Le Cake Salé
(luh kehk sah-lay)
L'Heure de l'Apéro: The Daily Parisian Unwinding
Six p.m. in a working apartment, dusk hitting the coffee table, a standard loaf pan cooling on the rack. In France, a "cake" isn't necessarily sweet, and it sure as hell isn't covered in frosting. This savory loaf anchors l'apéro, that shadowed hour when the workday ends, the wine is poured, and saucisson hits the table. It is a practical pantry-clearing technique. Deli ham, a jar of olives, and supermarket Gruyère transform into a crusty loaf speckled with green. With a serrated knife, slice it thick, and leave the crumbs where they fall.
Before you start
Pat the wet ingredients dry.
Thoroughly pat the halved olives dry with a paper towel before adding them to the batter. Excess moisture is the enemy of a properly baked cake and can cause it to collapse in the center.
Ingredients
- all-purpose flour1 1/4 cup
- baking powder2 1/2 tsp
- kosher salt1/2 tsp
- black pepper1/2 tsp
- eggs3 large
- whole milk1/2 cup
- neutral cooking oil1/3 cup
- Gruyère cheese1 cup
- thick-cut deli ham6 oz
- pitted green olives3/4 cup
Method
- 01
Preheat the oven and prepare your pan.
Heat the oven to 350°F. Generously grease a standard 9x5-inch loaf pan and line the bottom with a parchment paper sling so the cake doesn't stubbornly fuse to the metal.
- 02
Whisk the dry ingredients.
In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt, and black pepper.
- 03
Warm the wet ingredients.
Here is the grandmother secret to a perfect, lump-free batter. In a microwave-safe jug, heat the milk and oil for about 30 seconds until just warm to the touch. In a small bowl, lightly beat the eggs, then slowly whisk in the warm liquid.
- 04
Mix with a gentle hand.
Pour the wet mixture into the dry ingredients and use a rubber spatula to fold them together just until the flour disappears. Treat it with respect; aggressive mixing will develop the gluten and leave you with a tough, rubbery brick.
- 05
Fold in the heavy hitters.
Gently fold in the grated cheese, diced ham, and halved olives until evenly distributed.
- 06
Bake until golden.
Scrape the thick batter into your prepared pan and smooth the top. Bake on the middle rack for 40 to 45 minutes, until puffed, deeply browned, and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
- 07
Have patience before slicing.
The cake is fragile when piping hot because of all that molten cheese. Let it cool in the pan for 15 minutes before carefully transferring it to a wire rack.
- 08
Serve for l'heure de l'apéro.
Slice it thick, then cut those slices into bite-sized quarters. Serve warm or at room temperature alongside a glass of wine or a cold beer.
Notes
Sourcing the ham.
Ask the deli counter for a single, half-inch thick slice of unglazed, unflavored baked ham or Black Forest. Avoid honey or maple varieties; their sweetness will disastrously clash with the savory profile.
Cheese substitutions.
If true Gruyère is too expensive or hard to find, a block of good-quality sharp white cheddar or Swiss cheese works perfectly. Just grate it yourself—pre-shredded cheese is coated in starches that ruin the melt.
From Cook French in America.