Madeleine Cake

Quick summary: Madeleine cake, or gâteau Madeleine, is a sharing-size version of the classic French madeleine, baked as one round cake instead of individual shell-shaped cookies. It has the same buttery, lemony sponge, takes about 45 minutes with no special madeleine pan, and serves 8 to 10.

What is Madeleine cake?

Madeleine cake, or gâteau Madeleine in French, is the cake-format version of the beloved French madeleine. Instead of baking the batter in a shell-shaped madeleine pan to make small individual cakes, you pour it into one round pan and bake a single, taller cake.

The flavor is the same as the classic cookie-sized treat: a soft, buttery sponge scented with lemon and a hint of vanilla. Many people search for "madeleine cake" or "madeleine sponge cake" when they want this shareable format rather than the traditional shell-shaped madeleines, which are technically small cakes often mistaken for cookies.

The name traces back to the small French cakes made famous by writer Marcel Proust. This larger version keeps the nostalgia and taste while skipping the special pan and the batter-chilling step.

Why you'll love this recipe

• Easy to make: One simple batter bakes into a single cake, no shell molds or fussy steps.
• Buttery and tender: The classic madeleine crumb, soft and lightly lemony in every slice.
• Quick: Ready in about 45 minutes, perfect for last-minute guests or an afternoon treat.
• Great with tea or coffee: A simple sponge that pairs with your favorite hot drink.
• Versatile: Change up the flavor with citrus zest, vanilla, or honey to make it your own.

Ingredients

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

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

• Sugar: Use golden brown sugar, or replace it with light brown muscovado sugar if desired.

• Butter: Use unsalted butter with a pinch of salt, or semi-salted butter if available.

• Oil: Grapeseed oil is the most neutral choice for baking. If you don't mind the scent and taste, use olive oil or another oil of your choice.

• Lemon juice: Freshly squeezed lemon juice brings out the cake's citrus flavor. Replace it with orange juice, orange blossom water, vanilla extract, or dark rum if desired.

• Lemon zest: Use only organic lemons to make fresh lemon zest. Substitute it with lime or orange zest if preferred.

• Flour: The recipe calls for all-purpose flour or French T55 type flour.

• Baking powder: Use fresh aluminum-free baking powder, not baking soda.

Also, read more about madeleine ingredients.

Equipment

Here are the key tools you'll need to make this madeleine cake:

• stand mixer or a hand mixer to whisk the eggs and sugar until pale and fluffy.
• mixing bowl to combine the batter ingredients.
• flour sifter to sift the flour and baking powder for a smooth crumb.
• rubber spatula to gently fold the dry ingredients into the batter.
• round cake pan 8-inch (20 cm), or a charlotte mold to bake the cake.
• wire rack to cool the cake completely before serving.

How to make Madeleine cake

Step 1. Preheat the oven to 355°F (180°C). Using a pastry brush and softened butter, brush an 8-inch (20 cm) round cake pan or charlotte mold.

Step 2. Sift flour, baking powder, and salt into a bowl using a flour sifter. In a microwave-safe bowl, melt butter and let it cool.

Step 3. To make the batter, whisk eggs and brown sugar at high speed with an electric or stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment for about 5 minutes (photo 1).

Step 4. Add the warm, melted butter, oil, lemon zest, and lemon juice to the egg mixture, then combine.

Step 5. Add the dry ingredients, then gently smooth the mixture with a rubber spatula (photo 2).

Step 6. Pour the batter into the prepared cake pan and bake in the hot oven for 30 minutes (photo 3).

Step 7. Check the cake's doneness with a toothpick or a sharp knife: the cake is ready if the toothpick or knife comes out clean (photo 4).

Step 8. Let the cake cool for a few minutes, then remove it from the mold and cool it on a wire rack for 15 minutes. Dust the cake with confectioners' sugar if desired.

Expert tips

1. Whisk the egg and sugar mixture for at least 5 minutes to aerate the mixture.
2. Make sure the melted butter cools down.

Recipe variations

Like classic French madeleines, this madeleine cake welcomes plenty of variations:

• Simple dusting: Dust the cooled cake with confectioners' sugar for a classic finish.
• Chocolate chip: Fold semi-sweet chocolate chips into the batter for a chocolate twist.
• Citrus swap: Replace the lemon with an orange or another citrus, and use its zest and juice.
• Nutty topping: Sprinkle chopped pistachios, almonds, or pecans over the surface before baking.
• Vanilla version: Add scraped vanilla bean seeds and vanilla extract, and swap the brown sugar for granulated.
• Adult treat: Add a splash of dark rum to the batter for a grown-up flavor.

What else? You can play with cake pans: from an 8-inch (20 cm) round cake pan and a Charlotte mold to a honeycomb pan and a fluted cake mold. But pay attention to the capacity of your baking dish; some are designed for more than others.

The Charlotte mold holds 3 cups of batter, the honeycomb pan holds 10 cups, and the fluted cake mold holds 6 cups. Adjust the bake time accordingly.

Check out this simple cake pan converter if you ever need to recalculate your baking pan size.

Storing & freezing

This Madeleine cake will stay fresh for 2 to 4 days if stored in an airtight container at room temperature.

Can you freeze it? Yes, you can cover it with plastic wrap and freeze it at -13°F (-25°C) for up to 3 months. Also, read how to store and freeze madeleines.

Recipe FAQ

Is a madeleine a cake or a cookie?
A madeleine is technically a small cake, not a cookie, even though its size and shell shape make many people think of it as a cookie. This recipe bakes the same batter as one larger cake.

What is the difference between madeleines and madeleine cake?
Traditional madeleines are small, shell-shaped individual cakes baked in a special madeleine pan. Madeleine cake uses the same buttery, lemony batter but bakes it as a single round cake, with no special pan needed.

What does Madeleine cake taste like?
It has a soft, moist, buttery sponge with a gentle lemon and vanilla flavor, just like the classic French madeleine cookies.

Do you need a madeleine pan for this cake?
No. That is the point of this recipe. You bake it in a standard round cake pan or a charlotte mold instead of a shell-shaped madeleine pan.

Can you make a Madeleine cake with cake flour?
Most French bakers use T55 flour, which is close to American all-purpose flour. You can use all-purpose flour here; cake flour will give a slightly softer, more tender crumb.

How do you store madeleine cake?
Keep it in an airtight container at room temperature for 2 to 3 days, or wrap it well and freeze it for up to 3 months.

How many calories are in a madeleine cake?
One serving has about 398 calories, based on the recipe divided into the listed number of servings.

Love madeleine recipes? Try these next!

If you love the flavor of madeleines, try these next:

• Classic French Madeleines (Madeleine Cookies)
• Christmas Gingerbread Madeleines
• Raspberry Madeleines (Ispahan)
• Lemon Poppy Seed Madeleines
• Browse all the Cake Recipes

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Recipe card

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.

The recipe was adapted from www.mercotte.fr.