This healthy yoghurt cake has long been a go-to cake of mine. Like all of my recipes, it’s evolved over the years (from a high sugar, refined flour cake) – I’ve always loved the nice moist crumb yoghurt cakes produce. I’ve been keeping this recipe aside for a special occasion and with Mother’s Day coming up, here we have it.
Seeing as the weather has cooled off a bit, I thought I’d make it with winter fruit and warming ginger. When I made this one to photograph, my daughter said it tastes like a ‘real tea cake’ – ha ha! Compliments are hard to come by from teenagers so I’ll take it as a win.
If you’re not a fan of pear and ginger, don’t despair, it is very easily adapted to other flavours. Take a look at the variations below for all the details as well as suggestions to alter the recipe to suit your specific dietary requirements.
Pear and Ginger Healthy Yoghurt Cake
Serves: 12
This simple, healthy yoghurt cake is an adaptable basic cake that I know you'll keep coming back to.
Ingredients
- 100 g butter or macadamia nut oil -melted
- 250 g full-fat natural yoghurt (1½ cups)
- 170 g rice malt syrup or honey (½ cup)
- 3 free-range or organic egg/s
- 1 lemon/s -zest
- 3 tbsp ginger root -finely grated or 2 tsp ground
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
- ½ tsp sea salt
- 300 g wholemeal spelt flour (2½ cups)
- 1 ripe pear -cored and thinly sliced
- 2 tbsp coconut sugar or rapadura
Method
- Pre-heat your oven to 170℃/340℉ (fan-forced). Grease and line a spring form pan/ tin with baking paper. I used a 22cm cake tin.
- In a mixing bowl or food processor, beat the butter, yoghurt, sweetener of your choice, eggs, zest and ginger until well combined.
- Add the baking powder, bicarbonate of soda and sea salt and blend again for a few seconds to just combine.
- Now gently fold in the spelt flour and mix until the flour is just combined. The more you mix this, the heavier the cake will become, so less is certainly best.
- Pour the batter into the prepared cake tin, top with the pear, sprinkle over the sugar and bake for 40 minutes or until the cake is firm in the middle (a skewer inserted into the middle will come out clean).
Thermomix
- Melt your butter 90, 1 min, speed 3. Add the yoghurt, sweetener of your choice, eggs, zest and ginger and blend 1 minute, speed 4.
- Add the baking powder, bicarbonate of soda and sea salt mix 5 seconds speed 4.
- Add the spelt flour and mix 5 seconds, lock the lid, on the flour symbol. Scrape down the sides and fold any uncombined flour as much as you can by hand. You really don't want to over process it, less is best.
- Pour the batter into the prepared cake tin, top with the pear, sprinkle over the sugar and bake for 40 minutes or until the cake is firm in the middle (a skewer inserted into the middle will come out clean).
Serve
- This is so yum served with double cream, or creme fraiche.
Store
- In an airtight container for a few days.
- It can also be frozen (also in an airtight container)
Variations
Dairy-free
Replace the butter with macadamia nut oil and the yoghurt with coconut yoghurt. If you need it to be nut-free you can use coconut oil, but it will effect the taste and texture (the cake will toughen as it cools). Another option is olive oil.Fructose friendly
Choose rice malt syrup as your sweetener and replace the pear with berries and omit the sugar on top. Take a look at the flavour combo's below.Gluten-free
I haven't tested this with a gluten-free flour as yet. But this Basic Easy Healthy Cake recipe is my all time favourite gluten-free cake (but not nut-free). Another great gluten and nut-free cake is my Vanilla Bean Cupcakes (this recipe also makes one large cake).White spelt
You can certainly replace the wholemeal spelt with white spelt flour - this will produce a lighter, less dense cake batter.Egg-free
I also haven't tested this but suspect it will work well with chia egg or aquafaba.Another flavour
So for all of these - omit the ginger and pear.- Lemon Yoghurt Cake - double the lemon zest and place very thinly sliced pieces of lemon on top (before baking). This is lovely with the ginger too (your call).
- Orange Yoghurt Cake - add the zest of one orange and place very thinly sliced pieces of orange on top (before baking). This is lovely with poppy seeds sprinkled on top too.
- Raspberry Yoghurt cake - top with fresh or defrosted raspberries.
- Apple Tea Cake - add a tablespoon of cinnamon to the cake batter. Thinly slice one apple and arrange on top. Mix a teaspoon of cinnamon in with the sugar and sprinkle on top.
- Spiced Nectarine Cake - I reduced the ginger to 1 tbsp and added 1 tsp of cinnamon to the batter. Top with a sliced nectarine (I used one large nectarine).
I'd love to hear how you enjoy this cake - please post any questions or feedback in the comments below or rate this recipe.
Jigisha Madhav says
Hi. I think the weight of the yoghurt might be wrong. 25g doesn’t seem right.
