Madeleine Cake

Madeleine cake (gâteau Madeleine in French) is a light, fluffy, and sharing version of the traditional madeleines. This delicious dessert is made in just 45 minutes using simple pantry ingredients - no special madeleine pan required.

The taste of freshly baked, homemade madeleines is still the perfect way to end any meal or have a snack.

They are so light and fluffy that you will never want another kind again once madeleines hit your taste buds.

You will be hooked after one bite and maybe even start making your own, too - just like me many years ago.

And I hope you will discover my guide on making your own French pastries at home.

Often, the process of making the best madeleines can be a little daunting.

They require special equipment - a madeleine pan - to get their traditional shell shape, and you have to chill the batter to obtain the cakes' signature hump.

Even though they are super delicious, most people only make madeleine cakes (sometimes called madeleine cookies) on special occasions because of these extra steps.

But baking madeleines doesn't have to be hard. What if I offer you to make an XL Madeleine cake?

This cake called gâteau Madeleine in French tastes just like a madeleine but is much easier to make and doesn't require any special equipment. You can even skip the chilling step.

You need to mix the ingredients in a bowl and pour them into a cake pan and bake. It is ready in just 45 minutes.

Do you remember how a French writer Marcel Proust described his experience with madeleines in his book "A Remembrance Of Things Past"? He would probably be delighted with a slice of the Madeleine cake too...

This cake is perfect for anyone who loves madeleines and wants an easy way to enjoy them more often. The best part is you can make this little gem yourself!

Jump to:

• Why you should try this recipe
• Ingredients
• How to make Madeleine cake
• Recipe variations
• Storing and feezing
• Expert tips
• Frequently asked question
• Love madeleine recipes? Try these next!
• Recipe card
• Comments

Why you should try this recipe

With this easy-to-follow recipe, you can enjoy your favorite cake any time you want without all the hassle.

The cake will make the perfect accompaniment to your cup of tea and is great for last-minute guests.

Plus, this great recipe is versatile, so you can change it up however you like and create your own XL Madeleine cake.

For more ideas on how to vary the cake's taste and flavor, read on madeleine flavors.

Ingredients

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

Also, read Madeleine Ingredients.

Eggs: the recipe calls for large eggs at room temperature. Make sure to 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: the best and the most neutral oil in baking is grapeseed oil. If you don't mind the oil scent and taste, use olive oil or other oil of your choice.

Lemon juice: freshly squeezed lemon juice (use a citrus squeezer) enhances the citrus flavor of the cake.

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).

How to make Madeleine cake

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

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

To make the batter, in a large mixing bowl, whisk eggs and brown sugar at high speed with an electric or stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment for about 5 minutes.

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

Add dry ingredients and gently smooth the mixture with a rubber spatula.

Pour the batter into the prepared cake pan and bake in the hot oven for 30 minutes.

Check the cake's doneness with a toothpick or a sharp knife: the cake is ready if they come out clean.

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

Recipe variations

Like classic French madeleines, Madeleine cake has many different variations to offer.

For instance, you can simply dust your cake with confectioners' sugar once baked and cooled down.

Or you can add semi-sweet chocolate chips into your batter if desired to create your own unique flavor combo.

Although cake Madeleine is typically made with a hint of lemon, you can replace it with orange or any other citrus flavor of your choice.

You can also sprinkle toppings such as chopped nuts (pistachios, almonds, pecans, etc.) on the surface of the batter and bake to give the cake some crunchiness during consumption.

Or you make your cake with a beautiful vanilla flavor: add scraped seeds of the vanilla bean, vanilla extract, and replace brown sugar with granulated.

Finally, you can even upgrade this cake into an adult treat by adding dark rum to the madeleine batter.

What else? You can play with cake pans: from 8-inch/20 cm round cake pan and charlotte mold to honeycomb pan and 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 butter while honeycomb pan - 10 cups and fluted cake mold - 6 cups. So, the bake time should be adjusted accordingly.

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

Storing and feezing

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 degrees F/-25 degrees C for up to three months.

Also, read How to Store and Freeze Madeleines.

Expert tips

1. Whisk the egg and sugar mixture for a long time, not less than 5 minutes, to aerate the preparation.
2. Make sure to cool down the melted butter.

Frequently asked question

Love madeleine recipes? Try these next!

Have you heard of the deliciously rich, pillowy madeleines that are a favorite among Parisians?

If so, then this best madeleine recipe might be just what your inner cravings need.

Follow all the steps and photographed instructions for authentic French butter cakes to make these delectable treats at home.

Or even change it up and try your hand with a twist on an old classic.

Want more delicious and beautiful recipes? Subscribe to my newsletter and follow me on Facebook, Pinterest, and Instagram for my latest updates. If you make this recipe, please leave a star rating on the recipe card and comment below!

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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.