Recipe

Wholesome Vanilla Yogurt Sponge Cake

A light, tender sponge-style cake made with wholesome ingredients and big vanilla flavor, finished with a yogurt berry topping that feels bakery-worthy but stays weeknight-friendly.

By Matt Campbell

•

4.8

A golden vanilla sponge-style cake on a cake stand topped with a dollop of yogurt and fresh berries in a bright home kitchen

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If you have ever wanted a sponge cake that feels like a treat but still fits into the real life rhythm of snack time, school lunches, and let’s-have-coffee-at-home nights, this one is for you. It bakes up light and springy, with a cozy vanilla smell that makes the kitchen feel instantly calmer.

My little twist is keeping the ingredients more wholesome without turning the cake into a sad, dense brick. We use white whole wheat flour for structure, Greek yogurt for tenderness, and a mix of coconut sugar and honey for sweetness (yes, still added sugars, just used with a lighter hand). Then we top it with a quick yogurt cream and berries, which is basically the easiest way to make a simple cake look like it is trying harder than you did.

A slice of sponge-style cake on a plate with berries and a spoonful of yogurt beside it

Why It Works

Light texture without cake flour: Beating the eggs and sugar until thick and pale builds the lift, so the crumb stays airy even with white whole wheat flour.
Moist, not oily: A little neutral oil plus Greek yogurt keeps the sponge-style crumb tender for days.
Wholesome sweetness that still tastes like dessert: Coconut sugar brings a gentle caramel note, and honey adds flavor and moisture.
Flexible finishing: Serve it plain, dusted with powdered sugar, or go all in with the yogurt topping and fruit.

Pairs Well With

Warm chai or cinnamon tea
Extra berries and citrus zest
Greek yogurt and honey
Cold milk or almond milk

Storage Tips

At room temperature: Store the unfrosted cake tightly wrapped for up to 2 days. If your kitchen runs warm, move it to the fridge after day 1.

In the fridge: Wrap well and refrigerate up to 5 days. The crumb firms up a bit when cold, so let slices sit at room temp for 15 minutes before eating.

With yogurt topping: Keep the topping separate when possible and top individual slices. If already topped, refrigerate and enjoy within 2 days for best texture.

Freezer-friendly: Freeze unfrosted slices wrapped in plastic, then foil, up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge or on the counter for about 1 hour.

Common Questions

Can I use all-purpose flour instead of white whole wheat?

Yes. Swap 1:1 by weight or volume. The cake will be a little lighter and slightly less nutty.

What is “white whole wheat” flour?

It is whole wheat flour made from a lighter variety of wheat, so you get whole grain benefits with a milder flavor and softer texture.

Why do I need to beat the eggs so long?

This is the lift. You are building tiny air bubbles that expand in the oven, giving you that classic sponge-like bounce, even though this cake also uses yogurt and baking powder for extra tenderness and insurance.

Can I make it dairy-free?

You can try a thick dairy-free yogurt (like coconut or almond based). The texture is best with a Greek-style product, so look for one that is extra thick and unsweetened.

How do I know it is done?

The top should spring back when lightly pressed, and a toothpick should come out with a few moist crumbs but no wet batter. Also, the cake will start to pull just slightly from the pan edges.

Matt Campbell

I have always had a huge passion for the culinary arts, people, working as a team, and so on. I wanted to pursue my love for cooking initially at Virginia Commonwealth University with a culinary arts degree; however, I instead decided to apply myself and acquire more practical skills. My end goal is to eventually open my own restaurant or similar establishment.

Kitchen Essentials

8-inch round cake pan (or 9-inch for a slightly thinner cake)
Parchment paper
Electric hand mixer or stand mixer
Fine mesh sieve (optional but nice for sifting)
Rubber spatula
Mixing bowls and measuring cups
Wire rack for cooling

I love fancy pastry as much as the next food nerd, but most days I want a cake that feels like you could make it on a Tuesday without turning the kitchen into a flour storm. This sponge-style cake started as my “I want something sweet, but I also want to feel good after I eat it” experiment. The first time it came out of the oven with that golden top and bouncy crumb, I cut a slice while it was still a little warm and thought, okay, we are keeping this one. It is the kind of cake that plays nice with whatever you have, fruit, jam, yogurt, or just a quick dusting of powdered sugar and a strong cup of coffee.

Wholesome Vanilla Yogurt Sponge Cake

(4.8 Reviews)

Prep Time 20 minutes

Cook Time 28 minutes

Total Time 1 hour 10 minutes (includes cooling)

Servings 8 slices

Ingredients

For the wholesome sponge-style cake

3 large eggs, room temperature
1/2 cup coconut sugar
2 tablespoons honey
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt (2% or whole milk), room temperature
1/4 cup neutral oil (avocado, grapeseed, or light olive oil)
1 cup white whole wheat flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon fine salt
Up to 2 tablespoons milk of choice, as needed for consistency

Yogurt berry topping (optional but very recommended)

3/4 cup plain Greek yogurt
1 to 2 tablespoons honey or maple syrup, to taste
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon lemon zest
1 1/2 cups fresh berries (strawberries, blueberries, raspberries)
1 tablespoon chia seeds (optional, for a jammy vibe)

Instructions

Prep the pan and oven. Heat oven to 350°F. Grease an 8-inch round cake pan and line the bottom with parchment. Lightly grease the parchment too. (Optional but helpful: add a parchment collar around the sides for extra easy release.)
Whip the eggs, coconut sugar, and honey. In a large bowl, beat eggs, coconut sugar, and honey with an electric mixer on high for 4 to 6 minutes, until thick, pale, and ribboning. When you lift the beaters, the batter should fall back in a slow stream that sits on top for a second.
Add vanilla. Beat in the vanilla extract for 10 seconds.
Mix the yogurt and oil. In a small bowl, stir together Greek yogurt and oil until smooth.
Combine dry ingredients. In another bowl, whisk flour, baking powder, and salt. If your flour is clumpy, sift it.
Temper, then fold gently. To keep the egg foam happy, stir 2 to 3 tablespoons of the whipped egg batter into the yogurt and oil mixture first to lighten it. Then add half the dry mixture to the egg mixture and fold with a spatula until almost combined. Add the lightened yogurt mixture and fold gently. Add the remaining dry ingredients and fold until no dry streaks remain. Do not overmix. If the batter looks very thick, fold in milk 1 tablespoon at a time, up to 2 tablespoons, just until it loosens.
Bake. Pour batter into the pan and smooth the top. Bake 26 to 32 minutes, until the top springs back and a toothpick comes out with moist crumbs.
Cool. Let the cake cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack, peel off parchment, and cool completely before topping.
Make the topping (optional). Stir yogurt, honey, vanilla, and lemon zest. Toss berries with chia seeds if using and let sit 10 minutes to get a little jammy.
Serve. For best leftovers, spoon yogurt topping onto individual slices and top with berries. Or go full bakery-mode and finish the whole cake at once. Slice and taste as you go, because you are the chef and that is the rule.

Nutrition information is estimated.

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