Genoise Recipe
French Recipes Desserts

This Genoise recipe produces that delicious base cake in many famous French desserts.

This genoise recipe makes a cake that is light, and easy to slice. It can be iced with buttercream, made into ladyfingers, and is the base cake in a Buche de Noel (see Yule Log Recipe)


The most important factor in preparation is that your egg mixture needs to be beaten to triple it’s volume and the folding process is done so you don’t deflate it. The eggs are the only leavening in this classic French dessert recipe. Beaten and folded correctly will produce a cake that is delicious and versatile.


The Genoise Recipe

Baking time: 20 -22 minutes

Serves 10

Ingredients:

2 Tbsp unsalted butter

4 large eggs (room temperature)

½ cup granulated sugar

1 tsp vanilla extract

½ tsp salt

1 cup sifted cake flour


Genoise Cake – Genoise Recipe step by step guide

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F

2. Butter and flour 1 9” cake pan.

3. Measure out the ingredients.

Making the Genoise Cake

4. Melt butter in saucepan over low heat. Set aside to cool.

5. Using electric beaters, gradually beat eggs, sugar, vanilla, and salt in a large mixing bowl for approximately 5 minutes until mixture triples in volume and forms a ribbon.

6. Fold flour into mixture one third at a time until just incorporated.

7. Fold 1 cup of batter into melted butter and fold until combined. Fold this mixture into reserved batter until combined.

8. Pour batter into prepared baking pan. Smooth evenly.

9. Bake 20 - 22 minutes or until top springs back to touch. Cake should be lightly browned and just begun to show a faint line of shrinkage from the edges of the pan.

10. Remove from oven and let stand in pan for 10 min. It will shrink slightly more from the edges.

11. Run a knife around the edges of the pan and reverse on a cooling rack. Allow to cool for an hour or so.


My French husband Gildas laments the fact that here in the States it is impossible to order a simple Genoise based cake for dessert at a restaurant. Everything is chocolate this or chocolate that. A genoise cake is a light delicious dessert to finish your meal.


The Genoise cake is thought to have originated in Genoa and is the sponge cake base for many French desserts and Italian desserts. To create other famous French desserts try thiscreme-brulee-recipe and Grand Marnier souffle recipe.


There are so many delicious French desserts to try. Check out my other easy to use French dessert recipes....


Helpful Food articles:

Are French menus confusing? A guide to France food restaurant menus for eating out in France with confidence.

Food is a major highlight of the culture of France.

Hosting a dinner party? Try these easy French recipes for your party.

Wine is important to a French meal. See the French wine regions where these wines are grown.

Having a romantic dinner party? What a great occasion to try out some of these French love phrases.

Will you be eating a famous French dessert in Paris?

Why not shop first to get an appetite... the best shopping in Paris guide for you.

Where to stay in Paris:

An overview of Paris boutique hotels

An overview of Paris budget hotels

Return From Genoise Recipe to French Culture Adventures
Enjoy this page? Please pay it forward. Here's how...

Would you prefer to share this page with others by linking to it?

  1. Click on the HTML link code below.
  2. Copy and paste it, adding a note of your own, into your blog, a Web page, forums, a blog comment, your Facebook account, or anywhere that someone would find this page valuable.

Copyright ©2024 by Deborah Dutton, French-Culture-Adventures.com
All rights reserved