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Slice of Vanilla Yogurt Cake with Sprinkles on a small plate
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5 from 3 votes

The Best Vanilla Yogurt Cake with Sprinkles

This Vanilla Yogurt Cake is incredibly tangy, dense, and moist. This sensational creation boasts a heavenly blend of vanilla + tangy Greek yogurt. This cake is sure to captivate both your taste buds and your eyes. It's filled with colorful rainbow sprinkles that make it perfect for a party or any celebration. And the best part? Vegan + Gluten-Free options.
Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time35 minutes
Total Time45 minutes
Course: Dessert
Keyword: baked, birthday, cake, dessert, easy, fluffy, holiday, soft, sprinkles, sweet, vanilla, yogurt
Servings: 8 servings
Calories: 842kcal
Author: Shanika

Ingredients

CAKE:

  • 4 cups organic all-purpose flour
  • 1 ½ cups organic cane sugar
  • 1 cup unsalted butter, softened at room temp.
  • 2 ½ tsps baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon sea salt
  • 2 tsps vanilla extract
  • 4 large organic eggs, room temp.
  • 1 ½ cups dairy-free "buttermilk": milk + 1 tablespoon lemon juice (You can also use regular buttermilk)
  • ½ cup Greek yogurt, vanilla

VANILLA BUTTERCREAM:

  • 5 cups organic powdered sugar, sifted
  • 1 cup unsalted butter, softened at room temp.
  • 1 ½ Tbsps vanilla extract
  • 3-4 Tbsps Tbsps Almond milk (You can also use full dairy milk, if desired!)

TOPPING:

  • Festive rainbow sprinkles

Instructions

MAKE THE CAKE:

  • Begin by preheating your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Lightly grease (with butter) AND line with parchment paper the bottoms of TWO 9-inch or 8-inch cake pans (for thicker layers) or THREE 6-inch cake pans.
  • In a bowl, whisk together the milk and lemon juice and set aside for 5-10 minutes until everything "activates" to create the dairy-free "buttermilk".
  • In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt until combined.
  • In a bowl, add the butter and sugar, beating them together using a hand-mixer (on high-speed), until pale and fluffy, about 2-3 minutes.
  • Add the eggs (one at a time) followed by the vanilla and yogurt, mixing until combined. On low-speed, add in the dry ingredients followed by the buttermilk and continue to mix until combined and the batter is smooth, about 3-4 minutes. NOTE: The batter should be thick, yet slowly run off the whisk once lifted.
  • Divide the batter evenly into each of the cake pans and bake for 30-35 minutes, or until a toothpick or butter knife comes out clean when tested in the centers.
  • Remove cakes from the oven and let them rest in the pan for 10 minutes or so before removing the cakes and placing them onto a cooling rack to fully cool. NOTE: Let them cool for at least 1-2 hours in a cool place.

MAKE THE BUTTERCREAM FROSTING:

  • Simply beat the butter in the bowl of an electric mixer (or using a hand-mixer) on medium-high speed, until smooth and pale. Add in the powdered sugar, vanilla, and milk, continuing to mix on medium-speed until you reach the desired consistency----smooth and fluffy. NOTE: Add more milk (1 tablespoon at a time if too thick) or powdered sugar (for more thickness).

ASSEMBLY:

  • Place the first cake layer on your cake stand and evenly cover the top with buttercream and rainbow sprinkles. Now, top with 2nd layer and add more buttercream, spreading it over the tops and sides of cake, evenly and thinly. NOTE: If making a 3-layer, be sure to repeat step 1 of assembly once again before getting to the final layer.
  • Once fully frosted, add small little designs of the buttercream using a piping bag + tip around the sides and top of cake followed by rainbow sprinkles. Chill for 5 minutes to ensure that buttercream sets.
  • When ready to serve, remove from the refrigerator. Slice and enjoy!
  • Bon Appetit!

Notes

  • STORAGE: Keep cake leftovers stored for up to 4-5 days in the fridge. Keep it in an airtight container to keep the cake from drying out. You can also freeze the cake tightly wrapped in plastic wrap for up to 3 months. Before serving, defrost the cake on the counter.
  • FLOUR: You can also use cake flour in place of all-purpose flour for a fluffier texture. 
  • CUPCAKES: This recipe yields about 30 cupcakes. Simply bake for 18-20 minutes instead, until centers come out clean. I also, have a Vanilla Cupcakes with Buttercream Frosting recipe that is awesome!
  • VEGAN OPTION: To make this cake entirely dairy-free + vegan, simply omit the unsalted butter and eggs and use vegan butter instead and add 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar to milk instead of lemon juice. Also, substitute Greek yogurt with dairy-free yogurt. You can see my Vegan Funfetti Cake + Vanilla Buttercream recipe for an amazing substitute.
  • GLUTEN FREE OPTION: If you would love to make this cake gluten-free, then substituting all-purpose flour with Bob’s Red Mill 1-to-1 Baking Flour is the easiest option. It’s a special blend of gluten-free flours, starches, and xanthan gum, which makes this cake just as soft, fluffy, and airy as the original! They also have a great All-purpose GF flour that works great as well.

Nutrition

Calories: 842kcal | Carbohydrates: 167g | Protein: 13g | Fat: 51g | Saturated Fat: 31g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 13g | Trans Fat: 2g | Cholesterol: 221mg | Sodium: 380mg | Potassium: 211mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 41g | Vitamin A: 1629IU | Calcium: 183mg | Iron: 4mg