French Gateau Recipe

Several friends have requested the recipe for the very easy French cake which seems to have become a staple around here! Good just served plain for afternoon tea with a cuppa, or gussied up with whipped or pouring cream for a pretty dessert. Apparently the story behind this gateau style cake is that it's rustled up quickly to serve "pour le gouter" the afternoon snack when the children come home from school at 4 p.m. Dinner is served much later in France so I guess this yummy treat doesn't interfere with the evening meal!

Note the addition of ground almonds - these are used often in European baking and add nice moisture to a cake. I buy the pound bag of Bob's Red Mill Ground Almond Meal/Flour which I find available in most grocery stores in their health/natural foods section. Keep it in a zip bag in the 'frig. I use unsalted butter. Have tried using half Splenda for the sugar, however the cake looks a bit different in color, but tastes fine.

I now use all flexible silicon baking pans (KitchenAid has great ones - often on sale in TJMaxx/Marshalls/Homegoods). Love them for even cooking and easy release - this gateau pops right out on a plate inverted on top - nothing stuck behind in the pan!! Watch the cake carefully toward end of the baking time as it will start to brown quickly - I find 30 mins. is fine with the flexible pan - when I can see it pulling away from the edges. Hope you can click and enlarge recipe and start baking soon.

Enjoy!

I sometimes sprinkle with crushed pistachios or sliced almonds.
One of my favorite toppings for anything with fruit is Mascarpone Cream.

1/2 cup mascarpone cheese

2 tablespoons honey

1 cup heavy whipping cream

Have cream, medium bowl and beaters chilled.

Whisk together mascarpone and honey in small bowl.

Whip cream to medium peaks in chilled medium bowl.

Fold mascarpone mixture into whipped cream. Chill until ready to serve.

Makes about 2-1/2 cups.