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 cake is one of the classic cakes of the pastry world (The frenchs call them "journey cake"), and there are many ways to make it.
Here's a new basic recipe for its dough, into which you can then add the flavors (pistachio, lemon, chocolate, etc.) and ingredients (dried fruit, fresh fruit, etc.) of your choice.
Here's a new basic recipe for its dough, into which you can then add the flavors (pistachio, lemon, chocolate, etc.) and ingredients (dried fruit, fresh fruit, etc.) of your choice.
67 K 4.2/5 (6 reviews)
20 min.
Easy
1.25 €
510 g
7 IngredientsLast modified on: September 7th 2025
For 510 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
3 g baking powder - 7
2 g salt - Total weight: 515 grams
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).
Note: As always with cakes, if you want a nice opening on top when baking, try this very effective trick.
Note: As always with cakes, if you want a nice opening on top when baking, try this very effective trick.
Remarks
If you are using salted butter, omit the 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
How much will it cost?
- For 510 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.
54 K 1 hour 55 min.
This recipe uses (among others)
Caster sugar
Like these other recipes: Clementine Tiramisu, Apple paste, Lime confectioner's custard (pastry cream), Clementine-chestnuts brioche perdue, Peach and verbena feuilleté, ... See them all 375
Flour
Like these other recipes: Sesame fried scampi, Strawberry and rhubarb crumble, Génoise (Genoa sponge), Vegetable clafoutis, Naan, ... See them all 212
Egg
Like these other recipes: How to cook hard-boiled eggs properly , Eggs en Cocotte à la Française, Gâteau Basque , Chocolate cake, Escalopes in a sesame crust, ... See them all 251
Cream
Like these other recipes: Gratin of beet tops and potatoes, Chocolate tart, Baked potoatoes with herb butter or cream , Tuna pasta, New York style pasta, ... See them all 124
Other recipes you may also like
Amaretti
Amaretti are little Italian almond biscuits. They are a bit like meringues, very sweet, and made with ground almonds. May 31th 201586 K4.5 1 hour 3 min.
Quick flaky pizza
This pizza with a difference has a thin puff-pastry base instead the traditional dough. Apart from this small refinement, the basic elements you would expect are all there: tomato sauce, a variety of toppings and fresh basil leaves. September 26th 2018126 K 40 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 2018376 K5 1 hour 25 min.
How to prepare spinach
For most people (and me most of all), spinach brings back bad memories of canteens... But, well prepared, it's a fine and delicate vegetable which goes remarkably well with scrambled eggs, fish, and many another things. Here are two ways of preparing it. June 5th 20153.42 M3.5 1 hour 9 min.
Stewed apple (compote)
Here is a very basic but delicious recipe, and the pitfalls to avoid. November 8th 20172.47 M 14.8 1 hour 15 min.
News list of cooking-ez.com
Sign up to receive the latest recipes (next batch due to be sent on 2026-04-05)
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.