With fresh lemon juice and zest for maximum zing, this coconut lemon cake uses olive oil and yogurt for a summery Mediterranean flavour and super moist texture.
Do you sometimes have food flashbacks? I do. I’ll be going along, minding my own business, when out of the blue I’ll remember some delicious thing that I ate years ago. And then I have to track it down, or recreate it, or use the memory as inspiration for some other delicious thing.
Summer fete baking
Recently, I needed to bake a cake for my daughter Kipper’s school’s summer fair. As I was considering what kind – not chocolate, too obvious… not Victoria sponge, too traditional… – I had a flashback to something I last ate about 20 years ago.
As I was pondering cake options, I had a sudden memory of a fabulous yogurt that I used to get in Israel in the 1990s. It was super creamy and rich, and came in a range of gorgeous flavours. One of my favourites was lemon and coconut.
Memorable flavours – lemon and coconut
I remember it clearly because it was deeply lemony, not too sweet, and it had the perfect amount of fresh coconut flavour. The yogurt texture was thick and unctuous. One pot always seemed to be not quite big enough!
I’ve never seen a similar flavour here in the UK, although these days I usually go for unflavoured natural yogurt in any case. So that was what I grabbed as I decided to make a lemon coconut yogurt cake.
Coconut lemon cake – Zesty and zingy!
I used fresh lemon juice and zest for maximum lemon zing, and decided to use olive oil to give an even more summery Mediterranean flavour. Together with the yogurt it made the cake super moist.
I boosted the coconut flavour with a drizzle of coconut icing, but if you prefer to enhance the lemon side you can make a lemon icing instead. Either way is delicious!
Ingredients in coconut lemon cake with yogurt
This lovely moist cake uses mostly easy store-cupboard ingredients, although depending on your stores, you may need to buy yogurt and coconut. To make the lemon coconut cake, you will need:
For the cake
- Extra virgin olive oil – delicious flavour and a lovely moist cake
- Plain natural yogurt – I used goats’ milk yogurt, but regular cow’s milk yogurt or even a non-dairy alternative will be fine
- Lemon – zest and juice
- Eggs
- Golden caster sugar – adds a lovely flavour but white sugar is fine too
- Plain flour
- Desiccated coconut – also called unsweetened shredded coconut
- Bicarbonate of soda – for a nice light cake
For the drizzle and decoration (optional)
- Icing sugar – also called powdered sugar or confectioners sugar
- Lemon juice OR coconut rum – depending on whether you want lemon or coconut icing
- A little water
- Strands of lemon zest to decorate the cake – totally optional
Two cakes – one for now and one for later…
The recipe makes two generous loaf cakes which is perfect when you’re catering for a crowd. Or simply eat one now and freeze the other for later! I always like to have a cake stashed away ‘for an emergency’.
No need to wait for a school fair – this deliciously summery yogurt coconut lemon cake is fabulous anytime!
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📖 Recipe
Coconut lemon cake with yogurt
Ingredients
- 3 eggs
- 240 ml extra virgin olive oil
- 330 ml natural yogurt (I used goats' milk yogurt)
- 1 lemon – zest and juice
- 300 g golden caster sugar
- 345 g plain flour
- 120 g desiccated coconut (unsweetened shredded coconut)
- 1½ teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
For the drizzle and decoration
- 50 g icing (powdered) sugar
- ½ teaspoon lemon juice OR coconut rum
- ½-1 teaspoon water
- strands of lemon zest (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 160°C (320°F). Line two 900g (2lb) loaf tins with greaseproof paper.
- 3 eggs, 240 ml (1 cup) extra virgin olive oil, 330 ml (1 ½ cups) natural yogurt, 1 lemon – zest and juice, 300 g (1 ⅓ cups) golden caster sugarIn a large (at least 2 litre/2 quart) jug, whisk together the eggs, olive oil, yogurt, lemon zest and juice, and sugar.
- 345 g (2 ¾ cups) plain flour, 120 g (1 ½ cups) desiccated coconut, 1½ teaspoon bicarbonate of sodaIn a large mixing bowl, combine the flour, desiccated coconut and bicarbonate of soda.
