This site uses only a few technical cookies necessary for its operation. By continuing to browse, you accept their use.
To find out more...
To find out more...
Basic cake batter - the French way
The French have adopted the word "cake" for one that will stand up to being transported (usually made a loaf tin and sometimes called a "travel cake" in French). There are many versions, but here is a new basic recipe to which you can your choice of flavours (pistachio, lemon, chocolate...) and other ingredients (fresh or dried fruit, nuts...).
52 K 4.2/5 (6 reviews)
20 min.
Easy
550 g
7 IngredientsLast modified on: November 18th 2020
For 550 g, you will need:
- 1
cup + 3 tablespoons butter - 2
2⁄3 cup egg ( How to... ) - 3
2⁄3 cup caster sugar - 4
½ cup cream - 5
1 cup flour - 6
½ teaspoon baking powder - 7
2 pinches salt
Change these quantities to make:
Change measures:
Times for this recipe
Preparation: 10 min.
Cooking: 7 min.
All in all: 20 min.
If you start now, at , you will finish around : ?.Change start time
To finish around 7pm, you'll need to have started before: .Change end time
Step by step recipe
Stage 1 - 7 min.
Melt cup + 3 tablespoons butter in a small pan on low heat.
Bring to the boil, then wait until it stops boiling and begins to give off a nutty smell (you have just made noisette butter).
Take off the heat and leave to cool until just warm.
Bring to the boil, then wait until it stops boiling and begins to give off a nutty smell (you have just made noisette butter).
Take off the heat and leave to cool until just warm.
Stage 2 - 2 min.
Stage 3 - 1 min.
Add ½ cup cream...
Stage 4 - 1 min.
...and mix again.
Stage 5 - 2 min.
Stage 6 - 1 min.
Mix again.
Stage 7 - 2 min.
Pour the warm noisette butter into the mixture through a fine strainer.
Stage 8 - 1 min.
Mix one last time.
Stage 9
Your cake batter is ready.
You can now add your chosen flavourings (chocolate, pistachio, lemon...), or leave it plain, before pouring it into the tins or moulds.
You can now add your chosen flavourings (chocolate, pistachio, lemon...), or leave it plain, before pouring it into the tins or moulds.
Stage 10
If you want to make a plain cake straight away, pour the dough into a mold and bake for about 40 minutes at 390°F (200°C).
Remarks
If you are using salted butter, omit the pinches of salt.
For a plain cake, you can use replace half an ounce (10 g) of the sugar with vanilla sugar.
For a plain cake, you can use replace half an ounce (10 g) of the sugar with vanilla sugar.
Keeping: Should be used the same day.
Source: Based on a recipe by Christophe Michalak.
Nutritional information
| Proteins (gr) | Carbohydrates (gr) | Fats (gr) | Energy value (in k-calories) | Energy value (in k-joules) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Whole recipe | 30 RDI=10 % | 240 RDI=20 % | 70 RDI=10 % | 1,730 RDI=90 % | 7,230 RDI: 90 % |
| Per 100 g | 5 RDI=2 % | 50 RDI=4 % | 10 RDI=2 % | 340 RDI=20 % | 1,410 RDI: 20 % |
How much will it cost?
- For 550 g : 1.25 €
Change currency: 
Note: Be careful, these prices are only an estimate, you can consult the table of prices by ingredients used for this estimate.
Some other recipes using this recipe
Pistachio cake
Here's a loaf-style cake made with a classic batter, flavoured with pistachio (of course), and with a crunchy "macaronade" topping.
42 K 1 hour 55 min.
This recipe uses (among others)
Caster sugar
Like these other recipes: Oat shortbread biscuits, Apple Pie, Foie gras ballotine, Nachos, Corsican tarts, ... See them all 361
Flour
Like these other recipes: Pistachio shortbread biscuits, Leek and tuna loaf, Rabbit civet "à la normande", Apple and whisky crumble, Crackers, ... See them all 201
Egg
Like these other recipes: Gratin-style spinach and chicken omelette , Crunchy little pieces of fish, Eggs Florentine, Steak burger topped with egg, Pan-fried cheese, egg and spinach toastie, ... See them all 236
Cream
Like these other recipes: "Day After Pork Belly" Soup, Cottage cheese tart, Creamy rice with spinach, Mushroom Pancakes au Gratin, Escalope of veal in a cream sauce, ... See them all 115
Other recipes you may also like
Crunchy little pieces of fish
Small pieces of fish, dipped in beated egg then in breadcrumbs, and fried. Preferably serve with something with slightly acidic like herb salad, or Béarnaise sauce.February 21th 2011271 K5 50 min.
Caramelised apple pie
Apple pie made with caramelised apples.September 11th 2018263 K4.3 1 hour 55 min.
Chocolate tart
As you can see, there's very little added sugar in this recipe, so it's a very chocolatey and bitter-sweet tart.November 16th 2013297 K 15 2 hours 30 min.
Flambéd bananas
The trick of this recipe is to end up with bananas caramelised on the outside, still firm on the inside, coated with a tasty syrup which is not 95% butter.February 21th 2011333 K 14 40 min.
Crème brulée
Crème brûlée (burned cream) is quite easy to prepare: it's a simple egg-cream dessert. The only difficulty is in making the delicious crunchy caramel layer on top. The perfect crème brulée (for me) is a cold and soft cream, with on top a nice hot caramel crust. This is a completely new version...December 31th 20111.67 M 74.3 4 hours 40 min.
News list of cooking-ez.com
Sign up to receive the latest recipes (next batch due to be sent on 2025-07-20)
Note: We'll never share your e-mail address with anyone else.
Post a comment or question
Follow this recipe
If you are interested in this recipe, you can "follow" it, by entering your email address here. You will then receive a notification immediately each time the recipe is modified or a new comment is added. Please note that you will need to confirm this following.
Note: We'll never share your e-mail address with anyone else.
Alternatively: you can subscribe to the mailing list of cooling-ez.com , you will receive a e-mail for each new recipe published on the site.