Georgia Harding says
Yes the zero dropped off the grams, I noticed myself just after publishing it but thanks so much for pointing it out G x
Nicole K says
All of these variations look delicious! I might have to try this one on the weekend.
Georgia Harding says
Hope you got to try it Nicole. G x
Tina says
Hi Georgia, can I use buckwheat as opposed to spelt flour? Thank you, Tina x
Georgia Harding says
Hi Tina, it may be a little heavy with straight buckwheat. I generally will mix it with almond meal if subbing for spelt (50/50) G x
Joyce says
Hi Georgia, I’m not a fan of the taste of honey in my bakes and I don’t have the rice malt syrup, can I substitute it with castor sugar or anything else?
Georgia Harding says
You could make a syrup with granulated sugar for sure to the same volume G x
Paula says
So good!!
Georgia Harding says
So glad you loved it Paula, Cheers for rating it G x
Carolyn says
Delicious!! Made this for Mother’s Day afternoon tea and it was a hit!! Thank you for posting the recipe.
Georgia Harding says
So happy you loved it Chelsea, hope you had a great day. Thanks for taking the time to post feedback and rate he recipe too G x
Isabel says
Hi,
I made this on Saturday night ready for Mother’s Day and after I put it into the oven hubby went to use the microwave and found the butter that I had melted in there! Too late to put it into the cake but amazingly the cake turned out beautiful and moist anyway! Delicious flavour too, great for winter with all the lovely pears around. Thanks for this recipe and all your recipes from a long-time follower, Cheers, Isabel
Georgia Harding says
That’s so funny Isabel, I’ve done the same for other cakes before. This is a REALLY forgiving cake – I’ve overcooked it a few times (including the one in the pic, I should learn to use a timer) and it is still lovely and moist. Thank you so much for comment and rating the recipe too. Mean a lot G x
heathers_kitchen says
I made this for the Mothers day breakfast at OSHC along with other brilliant recipes from you. The cake looked amazing was moist and enjoyed by all. the Spanish eggs were a big hit as were the pancakes, I made the power pikelets in the sandwich press, then filled with spinach, fetta and smoked salmon rolled them up and sliced..divine. Chia pudding and granola another hit.
I tell everyone about your magic Georgia, keep up the great work.
Georgia Harding says
You’re amazing Heather – the kids in your care are truely blessed to be so well fed (and the Mums in this case too lol). Thank you for sharing whats on your menu, it’s made my week!! G x
Sabine Simmonds says
Thanks so much Georgia for this delicious cake. My hubby baked it as a Mothers Day treat, and it was sooooo delicious! Moist & tasty, offering a different palete of flavours with the ginger and lemon combination.
Since then I’ve baked 4 of them in the last week (substituting apple for the pear) making delicious, wholesome thank you gifts for people in our school community who have helped us. They have been delighted!
It’s the current favourite flavour of cake in our family.
Georgia Harding says
Fabulous Sabine – I’m so glad it’s become a favourite in your house too. I really appreciate your feedback and rating the recipe too G x
Amy Loubser says
Really impressed with this cake! Thank you for a fantastic family friendly recipe! This cake turned out brilliantly, which really gave me a confidence boost! I’m not the best at baking and I often find the more healthy baking recipes a bit too complicated, or turn out to be disappointing, but this recipe is definitely a keeper!
Georgia Harding says
Ah so pleased – it’s my aim with all of my recipes that they are versatile and just taste good. Glad you’ve found a keeper Amy (and thanks for taking the time to comment/ rate it ) G x
Rona says
This is a beautiful cake and yes tastes just like tea cake. And to my gluten free plant based family it was perfection. We used flax eggs and almond flour + buckwheat flour 50/50 (cup measurement not weight), coconut yoghurt and omitted the butter. I only have 18cm springform so I increased bake time to 60 minutes. Yummm. Thanks for another great recipe that you can tweak to suit dietary requirements x
Georgia Harding says
You’re very welcome Rona. So pleased you enjoyed it and I really appreciate you sharing your variations too. G x
Heather says
Thanks Georgia, this is a great recipe. I made it today using apple and cinnamon, I didn’t think it would make such a huge cake! No wonder you say it serves 12 as there were five today and I still have 3/4 of it left, yummy, leftovers.
Georgia Harding says
Hi Heather, yes this is a big one, we always have lots leftover too (it freezes well fyi). So pleased you enjoyed it and thanks for your feedback and rating the recipe too G x
Linda says
Hi Georgia, just wondering if I can use wholemeal self-raising flour instead of the spelt flour?
Linda Ivin says
Sorry, I mean plain wholemeal
Georgia Harding says
Yes, I haven’t tested it but generally they are interchangeable and this is a very versatile cake which adapts very well Linda. Enjoy G x
vr says
can we replace the pear with pineapple?
