I imagine it’s already happened to you to have a stock of egg whites in the fridge (maybe even in the freezer) and not quite know what to do with them. Of course, there are plenty of recipes for using up egg whites. Personally, financiers and macarons come to mind first. But when you have a massive stock of whites (and I’m talking several hundred grams of whites), 90 g here and there really isn’t enough.
And then I came across the recipe for this vanilla loaf cake made by Maxime from the blog Empreinte Sucrée and I was convinced (or almost). It’s the recipe of the former head pastry chef at the George V, Maxime Frédéric. I didn’t have exactly the same mould, but a somewhat similar one that I hadn’t yet tested. I followed Maxime’s advice and reduced the sugar.
In Maxime’s recipe, there’s a total of 200 g of sugar (whereas the chef used 300 g!!!). And yet, I found this cake really too sweet! I hardly dare imagine the chef’s cake… I had the chance to make it again recently in a traditional loaf tin (30 cm long) and I reduced the sugar a little further (2 x 70 g instead of 2 x 100 g). My taste buds (and my behind too, most certainly) appreciated this change.
This cake is very airy and soft, perfect to go with a little coffee or to please the children for their afternoon snack. That little sugar crust on the outside is divine — I strongly advise you not to forget this step ????
Ingredients & method
3 components · Full recipe
Mould preparation
Ingredients
- a little softened butter (or cooking spray)
- brown sugar
Method
1
Butter the tin using a pastry brush (or use cooking spray if preferred), then fill with brown sugar and tap on all sides so the sugar coats the entire tin. Invert the tin and tap it against the work surface to remove any excess sugar.
Vanilla Loaf Batter
Ingredients
- 130 g (4.6 oz) butter
- 2 Koro vanilla beans (or 5 g (0.2 oz) vanilla powder)
- 190 g (6.7 oz) plain flour (type 45)
- 70 g (2.5 oz) brown sugar
- 290 g (10.2 oz) egg whites
- 70 g (2.5 oz) caster sugar
Method
1
Preheat the oven to 180°C / 350°F fan.
2
Melt the butter with the vanilla bean seeds, then remove the saucepan from the heat and leave to cool.
3
Place the sifted flour and brown sugar in a small bowl.
4
Meanwhile, whisk the egg whites to stiff peaks, adding the caster sugar in 3 additions. Be careful not to overwhip — they should remain supple for easier incorporation later.
5
Take a large spoonful of whipped egg whites and mix it into the melted butter and vanilla mixture (you can mix in the saucepan if it’s not too hot, otherwise use a separate bowl). Add a little more whipped egg white and mix until you have a smooth mixture.
6
Make a well in the centre of the remaining whipped egg whites and pour in the previous mixture. Fold together roughly.
7
Add the sifted flour and brown sugar mixture and fold again with a spatula until you have a smooth, homogeneous batter.
Baking
Ingredients
- None
Method
1
Pour the batter into the prepared tin and smooth the surface with a spatula.
2
Bake for approximately 30 minutes. Turn the cake out immediately and leave to cool at room temperature. This vanilla loaf can be stored at room temperature as long as it’s uncut; once cut, keep it in an airtight container or wrap it in cling film.
Gallery
