Gâteau Nantais (French Almond Rum Cake) Recipe

Quick Summary: Gâteau Nantais (Nantes cake) is a moist, buttery French almond rum cake made with just a handful of basic ingredients, soaked in dark rum, and finished with a glossy rum glaze. It comes together quickly, then bakes and cools before glazing, making an easy grown-up dessert with a flavor unlike any other.

What is gâteau Nantais?

A piece of French culinary heritage, gâteau Nantais dates back two centuries. Named after the city of Nantes in north-western France, it was likely invented by a certain Monsieur Rouleau in 1820, when luxurious ingredients such as dark rum, cane sugar, and vanilla arrived at Nantes' port from the Caribbean. Once reserved for the aristocracy and local bourgeoisie, it was later popularized across France.

If you travel to Nantes for an authentic taste, this traditional French rum cake is best enjoyed at its birthplace, found at renowned establishments such as Maison Arlot Cheng or La Petite Boulangerie.

Rum is a versatile ingredient widely used in French cuisine. Its unique flavor profile elevates dishes such as French Crepes, Prune Custard Cake, and Banana Bread to a new level of deliciousness.

Why you'll love this recipe

• Big rum flavor. The cake is generously soaked in dark rum and finished with a glossy rum glaze, giving it a rich, grown-up taste unlike any other.
• Just six ingredients. This authentic recette du gâteau Nantais keeps things simple, so you can bake it quickly with no fuss and no special equipment.
• Moist and melt-in-your-mouth. Almond flour and butter give the cake a tender, buttery crumb that stays soft for days.
• Perfect any time of day. Serve it on its own, with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or fruit salad, or as an afternoon treat alongside tea or coffee.
• A gateway to French baking. If you love rum-kissed classics, try it next to banana bread, prune custard cake, and French crepes.

Ingredients

For ingredients and detailed instructions, refer to the recipe card below.

• Butter brings moisture, taste, and flavor to the cake. Opt for unsalted European-style butter with 82% fat content. Ensure it is softened by bringing it to room temperature an hour before you start.

• Icing sugar (sucre glace) is used for the cake batter and the rum-flavored icing. Make it yourself with a coffee grinder, or use store-bought powdered sugar.

• Almond flour (poudre d'amande) is a crucial ingredient that adds authentic flavor to the Nantes cake, capturing the essence of this traditional French almond rum cake. You can use ground almonds instead: just process roasted almonds in a food processor until they form a powder. However, be careful not to turn the almonds into butter.

• All-purpose flour is used sparingly, and unfortunately, this cake can't be considered gluten-free. Learn whether all-purpose flour is the same as plain flour.

• Eggs: The recipe called for large eggs at room temperature. Bring them to the counter 1 hour before you start.

• Rum is a star ingredient for making an authentic cake. Opt for dark rum, but use white rum to make white-colored icing. To make the cake kid-friendly, replace the rum with lemon juice, orange blossom water, or simply water.

Recipe variations

• Swap the rum: use Grand Marnier or Cointreau, adding orange or lemon zest.
• Add flavor: try blossom water, vanilla extract, lemon juice, or bitter almond extract diluted in water, keeping the total liquid the same.
• Add crunch: sprinkle roasted flaked almonds across the top.

Ingredient substitutions

You can adapt gâteau Nantais with a few simple swaps.

• Use dark rum for a stronger flavor or light rum for a milder one, and replace the rum with rum extract plus a little water if you prefer no alcohol.
• Almond flour is the heart of the cake, so it is best kept, but you can use a mix of almond and hazelnut flour for a different taste.
• For a fully gluten-free cake, swap the small amount of all-purpose flour for a gluten-free blend or cornstarch, much like an Italian almond cake.

How to make gâteau Nantais

Step 1: Cut a round of parchment for the bottom and wide strips for the sides of the pan. Using softened butter, grease an 8-inch (20 cm) round cake pan and line it with parchment paper.

Pro tip: Alternatively, you can flour it with all-purpose flour instead of using baking paper.

Step 2: Sift almond flour in a clean bowl and set aside. Then, using a flour sifter, sift all-purpose flour into a separate bowl (see my guide to sifting flour).

Step 3: Preheat the oven to 355°F (180°C). To make the cake batter, in a large mixing bowl, place softened butter and icing (powdered) sugar and whisk with an electric mixer until the mixture becomes creamy and homogeneous (photo 1). You can use a hand whisk if desired; it takes up to 10 minutes.