- Pour the liquid ingredients into the dry ingredients and gently fold together to give a thick batter. Divide the batter evenly between the two prepared loaf tins.
- Transfer the tins to the oven and bake at 160°C (320°F) for 45-50 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the centre of a cake comes out clean. Allow to cool in the tins for around 10 minutes then transfer onto a wire rack and leave until cold.
- (If you plan to freeze one or both of the cakes, it's better to do this without the icing. See detailed notes on freezing below.)
To make the drizzle and decorate
- 50 g (½ cup) icing (powdered) sugar, ½ teaspoon lemon juice OR coconut rum, ½-1 teaspoon water, strands of lemon zest (optional)Mix the icing sugar with the lemon juice or coconut rum, then add just enough water to give a suitably runny consistency. Drizzle over the cooled cakes and decorate with shreds of lemon zest if desired.
Notes
Nutrition
More tasty cake recipes using yogurt and olive oil
If you fancy baking more treats using olive oil and/or yogurt, try these:
- Vegan blueberry banana muffins with yogurt, from Sneaky Veg
- Spiced olive oil cupcakes, from Family Friends Food
- Honey and walnut yogurt semolina cake, from Tin and Thyme
- Gluten-free blueberry almond muffins with streusel topping, from Family Friends Food
- High fibre raspberry yogurt cake, from Recipes Made Easy
- Cranberry and orange yogurt muffins, from Christina’s Cucina
Julie
It would be good to mention what size loaf tins?
Helen
Hi Julie. Apologies, it is a standard 900g (2lb) loaf tin. I will update the recipe card with this information.
All the best, Helen x.
Susie
Thank you for sharing this delicious recipe. I love the ingredients and that it makes 2 loaves. I iced one and just covered the other with sifted icing sugar. I used lemons from my tree which are in abundance. I love any cake that includes olive oil and yoghurt in the ingredients. I may have posted two comments as I’m not sure it first went through. Having computer problems.🍋😘
Helen
Thanks Susie. I’m very envious of your home grown lemons!
Katherine Elliott
I’ve just baked the coconut yogurt olive oil loaf cake and I added a handful of fresh raspberries I needed using up.. what a great recipe! Thank you so much
Helen
That sounds delicious Katherine! I will have to try it 🙂
uptight
This is a great cake. Not too sweet, and the combination of lemon and coconut is one of my favourites. I used Greek yogurt because that’s the one avaiable in stores here in Greece, and it turned out just fine.. My choc-loving husband approved this as well. A winner!
Helen
Thanks so much! I’m glad you both enjoyed the cake 🙂
Jamie
I love how moist this is and the flavors are so wonderful! My friends and family loved it! Can’t wait to make it again!
Helen
Thanks Jamie – so glad you enjoyed it 🙂
Mama Maggie's Kitchen
This Moist coconut lemon cake with olive oil and yogurt looks so deliciously good. I wish I could eat that right this minute!
Helen
Thanks! Me too!!
Gloria
Love the look of this delicious cake. It would be perfect as an item on the brunch menu, dessert or as an afternoon treat. Personally, I would have it with my morning coffee and call it breakfast.
Helen
Ooh, I hadn’t thought of it for breakfast but that would be great – fab idea!
Courtney | Love & Good Stuff
Lemon, yogurt and coconut sound like an incredible flavour profile and I love how moist this cake looks! I can’t wait to try this!
Helen
Thanks Courtney. I hope you enjoy it!
SHANIKA
This Lemon cake looks and sounds so good! I’m loving the Coconut combo!
Helen
Thanks Shanika 🙂 It’s a great flavour combination.
Choclette
Lemon and yoghurt sounds like such a vibrant flavour combination, I’m in love at the very thought.
Helen
Thanks Choclette! It’s certainly zingy and delicious!
Christina Conte
I love this combination of coconut and lemon! Have never tried it, but I’m so sure I’d love it! The cake looks so moist and luscious, and of course the yogurt helps in that (plus it’s good for you)! Yay! Thanks for including my muffin recipe, too!
Helen
Thanks Christina. It really is super moist from the yogurt and olive oil, and really delicious too! 🙂