Cake Sale
A savoury loaf of ham, green olives and Gruyère in a light batter of eggs, olive oil and milk, baked for 45 minutes at 180C.
Making Cake Sale Ahead
Keeps for 4 days wrapped. Freeze sliced for 2 months.
Making Cake Sale
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Heat the oven to 180°C / 355°F. Line a 900 g loaf tin.
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Mix the flour, baking powder, salt and pepper. Toss the ham, olives and half the cheese in 1 tbsp of the mix.
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Whisk the eggs, oil and milk together and stir into the flour until just combined. Fold in the ham, olives and cheese.
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Spoon into the tin, smooth the top and scatter over the remaining cheese.
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Bake for 45 minutes until risen and golden and a skewer comes out clean.
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Cool in the tin for 10 minutes, then on a rack.
A Few Pointers
- Coat the filling in flour so it stays spread through the loaf.
- Dry the olives before adding them.
- Stir only until the flour disappears.
Behind the Recipe
Most home versions come out dry or heavy, and the cause is nearly always the ratio of filling to batter. A cake salé is a quick bread, not a bread, so it is mixed in one bowl with no kneading, and it needs just enough batter to hold the ham, olives and cheese together.
Eggs, olive oil and milk make a rich, tender crumb. The oil keeps it moist for days, which is why this is a loaf made for picnics and aperitifs. Toss the filling in a spoonful of flour first so it does not sink to the bottom of the tin. Dry the olives on kitchen paper, because wet ones leave streaks and soggy pockets.
Stir until the flour just disappears. Overmixing makes the loaf tough and tunnelled. It bakes until risen, golden and cracked along the top, and a skewer comes out clean. Cool it in the tin for 10 minutes, then on a rack before slicing. Cut it into thick slices to serve with a drink, or into cubes with toothpicks.
Serving Ideas
Green salad · Aperitif drinks · Soup · Cold meats
Cake Sale Nutrition Facts
Per serving, calculated from the ingredient list with USDA FoodData Central figures (SR Legacy). A calculation, not a laboratory analysis: brands, cuts and how you measure change the real numbers. How the figures are worked out.
Your notes on this recipe
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Compiled by Turab
Checked by script for timings, diet labels and nutrition arithmetic. How the recipes are checked.
First published ; last changed .
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