Step 4: Add the sifted almond powder and whisk the mixture until well combined. Then, add eggs, one at a time, whisking the mixture well between each addition.

Step 5: Pour the sifted flour and mix the batter with a rubber spatula. Finally, add rum or another flavor of your choice and mix (photo 2).

Step 6: Pour the cake batter into the prepared pan, smooth the surface (photo 3), and bake for 40-45 minutes. Cover the cake with aluminum foil if the cake browns quickly. Check the cake for doneness by inserting a toothpick into the center.

Step 7: Remove the cake from the oven. Cover the pan with a wire rack (aka cooling rack) and flip it over to gently unmold the cake: it will be upside down.

Step 8: Soak the bottom of the cake (now the top) with rum using a pastry or silicone brush (photo 4). Let it cool to room temperature.

Step 9: To make the icing, sift icing sugar in a small bowl and add white rum little by little, beating with a fork. 

Pro Tip: Do not add the rum all at once: add it gradually to control the texture of the frosting. If it is too thick, spreading it over the cake will be hard. If it is runny, it will drip.

Step 10: Pour a small amount of the glaze into the center of the cold cake and spread it towards the edges (photo 5). Use the back of a tablespoon or an offset spatula. Add more glaze and smooth it.

Pro tip: If the icing start dripping, catch it with your finger by running along the cake's edge. Work with icing quickly since it hardens fast.

Step 11: Let the glaze set at room temperature for 1-2 hours before serving. To serve the next day, keep it at room temperature, not refrigerated. It tastes even better the next day.

Expert Tips

1. Use a 9-inch (23 cm) springform pan to make a lower cake. In fact, the cake's height doesn't exceed 1 ⅕ inches (3 cm).
2. Mix 6 ½ tablespoons (50 g) of icing sugar and 2-4 teaspoons (10-20 ml) of rum to find your desired texture. Experiment with the rum icing consistency by adding a drop of rum or a few pinches of icing sugar. Lemon juice can be used as a substitute for rum in the glaze recipe if preferred.
3. Sprinkle the top of the cake with roasted flaked almonds to hide any imperfections in the glaze, if needed.
4. Make-ahead option: Bake the cake the day before. Cover it with a tea towel and keep it at room temperature overnight. Glaze it for 1-2 hours before serving.

What to serve with gâteau Nantais

Gâteau Nantais is rich and buttery, so it pairs well with a simple hot drink, such as coffee or black tea.

For dessert, serve a slice with fresh berries, a spoonful of crème anglaise, or a little homemade whipped cream. A small glass of the same rum used in the cake also makes a nice pairing after a meal.

Storing & freezing

Store gâteau Nantais at room temperature for 1-2 days or refrigerate it for up to 2 weeks.

Freeze the gateau Nantais, cooled and unglazed, for 5-6 weeks. Cover it with plastic wrap, then aluminum foil, and bring it to the freezer. Let it defrost in the fridge overnight or at room temperature for a few hours before glazing.

Recipe FAQ

What is gâteau Nantais in English?
Gâteau Nantais is translated as Nantais cake in English. It is also known as Nantes cake or French rum cake.

Is gâteau Nantais gluten-free?
Gâteau Nantais is made with almond flour, but it is not gluten-free because a small amount of all-purpose flour is added.

Is Nantes cake good?
Nantes cake, or gâteau Nantais, is a super-moist French almond rum cake made with a generous amount of rum. It is tasty and delicious for adults but inappropriate for kids due to its alcohol content.

Is there alcohol in gâteau Nantais?
Yes. Gâteau Nantais features generous amounts of rum blended into the cake batter. The cake is also soaked with rum and topped with a rum-flavored glaze.

Can you make gâteau Nantais ahead of time?
Yes, and it is even better made ahead. Bake the cake a day or two in advance, then store it airtight so the rum flavor deepens and the crumb stays moist before glazing and serving.

Love French cakes? Try these next!

• French Yogurt Cake
• French Chocolate Cake
• French Almond Cake
• Moelleux au Chocolat

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The nutritional information has been calculated using an online recipe nutrition calculator such as Verywellfit.com and is intended for informational purposes only. These figures should be used as a general guideline and not be construed as a guarantee.