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...).
48 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
40 g butter - 2
120 g egg ( How to... ) - 3
150 g caster sugar - 4
80 g cream - 5
120 g flour - 6
2 g baking powder - 7
2 pinches salt - Total weight: 515 grams
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 40 g 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 80 g 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=8 % | 240 RDI=20 % | 70 RDI=8 % | 1,730 RDI=60 % | 7,230 RDI: 60 % |
| Per 100 g | 5 RDI=2 % | 50 RDI=3 % | 10 RDI=2 % | 340 RDI=10 % | 1,410 RDI: 10 % |
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.
39 K 1 hour 55 min.
This recipe uses (among others)
Caster sugar
Like these other recipes: Dandelion flower jelly, Tiramisu, Little vanilla, clementine and chestnut verrines, Blackcurrant jelly, Citrus tart, ... See them all 361
Flour
Like these other recipes: Caramelized apple rice pudding, Coq au vin, Lobster Thermidor, Boeuf (beef) bourguignon, Panettone, ... See them all 201
Egg
Like these other recipes: Spinach and ricotta ravioli, Gisèle's Pasties, Sesame cookies, Amandier (gluten-free almond cake), Provençal remoulade sauce, ... See them all 236
Cream
Like these other recipes: Chocolate rolls (petits pains), Kervallon soup, Chocolate cream with a crunch, irish coffee mousse, Caramelized apple "moelleux" cake, Curried prawn risotto, ... See them all 115
Other recipes you may also like
Soufflée omelette with cheese
Halfway between an omelette and a soufflé, this quick recipe give a light and delicious result. The secret is mainly in the two cooking methods: frying pan, then oven.June 22th 2013439 K4.7 55 min.
Nanou's apple and almond cake
Apples and almonds are the dominant flavours in this old family cake recipe, but these are joined by delightful notes of lemon and rum.November 14th 202129 K 2 hours 15 min.
Raisin breads (pains aux raisins)
Raisin breads (pains aux raisins) are one of the three viennoiseries found in all good French bakeries, along with croissants and pains au chocolat. It is a delicate roll of yeast-based flaky dough (the dough of croissants) filled with custard and raisins.November 27th 202228 K 2 hours 45 min.
Baked apples from St Aubin le Vertueux
Under this pretty name, my personal version of "Les pommes au four" (baked apples).February 21th 2011250 K 24.2 1 hour 7 min.
4 pears salad with vanilla
It's a very easy recipe, everything depends on the choice of differents kinds of pears all fully ripe, to give a delicious contrast in the mouth.February 21th 2011230 K4.2 40 min.
News list of cooking-ez.com
Sign up to receive the latest recipes (next batch due to be sent on 2025-06-01)
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.