Le Cake Salé aux Olives et Lardons
L'Apéro et Les Petites Célébrations: Gatherings and Rituals
Walk into any French home on a Friday evening just as the work week fades and the wine is uncorked, and you will find a savory cake sitting on the counter. Don't let the word fool you; in France, a cake simply means anything baked in a loaf pan. This brilliantly resourceful combination of salty green olives, smoky bacon, and melting Gruyère is the undisputed king of the apéritif. It is an unpretentious, deeply comforting staple that requires nothing more than accessible pantry ingredients and a sturdy whisk to perfectly reproduce the authentic, welcoming smell of a party starting.
Ingredients
- thick-cut smoked bacon6 oz
- pitted green olives1 cup
- Gruyère cheese1 cup
- all-purpose flour1 1/4 cup
- baking powder1 tbsp
- black pepper1/2 tsp
- kosher salt1/4 tsp
- large eggs3 large
- extra-virgin olive oil1/3 cup
- whole milk1/2 cup
Method
- 01
Preheat the oven and prepare the baking pan.
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease a standard 9x5-inch metal loaf pan with cooking spray or butter, and line the bottom with a strip of parchment paper for easy removal.
- 02
Render and thoroughly drain the bacon.
Place the bacon matchsticks in a cold skillet over medium heat. Cook for 5 to 7 minutes until the fat renders and the edges crisp, then use a slotted spoon to transfer the bacon to paper towels. Draining the excess fat is non-negotiable if you want a light, airy crumb rather than a greasy brick.
- 03
Whisk the dry ingredients together.
In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, black pepper, and kosher salt. Form a well in the center of the mixture.
- 04
Incorporate the wet ingredients to form the base batter.
Crack the eggs into the well and lightly beat them with a whisk. Slowly stream in the olive oil and the warm milk, pulling the flour in from the sides until a smooth batter forms. Heating the milk is a grandmotherly secret that jumpstarts the baking powder before the pan even hits the oven.
- 05
Fold in the garnishes delicately.
Switch to a rubber spatula and gently fold in the grated Gruyère, chopped olives, and cooled bacon just until evenly distributed. Do not overmix, or the cake will become dense and tough.
- 06
Bake and score the top of the batter.
Pour the batter into the prepared pan, smooth the top, and bake for exactly 10 minutes. Quickly open the oven, score a shallow line straight down the center of the semi-set batter with the tip of a sharp knife, and immediately close the door. This controls the escaping steam and guarantees a beautiful, bakery-style domed split.
- 07
Finish baking and rest the cake before unmolding.
Bake for another 35 to 40 minutes until deeply golden brown. The hot cake will be incredibly fragile, so let it rest in the pan for exactly 10 minutes before running a butter knife around the edges and turning it out onto a wire rack to cool.
Notes
Serving the cake.
Serve warm or at room temperature. For an apéro, slice the loaf into 1-inch thick slabs, then cut those slices into bite-sized cubes.
Cheese selection is critical.
Avoid pre-shredded cheese in bags; the anti-caking dust will ruin the texture of the bake. A block of good quality domestic Swiss is a perfectly acceptable substitute if Gruyère is unavailable.
From Cook French in America.