits and in other pans. I think that a cherry cake made in a round pan would be delicious and elegant.
 
Jacquie P.
Jacquie P. August 13, 2022
Was also going to do rosemary! Looks like we have the same taste, was also thinking cherry cake!
 
monica L.
monica L. July 26, 2022
I made the cake with wild blackberries, and omitted the thyme, not knowing if it would work with blackberries. The blackberries were great in it, and the cake was soft and delicately lemony. It wasn't super exciting but it was yummy! I'll have to test the thyme next time.
 
Amber
Amber July 21, 2022
I’ve made this three times in quick succession. The first — I wanted to make something for my neighbor and had all the ingredients on hand except the lemon. I used 1 tsp thyme, the zest of a whole orange (more zest, assuming the flavor would be milder) and 50/50 canola and olive oil. Then my dog ate half of it… I cut off the mangled part and at the rest myself. It was fine, but not amazing. It tasted like a plain blueberry snacking cake.

For my second attempt, I used an actual lemon, upped the thyme to 2 tsp and used all olive oil, thinking that would add more savory flavor (I love the olive oil crust on Amanda’s peach tart, so thought this would be similar). My tester came out clean, so I took the cake out, but then I noticed the center sinking. Tried again — it was not done. I put it back in the oven, but since it had cooled some, the outside got overly brown before the center was done. Deciding that was too ugly to give away, I ate this one again (with help from others in my house, in case you think I’m a glutton). The flavor was much better this time, despite the execution issue.

That night I listened to a Milk Street podcast, and they talked about this baking issue! Apparently the skewer method can be deceiving with oil cakes.

Third try — I used the same ingredients as the second go around but pulled the cake out when it reached 195 F. Winner!

Should also mention that this is really easy to pull together. Just be sure to use the lemon, all the thyme, olive oil if you like it and an instant read thermometer.
 
Mike E.
Mike E. July 20, 2022
A perfect loaf cake for a hot summer day. The smoosh technique is enjoyably tactile and fills the kitchen with a fresh, herbal scent. I used lemon thyme which lent the zest an added citrus boost. Because I was christening a new loaf pan which was 9"x5" I took Dorie's advice and checked the cake a few minutes earlier, but it needed to go back in for the normal time and came out perfectly. Terrific with a cup of tea or coffee.
 
Mike E.
Mike E. August 17, 2022
I also love how versatile this recipe is--second time I didn't have any plain yogurt so subbed in vanilla yogurt and cut back a tablespoon of sugar. Perfect.
 
wmschlemmer
wmschlemmer July 20, 2022
Loved this recipe-I served it’s dessert for a late afternoon lunch-it was a big hit. I used about 1-1/2 tsp thyme-next time I make it I’ll use a healthy2 tsp.
 
kimlechelle
kimlechelle July 20, 2022
When I saw thyme, I was interested in baking. It turned out great. I only used 1 teaspoon of thyme, but next time I am going to be brave and use 2 teaspoons. It was not over sweet, which was a major plus.
 
Kathleen D.
Kathleen D. July 16, 2022
I have made this cake twice. First time with blueberries as written. The second time I used raspberries (same measurement by weight as the blueberries). It was great the first time, but far superior with the raspberries! Fabulous recipe.
 
Patty E.
Patty E. July 14, 2022
This cake was a lot of fun to make. I'll definitely use the zest and sugar trick again. I overcooked by a few minutes so the edges got a bit dry but the center was still moist. Don't let the thyme scare you. I had 1 1/2 teaspoons in mine and couldn't taste it at all. It's not sweet. It's more like a breakfast bread than a cake. For us it was good, but nothing special. I didn't have creme fraiche so I served it with some thick Greek yogurt sweetened with honey.