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...).
51 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=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.
40 K 1 hour 55 min.
This recipe uses (among others)
Caster sugar
Like these other recipes: Clafoutis "Marie-Antoinette", Hazelnut and orange cake, Vanilla ice cream, Clafoutis "Marie-Antoinette", Apple charlotte with toasted brioche, ... See them all 361
Flour
Like these other recipes: "Moelleux" cake batter, Cramique, Bechamel sauce, Coconut tuiles, French onion soup, ... See them all 201
Egg
Like these other recipes: Eggs en Cocotte à la Française, Clafoutis batter, Vegetable clafoutis, Coconut pyramids, Paris flan filling, ... See them all 236
Cream
Like these other recipes: Scallops with cabbage julienne, Fish Mousselines, Elsa's Comtoise galette, Du Barry soup, Coconut-vanilla cream for Elsa , ... See them all 115
Other recipes you may also like
How to use a vanilla pod effectively
Vanilla pods are used in many recipes, but they need to treated in a particular way to be effective, detailed here.February 21th 2011393 K4.3 35 min.
Cannelés
Cannelés are a speciality from the French city of Bordeaux. These delicious little cakes have a crunchy exterior and a soft centre.December 16th 2012113 K5 1 day 1 hour 30 min.
Sausage and lentils "en cocotte"
This is a casserole-style version of the traditional French sausage-and-lentils recipe with a special feature: the lentils are cooked in just the right amount of water. The other ingredients add flavour as does, most importantly, the sausage (preferably smoked). When pricked, this will release its...February 5th 2017148 K4.5 1 hour 5 min.
Colcannon
Colcannon is a traditional Irish dish, made by mixing creamy mashed potatoes (or purée) with cabbage, chives and spring onions. There are many different versions and ways to adapt this classic recipe. My version here serves it with baked sausages.April 23th 201755 K4 1 hour 8 min.
Taos hotpot
This hotpot inspired by a stay in Taos (New Mexico) is a mix of different meat and vegetables cooked long and slow, served with polenta. The preparation is rather long, as is the cooking time, but it reheats very well.January 10th 201849 K 3 hours 15 min.
News list of cooking-ez.com
Sign up to receive the latest recipes (next batch due to be sent on 2025-06-22)
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.