Sometimes, the magic of baking isn’t in the complicated layers or the fancy decorations; it’s in getting back to absolute basics done perfectly. That’s exactly what we’re doing today! French baking gets a reputation for being fussy, but I promise you, this Easy French Butter Cake recipe is the glorious exception. It’s the kind of cake that proves simple ingredients—flour, sugar, butter—when treated right, create something truly luxurious. I spent ages trying to replicate that gorgeous, dense crumb I first tasted in Paris, and I finally nailed a version that is fast enough for a Tuesday night. Trust me, learning this foundational cake technique will change how you approach all your baking!
Why This Easy French Butter Cake Recipe Works So Well
The beauty of this cake, my friend, is its honesty. It doesn’t need complicated fillings or twenty different extracts to taste incredible. It relies on technique and quality—and it’s surprisingly fast! This is the perfect ‘starter’ cake for anyone intimidated by French patisserie, but it’s also perfect for those of us who just need a fantastic dessert without fuss.
Here’s why I keep coming back to this exact formula:
- It has that unbelievably rich butter flavor; seriously, use the good stuff!
- The crumb is tender and dense, exactly like a high-end pound cake without the drying time.
- Prep is seriously low-stress—no chilling or complicated folding needed.
- It’s honestly ready in under 40 minutes, which is almost unheard of for a satisfying cake like this. See my fudgy brownie recipe for comparison on time vs. reward!
If you love foundational desserts that sing on their own, you’re going to adore this. It’s pure comfort in a slice.
Gathering Ingredients for Your Easy French Butter Cake
This recipe keeps the ingredient list beautifully short, which is half the battle won! For the foundation, you’ll need one cup of unsalted butter, and please, make sure that butter is properly softened—we’re talking finger-indent territory, not melted soup! We pair that with one full cup of standard granulated sugar. Then come your structure builders: four large eggs, which need to be added one by one, and two cups of all-purpose flour. For lift, we rely on one teaspoon of baking powder, balanced with half a teaspoon of salt.
The magic moisture comes from half a cup of whole milk—if you ever need to make heavy cream at home, know that milk adds that perfect, subtle richness, so don’t skimp here. Finally, round it out with one teaspoon of vanilla extract. My little secret, which I’ve noted in the recipe details, is to splurge on high-quality European butter; it has a higher fat content, and honestly, you can taste the difference in this simple French butter cake.
Ingredient Clarity and Preparation Notes
When I say ‘softened butter,’ I mean set it out on the counter for at least an hour before you start. It shouldn’t be greasy, just pliable! Also, make sure your baking powder is fresh; old leaveners are the quickest way to ruin what should be a high-rise cake. Eggs should ideally be at room temperature, too, so they incorporate smoothly with the creamed butter.
Step-by-Step Instructions for the Easy French Butter Cake
Okay, time to get baking! First things first, get your environment ready because timing matters here. You need to preheat your oven to 350 degrees F (that’s 175 degrees C). While it’s heating up, take a 9-inch round cake pan—mine is a simple aluminum one—and make sure you thoroughly grease and flour it. A good coat of butter followed by a dusting of flour prevents those heartbreaking sticking moments later!
Now for the creaming—this is fundamental! Grab your big bowl. Beat that softened butter and sugar together until they look light, almost fluffy, and noticeably paler in color. This step whips in the necessary air that makes this cake tender, so don’t rush this part.
Next, add your four large eggs, but you have to be patient here. Add them in one at a time. Beat until the first egg is completely incorporated before even thinking about adding the next one. If you dump them all in at once, the batter can curdle, and we just can’t have that in our beautiful French butter cake!
While that’s happening, take a separate bowl and quickly whisk together your dry stuff: the flour, baking powder, and salt. This ensures the leavening agent is evenly distributed, which is super important for an even rise.
