At least that's what a French friend called it, after refusing to believe that I, an American, did not have some ancient family recipes for les cakes salées, as they are called here in France to differentiate them from sweet varieties (les cakes for short). These are no gâteaux, but savory cakes baked in a loaf pan, popular cut in cubes and served as finger food with an apéritif or packed in picnic baskets. We're talking a basic batter plus savory ingredients, like cake with chicken and tarragon; anchovies, black olives and thyme. Cake with tunafish...
Now I have lived in Paris for a long time, and while I can see some trends coming from home -- like le cheesecake you can now find at the boulangerie, along with les muffins, les cookies and les brownies that sit happily next to les croissants and les madeleines -- I had never happened upon a salty cake until I moved to Paris.
Have you?
Related: Cakes from Elle a Table
- Kristin Hohenadel blogging from Paris. She can be reached at kristin @ apartmenttherapy . com
Image: Elle.fr
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Dorie Greenspan wrote about this type of French cake in the October Bon Appetit, but she calls them "quick breads"or "savory cakes." (I like salty cake more!) She gives a recipe for a wonderful-looking bacon-cheddar cake/bread with dried pears. Yum.
I've never heard of them, but who cares, they sound delicious!
I love the sound of these. It's so interesting to read about dishes that are totally foreign to your own kitchen. Thank you Kristin!
Anjali,
Thanks for reminding me about that recipe. I lost the magazine to Ike, but hopefully I can find another copy!
I have heard of them before as a Brazilian dish I believe, but I just can't wrap my head around the texture of cake being combined with something savory. I can imagine not sweet cake, but not cake and meat?!
Perhaps its more like a carrot cake or a zucchini bread? That is a texture and density I imagine sitting much better with meats and cheese.
These actually sound delicious and the one pictured looks amazing. Anyone know where I can get a non-French, non-tuna recipe?
I make savoury muffins all the time with bacon, cheese, mushroom, tomato etc. I guess these are the cake version of those muffins?