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...).
47 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
1.5 oz butter - 2
4.2 oz egg ( How to... ) - 3
5.3 oz caster sugar - 4
2.8 oz cream - 5
6.6 oz flour - 6
0.07 oz 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 1.5 oz 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 2.8 oz 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.
38 K 1 hour 55 min.
This recipe uses (among others)
Caster sugar
Like these other recipes: Quick Strawberry Millefeuille, Framboisier, Hazelnut and orange cake, Pistachio powder or paste, Melon with port sorbet, ... See them all 357
Flour
Like these other recipes: Caramelized apple rice pudding, Panettone, Cottage cheese tart, Vegetable clafoutis, Hazelnut and orange cake, ... See them all 199
Egg
Like these other recipes: Sesame cookies, Little vegetable omelettes, Caramel rice pudding, Pistachio cream, Soft chocolate-orange cake, ... See them all 232
Cream
Like these other recipes: Grilled fillet of salmon with corn-salad cream, Bounty-style tart for Alison, Creamy rice with spinach, Courgettes (zuchinis) , Caramelized apple "moelleux" cake, ... See them all 114
Other recipes you may also like
Pistachio cake
Here's a loaf-style cake made with a classic batter, flavoured with pistachio (of course), and with a crunchy "macaronade" topping.March 3rd 202138 K 1 hour 55 min.
How to prepare green beans
Here's how to turn freshly bought (or picked) green beans into ready-to-use vegetables.August 11th 202319 K 25 min.
Small cheese and bacon rolls
These small aperitif snacks can be prepared in advance and heated at the last minute, or served cold.September 7th 2018358 K5 1 hour 25 min.
How to cook hard-boiled eggs properly
A hard-boiled egg is properly cooked when: shell is not broken, white and yolk are firm, yolk is only yellow with no traces of green around it. Here are some tips to make this easy.November 4th 20131.37 M 65 1 hour 30 min.
Pitta bread
This Lebanese speciality is made as a flat round pocket, which can be filled with all manner of things.January 8th 2025524 K 14.5 2 hours 50 min.
News list of cooking-ez.com
Sign up to receive the latest recipes (next batch due to be sent on 2025-03-30)
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.