Cakes

While classic French financiers are typically made from ground almonds, these Roasted Hazelnut Financiers are made from – you guessed it – roasted hazelnuts, to help provide bolder flavors. This variation on these iconic French bite-sized cakes is a favorite of mine for its perfectly-matched notes of nutty brown butter and rich, toasty hazelnuts. These financiers are quick and easy to make, incredibly delicious and the perfect treats to ease into Fall baking.

We’re putting yet another French twist on an American classic! Today’s recipe revisits classic fudgy Brownies, but with the addition of pecans and Fleur de Sel – a star ingredient of French cuisine. These brownies are deeply chocolatey, chewy in the center with crunchy bits of pecans, and topped with that shiny crackly top we all love. Fleur de Sel also sprinkled over top makes all the flavors pop and makes them even more addictive.

A “moelleux” is a very casual yet scrumptious French cake made with the simplest of ingredients and a generous amount of butter, for a melt-in-your-mouth texture. The crumb is rich and a little dense, which makes it the perfect vessel for ripe Summer berries or stone fruits. After last Summer’s success of my Plum Moelleux Cake recipe, I present today my Fresh Strawberry Moelleux Cake – just as easy to make and equally delicious. 

This Classic French Pear Cake features tender pear chunks nestled in a light and airy crumb, flavored with almond extract. Right before baking, the cake gets dusted with sugar to create a signature crackly top. It’s super-easy to make and is just sweet enough, with a delightful more-pear-than-crumb-ratio. If you love pears, this recipe will become a staple in your repertoire. 

A Breton Pound Cake, known as “Quatre-Quarts” (four quarters) is the ubiquitous French snacking cake. It’s simple, not-too-sweet, just dense enough to be eaten with your hands and full of buttery flavors. This version is studded with lightly caramelized apple chunks to keep it moist and irresistible. A great year-round recipe for your baking repertoire!

Rye flour, a good amount of honey and a unique spice blend are the key components of a great Classic French Spiced Bread – also known as Pain d’Épices. This cross between a cake and a bread is a holiday staple in France. It can be found on most Christmas market stalls, sold in big slabs. It is also a favorite to make amongst home bakers as it is a really simple recipe that makes the house smell wonderful. This is a perfect crowd pleaser for the Holidays.

In France, a proper Christmas dinner wouldn’t be complete without the traditional Bûche de Noël. This wooden log look-a-like cake, traditionally made of a rolled-up Génoise cake frosted with Chocolate buttercream, is part of the official conclusion to a Christmas feast. A holiday ritual no one will pass on – even with an overfilled belly. 

This Plum Moelleux Cake recipe was destined to be shared quickly on my Instagram… But following the success of it, I decided to share it on the blog as well, so no one misses out on the goodness! A “moelleux” is a French cake made with the simplest of ingredients and a generous amount of butter, for a melt-in-your-mouth texture. The crumb is rich and a little dense, which makes it the perfect vessel for ripe Summer fruits likes blueberries, apricots and plums. I make this recipe with apricots every Summer, …

I do love a good French yogurt cake during any season. And today’s late Summer version includes ripe seasonal blueberries paired with the tang of fresh lemons. It’s moist, zesty and has just the right amount of fresh ripe blueberries. As with most French yogurt cakes, this Blueberry Lemon Yogurt Loaf is an easy and foolproof recipe to make at home. The small trick here is to lightly toss the blueberries in flour so they don’t sink to the bottom of the pan while baking. This ensures the blueberries are …

A lightly crisp top, a moist center and a subtle nuttiness are what make Financiers a French favorite! These little cakes made of ground almonds with beurre-noisette and fluffy egg whites are a staple of the French baking repertoire – and for very good reasons. They’re quick and easy to make, and adaptable to any season or fixings. With fresh blueberries and crisp almond shavings, these Blueberry Almond Financiers are one of my favorite Summer twists on these marvelous little cakes.