Thursday, January 19, 2012

Quatre Quarts Cake


Today's French Fridays with Dorie recipe is called Quatre-Quarts, a French cake described as similar to an American pound cake. This recipe can be found on page 434 of Dorie Greenspan's book, Around My French Table.


Above are my ingredients all ready to go -- beaten egg whites, butter/sugar/egg yolk/vanilla mixture, and flour/baking powder/pinch of salt mixture.


Here is the cake batter in a heart shaped springform pan, sprinkled with brown sugar and ready to be popped in the oven.


Here is the cake after baking, the brown sugar sunk into the cake...


and formed little pockets of melted brown sugar around the bottom of the cake, visible in the above photo on the bottom right of the cake slice, yummy!


There are several suggestions on what to serve the cake with, sugared berries, jam, fruit coulis, whipped cream, creme fraiche, or ice cream with chocolate sauce. Dorie mentions this cake is served by mothers across France who make this as an after-school treat for their children, so that is exactly what I did.

My first grader (with her super excited "we're having cake" smile, pictured above) absolutely loved her slice of cake with sugared lingonberries and whipped cream. My two boys were too eager to play Sonic the Hedgehog so my little girl and I enjoyed a slice all to ourselves. A little while later the boys reemerged from their Sonic madness and also had a slice, this cake was enjoyed by all. Picky husband even had a piece with just whipped cream (he does not like lingonberries, crazy, I know) and said it was very good.


This was a wonderful after school or whenever treat and I'm sure I'll be making this cake again and again.

14 comments:

Ei said...

Your daughter is so cute! She looks veeery excited by her cake.

slush said...

I loved this cake, so easy and so versatile. Love the adorable pic of your daughter too. :)

Mardi Michels said...

Yup this one was a great simple recipe. Loved it!

Cher Rockwell said...

I love lingonberries - what a great topping idea (and how can any one not like them???)
Cute picture of your daughter...

laurcl said...

It looks so nice and festive. I'm glad you all enjoyed it.

Kathy said...

Lovely cake...beautiful daughter! I really enjoyed this one and would love to make a chocolate version next time. Have a nice weekend!

Karen @ SoupAddict said...

Great idea with the sugared lingonberries! Such a beautiful treatment for this cake. :)

Adriana said...

I know that "we're having cake" smile.. I still make it myself. I love lingonberries - no visit to Ikea is complete without a purchase of their jam.

Elaine said...

Your daughter is adorable! That first photo of your cake makes me want to take a fork and dig in. Great job!

amanda @ fake ginger said...

Ooh, I love how your brown sugar sank! Mine all stayed on top and left ugly brown spots. Tasted delicious but the spots weren't very appetizing! :P

Glad to hear this was enjoyed in your house!

Welcome to our crazy blessed life said...

Oh yum! I love lingonberries! It looks like your little taster enjoyed her slice of the cake! :)

Cindy said...

I like the whipped cream idea. Your daughter is a doll. I have yet to buy this cookbook but I think I better get it soon. I see so many yummy recipes from it.
Have a great week.

Unknown said...

Love the 'we're having cake smile'. Beautiful cake and daughter:)

Elaine said...

That is an adorable photo of your daughter with the cake! This recipe just lends itself to a heart-shaped pan, doesn't it? :) Yours looks really good.

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