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French Dessert Recipes – Rich & Buttery French Cake You’ll Love to Bake

A golden, tender French Butter Cake Recipe baked in a rustic style, representing elegant French Dessert Recipes and the kind of classic French dessert you’d find in a cozy boulangerie, perfect for baking sweets and indulging in decadent desserts.

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If you’ve been craving a simple yet elegant French Butter Cake Recipe, this one’s for you. It’s rich, tender, and captures that classic French flavor without requiring fancy techniques.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
  • 1 ½ cups granulated sugar
  • 4 large eggs, at room temperature
  • 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ½ cup whole milk or heavy cream

Instructions

  1. Heat the oven. Set your oven to 350°F (175°C). Prepare a 9-inch cake pan by greasing it well and lining the base with parchment paper for an easy release later.
  2. Whip butter + sugar. In a mixing bowl, beat the softened butter with the sugar for 3–5 minutes until the mixture is pale, creamy, and fluffy. This step sets the stage for a light, tender crumb.
  3. Add eggs. Crack in the eggs one at a time, blending well after each addition so the batter stays smooth and stable.
  4. Mix in vanilla. Stir in the vanilla extract until just combined.
  5. Blend dry ingredients. In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Slowly add this dry mixture to the wet ingredients, stirring on low speed until incorporated. Don’t overmix—you want a delicate texture, not a dense loaf.
  6. Add milk. Pour in the milk (or cream) and mix until the batter looks silky and uniform.
  7. Bake. Spread the batter evenly in the prepared pan. Bake for 40–50 minutes, or until the surface is golden and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs.
  8. Cool. Allow the cake to rest in the pan for 10–15 minutes, then gently transfer it to a wire rack to cool completely.
  9. Serve. Leave it plain for pure buttery goodness, or finish with a light dusting of powdered sugar for extra charm.

Notes

  • Cold butter = trouble. Always soften your butter before creaming, or the texture will suffer.
  • Don’t overbake. Pull the cake out as soon as it’s done to prevent dryness.
  • No margarine, please. Stick with real butter—this cake relies on it for flavor.
  • Use parchment. Skip it, and you risk the cake sticking to the pan.
  • Let it rest. Slicing too soon will cause messy, crumbly cuts.

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