Georgia Harding says
I haven’t tested that but it is very versatile so I can’t see why not. Enjoy G 🙂
Alex says
Made this for the first time, used frozen blueberries instead of pear and left out ginger as didn’t have any. May have slightly overcooked as was a bit dry but i ASSURE you, a 20sec zap in the microwave and then a little scrape butter and all is right in the world again! very nice! might fold through mixed berries through the whole cake next time (and take out 5 mins earlier!). thank you for another delicious recipe!
Georgia Harding says
Hi Alex, thanks for your feedback. It’s a very versatile recipe so well worth having a play with it. Glad you managed to rescue it and thanks so much for the feedback and the 5 stars, Georgia x
Imogen says
This has become my go to cake recipe. With all the variations it suits every occasion and the children love it which is really all that matters! Thank you as always for great recipes.
Georgia Harding says
Yay – thrilled you and your kids love it. It’s such a great, versatile recipe for sure. You’re very welcome Imogen G x
Annie Hattingh says
I made this again recently, I LOVE it!! The kids weren’t home so I ended up devouring most myself???
Georgia Harding says
That’s so funny Annie. I often make treats for ‘the kids’ but they are just as much for me ??. Appreciate your feedback and the 5?s G x
Heidi says
Would this work in a muffin tray for the lunchbox ?
Georgia Harding says
Yes, sure Heidi. Just reduce the cook time a little. G x
Jhanita says
Can i make this 1 week in advance to serve in a party?
Georgia Harding says
I don’t think it would last a week. You could freeze it though? G x
Jhanita says
Yes i meant 1 week and freeze lol.
Bronwyn O'Callaghan says
Hi Georgia
If I need to use almond and/or coconut flour what quantity would you recommend?
Thanks
Bronwyn
Georgia Harding says
You could direct sub almond/ buckwheat 50/50 (but coconut flour is not straight forward enough to chance). Or better still make this cake and add the ginger and pear https://wellnourished.com.au/easy-healthy-cake/ G x
Deb says
Absolutely delicious! I used oranges as that is what I had on hand. The cake was moist and pleasantly dense without being heavy, just enough to satisfy a sweet tooth without being too sugary. Everyone loved it, I will definitely be making it again and again.
Georgia Harding says
Ah brilliant Deb, glad everyone loved it G x
Kelly Wilkinson says
I accidentally left the butter in the microwave and forgot to add it! The cake was still delicious but will try to remember the butter next time!
Rachel Morgan says
Fantastic! Wasn’t sure if mine would work as I changed it a fair bit with what I had available plus my allergies. So only had 180g coconut yoghurt, so added apple sauce for the rest; Egg replacer, macadamia oil, 200g gluten free flour, 70g buckwheat flour, 30g tapioca flour. And extra pear on top to use my old ones up. Was really delicious and my fussy 7 year old really enjoyed it (not 4 year old though – but she’s not really a cake lover anyway ?). Thanks – I’m really enjoying your recipes!!
Georgia Harding says
Fabulous and thanks for sharing your variations too Rachel, it’s really helpful for others needing substitutes G x
Angela Jordan says
Hi Georgia. I have a heap of fejoas that I’ve just harvested and some rhubarb. Any suggestions on how I could incorporate these into a cake or muffins? I also have harvested pomegranates so any recipes would be appreciated!!
Angela Jordan says
I made the cake last night replacing the spelt with half almond meal and half buckwheat and added about 1 cup of fejoa pulp plus topped the cake with some sliced rhubarb before putting it in the oven to bake. My kids told me “that’s the best cake you’ve ever made Mum…you can make that again!” Delicious, Georgia!
Georgia Harding says
Ah I’m glad you tried it and loved it. It’s been a busy weekend (sorry I didn’t get back to you right away). Yes, it’s a very versatile base and a great cake to improvise with G x
Annabel says
I’m keen to try this but unsure about egg replacement. How do you substitute egg with chia or flaxseed? For example, does 1 teaspoon chia/flaxseed plus 1 teaspoon water equate to 1 egg, or 1 teaspoon aquafaba = 1 egg? And is aquafaba just the liquid from a can of chickpeas?
Georgia Harding says
Yes so 1 tbsp ground chia seeds (or ground flax) + 2.5 Tbsp water left to soak until gelled = a chia egg. 3 tbsp aquafaba (the liquid from canned chickpeas) = 1 whole egg. Aquafaba produces a lighter result I find in baked goods so it would be my preference G x
Annabel says
Thank you, will give this a go.
Olivia says
This cake is almost the worst cake i’ve ever made. I think that is down to my baking skills rather than the recipe.. Although i’m not quite sure as it resembled and tasted like a cardboard box more than anything. I so wish my review was like the majority. hey oh.
Olivia says
I would like to add that this is me making fun of myself! I’ll have to try it again so I can see what all the hype is about. Thank you for this as I now have a hilarious memory with my family, I have some serious work todo to make up for it now ! 🙂
Well Nourished Team says
Hi Olivia 🙂 We all have bad days in the kitchen. I can remember finding butter I’d melted for a cake in the oven 2 days later (and then I knew why my cake was so dry). It’s well worth trying again.