Now we put it all together, alternating wet and dry. This is my biggest tip for avoiding a dense cake texture: You gradually add the dry ingredients into your butter mixture, but you switch back and forth with the milk. You always start and end with that flour mixture. Think: a little flour, a splash of milk, a little more flour, another splash of milk, and finish with the last of the flour. Mix only until it’s *just* combined! Stop the mixer the second you don’t see large streaks of flour anymore. Overmixing develops gluten, and gluten makes bread, not tender cake!
Finally, stir in your vanilla extract gently by hand. Pour that glorious batter into your prepared pan. It should bake for about 35 to 40 minutes, depending on your oven, so keep an eye on it. You’ll know it’s done when a wooden pick inserted right into the center comes out clean—no wet batter clinging to it! If you were planning to frost this later, you could make a lovely classic buttercream, but this cake shines with just a dusting of sugar!
Let it cool in the pan for ten solid minutes before attempting to flip it onto a wire rack to cool completely. Rushing the cooling process is another easy way to crack this simple dessert!
Tips for Achieving the Perfect Easy French Butter Cake Texture
If you want this easy French butter cake to live up to its name—easy and perfect—you need to pay close attention to the finish line. This recipe might skip complicated steps, but it relies on a few key final checks to ensure that crumb is exactly right. Don’t forget that lovely final note: the simplest finish is often the best! Dust that cooled cake with a little sweet powdered sugar and you’re good to go with a gorgeous, simple dessert.
When you test for doneness, the wooden pick test is non-negotiable for this kind of dense cake. Don’t just stick it in the middle; check a few spots! If the toothpick comes out with just moist crumbs—not wet batter, not dry crumbs—you’ve hit that magical middle ground. It means the structure is set but the moisture is still locked inside.
Cooling is just as important as baking! Those ten minutes in the pan are crucial because the cake is still fragile right out of the oven. It needs that slight support from the pan walls to firm up before you invert it. If you try to pull it out immediately, you’ll almost certainly tear the bottom, and who wants to deal with patching up torn cake when we’re aiming for easy? Patience here pays off big time.
For a truly amazing result, think about how you’ll treat it once it’s cooled. If you want to go all out, you can always turn to recipes like the guides on fluffy white cake recipe for inspiration on achieving light textures, but honestly, for this butter cake, just let the flavor of the butter shine through its perfect, dense texture!
Variations on Your Easy French Butter Cake
Part of the fun with a great foundation cake recipe like this is making it your own, right? Since we are sticking to the ‘easy’ mantra, you shouldn’t feel pressured to add anything complex, but a little sprinkle of flavor goes a long way. My absolute favorite twist is grating the zest of one whole lemon right into the batter when you add the vanilla. It brightens everything up in the most wonderful way!
If you’re feeling like going a little more nutty, try swapping out half a teaspoon of the vanilla extract for almond extract—it lends a lovely, almost marzipan-like note that pairs beautifully with the butter. Or, if you want to add some color, gently fold in about half a cup of fresh or frozen (and patted very dry!) raspberries right at the end. Just be gentle with them; we don’t want to break the batter structure we worked so hard to create!
For something truly special, especially if you love bright citrus flavors, check out the ideas shared for the limoncello cake. While that recipe has more steps, the flavor profile is amazing, and you can pull certain elements, like a simple lemon glaze, over to finish this butter cake when you’re feeling adventurous!
Serving Suggestions for Your Easy French Butter Cake
This rich little cake truly stands on its own, but if you want to elevate it for guests (or just feel fancy on a Wednesday), keep the accompaniments simple so they let that beautiful butter shine. My go-to is always a fresh bowl of berries—strawberries or raspberries, maybe a light dusting of powdered sugar like we discussed.
If you prefer something creamy, a dollop of freshly whipped cream with just a hint of vanilla is absolutely perfect. And honestly, this cake begs to be served alongside a hot cup of coffee. If you want to make your coffee extra special, try grabbing the tips from my easy homemade coffee creamer recipe—that little bit of added richness is divine with this plain, perfect French butter cake!
