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Blood Orange & Olive Oil Gâteau au Yaourt (Crackly Coriander-Sugar Crust)

Blood Orange & Olive Oil Gâteau au Yaourt (Crackly Coriander-Sugar Crust)

This is the gâteau au yaourt—the classic yogurt cake—every French kid learns before they can read, rebuilt for a grown-up café case. We use whole milk yogurt for a lacy, tender crumb, swap neutral oil for a grassy, aggressive extra-virgin olive oil, and lean hard into the late-winter bitterness of blood oranges. We finish it with a heavily toasted coriander-sugar crust, because we don't do boring tops.

Camille Roux
Camille Roux
Prep: 10 minutes
Cook: 50 minutes
8
easy
dessertsnackbreakfast
snacking-cakeolive-oilblood-orangeone-bowl+1

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Timeline

1 hour 35 minutes
0m30m1h1h30
Preheat & Prep Pan
15m
Rub Citrus Sugar
Whisk Wet Ingredients
Fold Dry Ingredients
Top and Pan Batter
Bake Loaf
50m
Cool Loaf
30m

Ingredients

  • 2 medium Blood oranges(Zested, then halved for juice)
  • 200 g Granulated sugar(About 1 cup)
  • 120 g Whole-milk plain yogurt(About 1/2 cup. Full fat only, no skim nonsense)
  • 3 Large eggs(Room temperature)
  • 180 ml Extra-virgin olive oil(About 3/4 cup. Use the good, peppery stuff)
  • 190 g All-purpose flour(About 1 1/2 cups)
  • 1.5 tsp Baking powder
  • 0.5 tsp Baking soda
  • 0.5 tsp Kosher salt
  • 3 tbsp Demerara or turbinado sugar(For the crust)
  • 1 tsp Whole coriander seeds(Coarsely crushed in a mortar or under a skillet)
  • 1 pinch Flaky sea salt(To finish)

Instructions

  1. 1

    Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a standard 9x5-inch loaf pan with parchment paper, leaving an overhang on the long sides for easy lifting. Don't skip the parchment; the 200 g Granulated sugar crust will glue itself to bare metal.

    15 min

    Tip: Olive oil the pan lightly so the parchment sticks right to the corners.

  2. 2

    In a large bowl, zest 2 medium Blood oranges directly into the 200 g Granulated sugar. Dig your fingers in and rub the zest into the sugar until it feels like wet sand and the oils release. It should smell aggressively fragrant.

    3 min

    Tip: This mechanical action pulls out the volatile oils. Do not skip this.

  3. 3

    Whisk the 120 g Whole-milk plain yogurt, 3 Large eggs, 180 ml Extra-virgin olive oil, and 2 tbsp freshly squeezed blood orange juice into the citrus sugar. Whisk vigorously for about a minute until it emulsifies into a smooth, sunny-looking base.

    3 min

    Tip: If your eggs were cold, the batter might look slightly split. It will bake fine, but room-temp eggs give a better emulsion.

  4. 4

    Dump the 190 g All-purpose flour, 1.5 tsp Baking powder, 0.5 tsp Baking soda, and 0.5 tsp Kosher salt directly onto the wet ingredients. Switch to a spatula and fold gently just until the dry streaks disappear. Stop immediately. Overmix, and the crumb goes tight like a bad alibi.

    2 min

    Tip: A few tiny lumps are perfectly fine. Let time and heat do the work.

  5. 5

    Pour the batter into your lined pan. In a small bowl, toss the 3 tbsp Demerara or turbinado sugar, 1 tsp Whole coriander seeds, and 1 pinch Flaky sea salt. Scatter this mixture heavily and evenly over the top of the raw batter.

    2 min

    Tip: It will look like too much sugar. Trust the process. It forms the crackly lid.

  6. 6

    Bake for 45 to 55 minutes. You're looking for a dramatically domed top, a deep golden crust, and a skewer inserted into the center coming out with moist crumbs (not wet batter). If it jiggles in the center, leave it alone.

    50 min

    Tip: If your oven runs hot and the sugar is browning too fast at minute 35, loosely tent it with foil.

  7. 7

    Let the cake cool in the pan for 15 minutes before using the parchment sling to pull it out. Cool completely on a wire rack before slicing, or the delicate, warm crumb will tear.

    30 min

    Tip: Patience is an ingredient here. Cutting a hot cake releases steam it needs to stay moist.

Chef's Notes

Cami's shortcut note: Olive oil cakes are superior make-aheads. They actually taste better on day two once the fats and citrus oils meld and settle. Wrap it tightly in plastic wrap once completely cool and leave it on the counter. And don't skip the coriander in the crust! It perfectly bridges the floral notes of the blood orange with the grassy bite of the olive oil. We're not suffering for brunch, people.

Frequently Asked Questions

How long does Blood Orange & Olive Oil Gâteau au Yaourt (Crackly Coriander-Sugar Crust) take to make?

Blood Orange & Olive Oil Gâteau au Yaourt (Crackly Coriander-Sugar Crust) takes about 1 hour total. That includes 10 minutes of prep and 50 minutes of cooking.

How many servings does this recipe make?

This recipe makes 8 servings.

What skill level is needed for Blood Orange & Olive Oil Gâteau au Yaourt (Crackly Coriander-Sugar Crust)?

This recipe is rated easy — it's beginner-friendly and straightforward.

What ingredients do I need for Blood Orange & Olive Oil Gâteau au Yaourt (Crackly Coriander-Sugar Crust)?

The main ingredients are: Blood oranges, Granulated sugar, Whole-milk plain yogurt, Large eggs, Extra-virgin olive oil, All-purpose flour, Baking powder, Baking soda, Kosher salt, Demerara or turbinado sugar, Whole coriander seeds, Flaky sea salt.

What type of meal is Blood Orange & Olive Oil Gâteau au Yaourt (Crackly Coriander-Sugar Crust)?

Blood Orange & Olive Oil Gâteau au Yaourt (Crackly Coriander-Sugar Crust) is categorized as: dessert, snack, breakfast.