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Easy French Butter Cake Recipe


  • Author: Jennie Graham
  • Total Time: 55 minutes
  • Yield: 12 servings 1x

Description

This French Butter Cake features a moist, tender crumb enriched with yogurt and oil, finished with a buttery vanilla-almond glaze that soaks into the cake for irresistible flavor. Elegant enough for guests yet simple enough for everyday baking.


Ingredients

Scale
  • ½ cup plain yogurt or Greek yogurt
  • 1 cup granulated sugar (for cake)
  • 3 large eggs
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract (for cake)
  • ¼ teaspoon almond extract (for cake)
  • 1½ cups all-purpose flour
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ½ cup neutral oil
  • ⅓ cup granulated sugar (for glaze)
  • 3 tablespoons butter
  • 1½ tablespoons water
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract (for glaze)
  • ⅛ teaspoon almond extract (for glaze)

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Spray 8-inch pan with baking spray, line with parchment paper
  2. Combine yogurt, 1 cup sugar, eggs, vanilla, and almond extracts in large bowl
  3. Whisk in baking powder, salt, then flour until just combined
  4. Stir in oil until smooth batter forms
  5. Pour into prepared pan, bake 30-40 minutes until springy and toothpick comes out clean
  6. Combine ⅓ cup sugar, butter, water, and extracts in saucepan over medium heat
  7. Brush quarter of warm glaze over cake top while still in pan
  8. Turn cake onto cooling rack, brush remaining glaze over all surfaces
  9. Let cool 30 minutes before serving, dust with powdered sugar if desired

Notes

  • Room temperature ingredients blend more easily, so take eggs and yogurt out 30 minutes before baking
  • Don’t overmix the batter once you add flour to prevent a tough, dense cake texture
  • Test doneness with a toothpick inserted in the center – it should come out with just a few moist crumbs
  • Apply the first glaze while the cake is still warm for maximum absorption and flavor
  • Place parchment paper under the cooling rack to catch glaze drips for easy cleanup
  • Prep Time: 20 minutes
  • Cook Time: 35 minutes
  • Category: Dessert
  • Method: Baked
  • Cuisine: French

Nutrition

  • Serving Size: 1 slice (1/12 of cake)
  • Calories: 285
  • Sugar: 22g
  • Sodium: 180mg
  • Fat: 12g
  • Saturated Fat: 3g
  • Unsaturated Fat: 8g
  • Trans Fat: 0g
  • Carbohydrates: 41g
  • Fiber: 1g
  • Protein: 4g
  • Cholesterol: 55mg

Keywords: French cake, butter cake, almond vanilla cake, easy dessert, glazed cake, yogurt cake