Storage and Reheating the Easy French Butter Cake
One of the greatest things about this simple dessert is that it tastes amazing on day two! Since this is a butter cake, we want to keep it protected. Store any leftovers in a truly airtight container—no peeking! I generally leave mine right on the counter at room temperature for up to three days. That way, the butter stays soft and the texture stays lovely.
If you somehow manage to have cake left over past day three (unlikely, I know!), you can absolutely wrap a slice tightly in plastic wrap and freeze it for a month or so. When you want to bring it back, just let it thaw slowly on the counter. If you are impatient—and I usually am!—you can microwave a single slice for about 10 seconds, just enough to release that buttery aroma again.
Frequently Asked Questions About Making This Easy French Butter Cake
It’s normal to have questions when baking a classic! Even though this is an easy cake, people always want to know how to ensure their version of this French pound cake comes out perfectly consistent every time. This simple dessert is very reliable, but check out these quick tips!
Can I substitute the milk in this Easy French Butter Cake?
You surely can, but you must keep the liquid amount the same! If you swap whole milk for buttermilk, the acidity might change the crumb structure slightly, but it’ll still be delicious. If you use heavy cream, thin it out with a little water to make up the half-cup volume, or you risk making the batter too rich and heavy.
How do I know when my Easy French Butter Cake is done baking?
The visual cue is that the edges will start to pull away just slightly from the sides of your cake pan—that’s a great sign! But the absolute final test for this French butter cake is the wooden pick test. Stick a clean wooden pick right into the very center; if it comes out clean or with just a few moist crumbs attached, you’re done! If it has wet batter, give it five more minutes and check again.
For more simple baking inspiration and tips, feel free to browse my collection of easy cake recipes!
Nutritional Estimates for This Recipe
I always feel a little nervous sharing the nutrition facts because, honestly, this cake isn’t exactly a health food—it’s butter and sugar, and it’s glorious! But for those of you who want to know what you’re getting into, here are the baseline estimates based on the ingredients we used:
- Serving Size: 1 slice
- Calories: 350
- Sugar: 25g
- Sodium: 150mg
- Fat: 20g
- Saturated Fat: 12g
- Unsaturated Fat: 8g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 38g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 5g
- Cholesterol: 100mg
Just remember, these numbers are calculated estimates! They assume standard brand ingredients. If you use that high-fat European butter I bragged about, or if you use organic sugar, your final numbers might creep up a tiny bit. But really, you shouldn’t be worrying about the stats when you’re enjoying perfect French baking, right? Enjoy the slice!
Print
Easy French Butter Cake
- Total Time: 55 min
- Yield: 8 servings 1x
- Diet: Vegetarian
Description
A simple recipe for a classic French butter cake, perfect for any occasion.
Ingredients
- 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 4 large eggs
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup whole milk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease and flour a 9-inch round cake pan.
- In a large bowl, cream together the softened butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
- Beat in the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt.
- Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, alternating with the milk, beginning and ending with the flour mixture. Mix until just combined.
- Stir in the vanilla extract.
- Pour the batter into the prepared cake pan.
- Bake for 35 to 40 minutes, or until a wooden pick inserted into the center comes out clean.
- Let the cake cool in the pan for 10 minutes before inverting it onto a wire rack to cool completely.
Notes
- You can dust the cooled cake with powdered sugar for a simple finish.
- For a richer flavor, use high-quality European butter.
- Prep Time: 15 min
- Cook Time: 40 min
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: French
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice
- Calories: 350
- Sugar: 25
- Sodium: 150
- Fat: 20
- Saturated Fat: 12
- Unsaturated Fat: 8
- Trans Fat: 0
- Carbohydrates: 38
- Fiber: 1
- Protein: 5
- Cholesterol: 100
Keywords: French butter cake, easy cake, simple dessert, pound cake, butter cake recipe