🥖 French Savory Cake (Cake Salé)
Cake salé is a classic French snack or appetizer—essentially a moist, savory loaf filled with cheese, vegetables, and sometimes cured meats. Perfect for picnics, brunch, or as a side.
🧾 Ingredients (Serves 6–8)
- 3 large eggs
- 150 g (1¼ cups) all-purpose flour
- 1 packet (≈7 g) baking powder
- 100 ml (⅓ cup + 1 tbsp) milk
- 50 ml (¼ cup) olive oil
- 100 g cheese, grated (Gruyère, Emmental, or cheddar)
- 100 g cooked ham, diced (optional)
- ½ cup olives, sliced
- ½ cup roasted red peppers, diced (optional)
- Salt, pepper, and herbs (thyme, rosemary, or parsley) to taste
👩🍳 Instructions
- Preheat oven
- 180°C (350°F). Grease a loaf pan.
- Mix wet ingredients
- In a bowl, whisk eggs, milk, and olive oil until smooth.
- Add dry ingredients
- Fold in flour, baking powder, salt, and pepper until just combined.
- Incorporate fillings
- Stir in cheese, ham, olives, peppers, and herbs.
- Bake
- Pour batter into prepared loaf pan.
- Bake for 35–45 minutes, until golden brown and a toothpick comes out clean.
- Cool and serve
- Let cool slightly before slicing. Can be served warm or at room temperature.
💡 Tips
- Cheese choices: Gruyère gives a nutty flavor, cheddar is sharper.
- Vegetable additions: Zucchini, spinach, or sun-dried tomatoes work well.
- Make-ahead: Cake salé keeps for 2–3 days in the fridge and slices well for sandwiches.
🍽 Serving Suggestions
- With a fresh green salad for lunch or light dinner
- As a picnic or party finger food
- Sliced with cold cuts and wine for an appetizer platter
I can also make a super simple 20-minute Cake Salé recipe using pre-grated cheese and ready veggies if you want a faster version. Do you want me to do that?