Description
Gâteau Magique, or French Magic Cake, is a delightful layered dessert known for its unique texture that combines a custard base, cream cheese middle, and light sponge top. This recipe features a beautifully browned butter flavor and optional blackberries to add a fresh fruit touch. Perfectly baked to a golden brown, this cake is a treat to serve as an elegant dessert or afternoon snack.
Ingredients
Scale
Eggs and Sugar
- 4 large eggs
- 125 g brown sugar
- a pinch of salt
Butter and Flour
- 125 g butter
- 120 g flour
Milk and Flavorings
- 500 ml milk
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
Optional
- Blackberries (optional)
Instructions
- Brown the Butter: Melt the butter over low heat. Once it reaches a boil, keep it on heat for 5-10 minutes until it turns golden brown and you see the brown residue on the bottom of the pan. Turn off the heat, strain the butter through a thin sieve, and leave to cool.
- Prepare Egg Yolk Mixture: Mix the egg yolks with brown sugar until the mixture at least triples in volume. Gently fold in the flour and cooled browned butter until combined.
- Incorporate Milk and Vanilla: Warm the milk and vanilla extract, then gradually add this warm liquid to the yolk mixture, mixing continuously to create a fairly thin batter.
- Whip Egg Whites: Whisk the egg whites with a pinch of salt until stiff peaks form. Carefully fold the egg whites into the batter with a spatula, ensuring you do not overmix even if the batter is slightly lumpy.
- Preheat and Prepare Pan: Preheat your oven to 160°C (320°F). Butter a 24×24 cm (9.5×9.5 inch) non-stick baking tray to prevent sticking.
- Bake the Cake: Pour the batter into the prepared baking tray and bake for 45-50 minutes until the top is a nice golden brown and set.
- Cool and Serve: Allow the cake to cool in the tray for 1-2 hours. Slice into cubes, sprinkle with powdered sugar, and garnish with blackberries if desired before serving.
Notes
- Be careful not to overmix the batter once the egg whites are added to maintain the cake’s characteristic layered texture.
- Using browned butter adds a nutty, rich flavor that is key to this recipe.
- Allow the cake to cool completely in the tray to let its layers set properly.
- The optional blackberries add a fresh and tart contrast to the sweet cake.
- A non-stick baking tray or well-buttered pan is essential to prevent the cake from sticking due to its custard-like layers.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 50 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: French
Keywords: Gâteau Magique, French Magic Cake, Magic Cake, Brown Butter Cake, Layered Cake, French Dessert
