Chocolate Yogurt Cake

This Chocolate Yogurt Cake is made with cocoa, tangy yogurt, and white whole wheat flour for a chocolate bundt cake recipe that's incredibly moist, deeply chocolatey, and super easy to make.

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I'm of the opinion that everyone should have a go-to chocolate cake recipe. 

One that is perhaps not the fanciest, but that always turns out well, has deep chocolate flavor, is super satisfying, and suits pretty much any occasion. 

Friends, this is that cake. A Chocolate Yogurt Cake that's simple enough to stir together on a weeknight, or really just whenever the craving strikes.

But, topped with a silky chocolate ganache that puddles around the edges, and served with a spoonful of loosely-whipped cream, this simple chocolate bundt cake recipe is a little slice of heaven. 

It's stirred together mostly in one bowl, with a spoon, or, honestly, most often with a fork. No fancy equipment is required, no stand mixer, and no hard to find ingredients. 

Need I go on? I thought not. Let's make some cake!

Ingredients:

Here's an overview of what you'll need to make your simply delicious Chocolate Yogurt Cake. Specific quantities are found in the printable recipe card at the end of this post. 

For the cake:

• Butter --> I use salted butter, but you do you.
• Water --> Betcha didn't see that coming! 
• Cocoa powder --> I use Dutch process cocoa powder.
• Flour --> We're using a mix of all purpose flour and whole wheat pastry flour.
• Sugar --> This is a cake, friends. Just go with it.
• Baking soda --> Our leavening crew.
• Eggs --> A couple of large ones.
• Yogurt --> Please use full-fat yogurt!
• Pure vanilla extract --> Try making Homemade Vanilla Extract!

For the ganache:

• Dark chocolate --> I use 70%.
• Honey --> Or another liquid sweetener.
• Sugar --> Juuuuust a little bit.
• Heavy cream --> So lush!

Equipment

This is a super simple chocolate yogurt cake recipe, which is just stirred together in one bowl (I love my 8-cup Pyrex for this) with a whisk (or a fork!). You will need a small saucepan to melt the butter together with the coco and water, 

You will need a bundt pan in order to make this a Chocolate Bundt Cake, which is how I always make it. 

No bundt ban? If you don't have a bundt pan, don't sweat it! My sister uses this recipe to make cupcakes, and you can also fill two 8-inch round cake pans with the batter instead. 

Or, check your local thrift store for a cool bundt pan. But be warned - the funkier the pattern, the more difficult it can be to release the cake. 

How to make Chocolate Yogurt Cake

You will find detailed instructions for how to make this Chocolate Yogurt Cake in the printable recipe card at the end of this post. But let's walk through it together step-by-step!

Step 1: Combine the butter, cocoa, and water in a small sauce pan and bring to a simmer. Once the butter is melted, whisk the ingredients together. 

Remove from the heat, and set aside. Note - I always do this step on the stovetop, but the microwave is fine too. 

Step 2: In a large bowl, whisk together the flours, sugar, and baking soda.

Step 3: Pour half of the cocoa mixture into the flour mixture, and stir to combine. Then, add the other half.

Step 4: Now the remaining wet ingredients - add eggs, one at a time, and stir until well combined. Lastly, add the yogurt and vanilla extract.

Step 5: Pour your chocolate yogurt cake mixture into a prepared pan - preferably a bundt pan that's been buttered and dusted with cocoa powder. 

Step 6: Put it in the oven, and bake for 40 - 45 minutes, until a cake tester comes out clean.

Step 7: Let the cake cool in the pan for about 5 minutes, then carefully invert onto a wire rack and let cool completely.

Pro tip! Don't stress if it doesn't come out of the bundt pan perfectly, the ganache will cover up any flaws!

Step 8: Make your ganache! 

Heat your heavy cream until it's just steaming and little bubbles are forming around the edge. 

Place the chopped dark chocolate in a bowl together with the honey and sugar, and then pour the hot cream over top to melt the chocolate.

Stir to combine into a smooth, glossy ganache. 

Step 9: Slowly pour the ganache over the cake. You want most of it to be on top, but for puddles to form down the side. 

Step 10: Allow the cake to rest in order for the ganache to firm up. You can speed this up in the fridge if you're in a hurry!

Step 11: Slice into wedges, and serve with a dollop of loosely whipped cream. 

Step 12: Enjoy your cake! Close your eyes, appreciate the chocolatey goodness. Pat yourself on the back for making such a delicious cake. You rock!

If you want to be extra, you can sprinkle chocolate chips on top of the ganache for a triple chocolate bundt cake.

Pro tips / recipe notes

A note about the flour: I live in Sweden where whole wheat flour is ground extremely fine, and can be used interchangeably with all-purpose flour. I've called for whole wheat pastry flour here, as it's generally ground finer and has a lower gluten content (and is therefore more delicate) than regular whole wheat flour. 

You can also use white whole wheat flour if you have it and it's a relatively fine grind, or you can replace the whole wheat flour with all purpose flour and call it a day. 

A note about sugar: The role of sugar in baking is not just to provide sweetness, but also to provide structure and moisture to the cake. Sugar is hygroscopic, which means it attracts and holds moisture, and is responsible for the incredible, moist texture of this cake.

I do not recommend reducing the sugar in this, or any cake recipe, otherwise the taste and texture will both be negatively impacted. 

A note about yogurt: I use full-fat plain yogurt to make this cake, which ranges from 3.8 - 4.5% milk fat. I recommend using a runny yogurt, rather than a thick Balkan-style yogurt for this recipe.

You could use sour cream instead of yogurt if that's what you've got on hand, but I love the intense tang of yogurt for this recipe.

Do Ahead:

This cake can be made a day in advance and kept wrapped in plastic or in an air-tight container at room temperature. You can add the ganache when you make it, or about an hour before you're ready to serve.

Leftover cake (I know, what's that?!) can be stored at room temperature in an air-tight container for about 3 days.

If you want to freeze the cake, you can wrap the whole cake or individual slices in plastic, and store in the freezer for up to 3 months. 

Other recipes you might enjoy

Strawberry Yogurt Cake
Healthy Apple Cake
Wholegrain Cast Iron Skillet Cookie
Fudgy Adzuki Bean Brownies
Chickpea Blondies
Healthy Chocolate Zucchini Bread with Quinoa