The One-Bowl Jammy Strawberry Yogurt Slab
Growing up in Paris, the gâteau au yaourt (yogurt cake) was the first recipe I memorized. My mother measured everything in the empty yogurt tub. But baked in a deep loaf pan, it takes an hour and yields a sad crust-to-crumb ratio. We’re not suffering for brunch, and we certainly aren't waiting an hour for weeknight cake.
I took that childhood staple and spread it out. Baking it as a thin slab on a quarter sheet pan maximizes the golden, crispy edges. The batter takes five minutes and one bowl. A hit of grassy olive oil locks in days of moisture, while ripe Bay Area strawberries roast in the oven heat into sunken, jammy pockets.
Make it your own by swapping the berries for seasonal stone fruit or figs. Whatever you use, look for the edges to pull away from the pan and turn a deep, confident bronze. If the crumb turns out tight like a bad alibi, you overmixed.
Cami’s shortcut note: Use cold eggs if you have to; room temperature yogurt balances the batter temp anyway.
Don't skip this: Rub the lemon zest into your sugar until it feels like wet sand. It releases the oils and perfumes the whole crumb.
Featured Recipe
One-Bowl Jammy Strawberry & Lemon Yogurt Slab
The gâteau au yaourt (yogurt cake) is a French home-baking staple, but baking it in a loaf pan takes an hour and yields a sad crust-to-crumb ratio. We bake it as a thin slab for maximum crispy edges. A five-minute whisked batter, a hit of grassy olive oil for days of moisture, and strawberries that roast into sunken, jammy pockets.
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Timeline
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp lemon zest(from about 1 large lemon)
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 3 large eggs(room temperature)
- 1 cup whole-milk yogurt(plain, full fat; not Greek)
- 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil(something fruity and grassy)
- 1.5 cups all-purpose flour
- 1.5 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp kosher salt
- 1 lb strawberries(hulled and halved)
- 2 tbsp turbinado sugar(for crunch)
Instructions
- 1
Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C). Line a 9x13-inch quarter sheet pan with parchment paper, leaving a two-inch overhang on the sides. This is your sling for easy removal.
5 min
Tip: If your parchment rolls up, dab a tiny bit of oil in the corners of the pan to glue it down.
- 2
In a large bowl, use your fingers to vigorously rub 1 tbsp lemon zest into 1/2 cup granulated sugar until it resembles damp, incredibly fragrant sand.
2 min
Tip: Do not skip this. The friction extracts the essential oils from the citrus, building flavor into the foundation rather than adding it as an afterthought.
- 3
Whisk 3 large eggs and 1 cup whole-milk yogurt into the lemon sugar. Beat aggressively until the mixture is completely smooth, pale, and slightly bubbly on top.
2 min
Tip: Room temperature eggs emulsify better, but if you forgot to pull them out, submerge them in warm water for 5 minutes.
- 4
While whisking constantly with one hand, slowly stream in 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil with the other. Keep whisking until the batter looks thick and glossy.
2 min
Tip: Streaming slowly is non-negotiable. You are building an emulsion; dumping the oil all at once will split the batter.
- 5
Gently fold in 1.5 cups all-purpose flour, 1.5 tsp baking powder, and 1/2 tsp kosher salt using a flexible spatula. Stop the second you no longer see dry streaks of flour.
2 min
Tip: A slightly lumpy batter is fine. Overmixing develops gluten, which makes for a crumb tight like a bad alibi.
- 6
Scrape the batter into the prepared pan, nudging it into the corners. Scatter 1 lb strawberries, hulled and halved evenly over the top, cut side up. Generously sprinkle the entire surface with 2 tbsp turbinado sugar.
4 min
Tip: Don't press the strawberries in. The batter will rise up and swallow them just enough as it bakes.
- 7
Bake until the edges are deeply golden brown, pulling away from the pan, and the center springs back quickly when poked.
25 min
Tip: Look for a crusty, caramelized edge. Pale baked goods are a tragedy. Let it cool in the pan for 10 minutes before lifting it out.
Chef's Notes
Cami's shortcut note: This relies heavily on pantry staples and fridge logistics. The yogurt is your acid; it activates the baking powder and tenderizes the crumb. Do not use non-fat. The fat is what saves this from tasting like a sad diet muffin. And yes, butter is not a garnish, but today, a bold olive oil does the heavy lifting, keeping the crumb moist for three days on the counter. We’re not suffering for breakfast.
Camille Roux
Café-level bakes, weeknight methods, zero compromise.
Camille “Cami” Roux was born in Paris with flour in her hair and a healthy skepticism of culinary dogma. She grew up around neighborhood boulangeries that treated crust and crumb like religion—but what stuck with her wasn’t rigid tradition. It was the quiet precision: good butter that actually tastes like milk, patient fermentation that builds flavor for free, and desserts that know when to stop before they get cloying. After moving to the Bay Area, Cami trained in a bread-and-pastry scene obsessed with texture, naturally leavened doughs, and seasonal fruit—Tartine energy, minus the martyrdom. She became known for loaves that sing when they cool, jammy tarts with clean edges, and “how is this so good?” weeknight pastries made with a few smart shortcuts. Her motto is high impact, low fuss: splurge where it counts (butter, salt, time), streamline the rest (sheet pans, one bowl, cold-proofing). If it doesn’t improve flavor or structure, it doesn’t earn a step.