Gâteau Magique (French Magic Cake)
Gâteau Magique literally translated to magic cake is a delicious French cake that is quite easy to make. It begins with a classic mixture of butter, milk, eggs, and flour. But the beauty of this cake is that there’s a magic that happens as it bakes – which is probably where the name comes from.
- 4 large eggs
- a pinch of salt
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 125 g brown sugar
- 125 g butter
- 120 g all-purpose flour ((plain flour))
- 500 ml milk
- blackberries ((optional))
- Melt the butter over a low heat. Once at the boil, leave for 5-10 minutes until it turns golden brown, with the brown residue visible on the bottom of the pan. Turn off the heat and strain the butter through a thin sieve. Leave to cool.
- Mix the egg yolks with the sugar. They should triple in volume, at least. Add the flour and the melted butter and mix gently.
- Gently warm the milk with the vanilla extract until just lukewarm (do not boil!) and gradually add it to the mixture, mixing continuously. The consistency will be fairly thin.
- Whisk the egg whites with a pinch of salt until they become stiff. Add to the mixture with a spatula mixing gently. Do not overmix, even if the mixture is not fully smooth.
- Preheat the oven to 160 °C (320 °F). Butter a 24/24cm (9.5/9.5 inch) non-stick baking tray. Pour the mixture into the tray. Bake for 45-50 minutes, until a nice golden brown.
- Leave the cake to cool in the tray for 1-2 hours and then slice it into delicious cubes. Sprinkle with powdered sugar and serve.
The classic smooth composition transforms and separates, becoming a wonderful cake with three different layers: a shortbread, an airy custard, and a dense custard. Add the magical noisette butter, and it becomes an envy-inducing cake that will center stage on the holiday table.
Noisette butter is nothing more than clarified butter, browned just enough to turn it a golden color. It gives the cake extra color and a wonderful caramel taste, which is enhanced by the brown sugar. Add a hint of vanilla extract and the flavor is unleashed. A wonderful texture and a magical cake!
There is also chocolate-version of this delicious cake. You can find the chocolate magic cake recipe here.
Enjoy the full recipe for the French magic cake below!
