Have you ever had a madeleine before? If not, I highly recommend it. Shaped like little seashells, these adorable, spongey, buttery little cakes are delicious and super simple to make.
What are madeleines?
Madeleines are of French origin, dating back between the 17th and 19th centuries. The specific origin of the recipe has become something of a legend, with no one quite knowing exactly who to credit with the creation of these delicious little cakes. It is my understanding, however, that several of the stories would credit the recipe to a cook by the name of Madeleine.
I used to think of these little cakes as cookies, since their size is much more like a cookie than a cake; however, if you’ve tried one of these, you know that the spongey soft texture of these seashell shaped desserts are much more like a cake than anything else!
Are madeleines difficult to make?
Not even a little bit! They may look complicated, due to their specific shape, but all you need to achieve that is the special pans to bake them in. Madeleines only take a few minutes to whip up, and they bake quickly.
Can you make this recipe ahead of time?
Yes, but like most baking, they are best served on the day that they are made. I am happy to report, however, that they do freeze well; so, if you need to work ahead for an event, these will come out of the freezer very well.
Store madeleines for freezing in an airtight container, separated by layers of parchment paper to keep them from sticking together.
Recipe substitutes
Like most cake recipes, madeleines can handle some substitutes, but you should be careful about altering the recipe too much. Below are a list of recipe substitutes that should work just fine:
- Flour – Works well with a 1:1 gluten free flour blend. Cornstarch also works as a gluten free option, but the madeleines will have a corn flavour (similar to cornbread), and will shrink slightly when they come out of the oven.
- Sugar – Use brown sugar instead for a caramel undertone
- Sour cream – Use greek yogurt as a 1:1 substitute
- Lemon zest – Sub for orange zest if you prefer that flavour
How to make madeleines
Madeleines are made by whisking together a simple cake batter which is piped into buttered and floured tins, specific to the shape of these little cakes. The cakes are then baked, dusted with icing sugar, and removed from the moulds to cool.
This particular batter is unique in that it contains sour cream, which makes them a little bit more moist, rich, and flavourful.
When to serve madeleines
Madeleines, in my opinion, are best served with an afternoon cup of tea or coffee. However, like most things, they should be eaten how and when you like best, whatever that may look like for you!
I have hosted a few tea parties with these as a staple part of the table, and every time they are a highlight. They’re so simple, but they add so much to complete the spread!
Similar recipes
There are a few recipes that come to mind as being similar to this one; sponge cake is the most similar, and pound cake (for its buttery flavour) is the second most similar. If you wanted to compare these to a cookie, I would say that they are very like shortbread, again for their buttery taste. Shortbread, however, is a dense cookie; these, on the other hand, are spongey little cakes.
You will need:
- Ingredients (see recipe card)
- Mixing bowls
- Measuring cups and spoons
- Glass bowl or measuring pitcher
- Whisk
- Spatula
- Piping bags or ziploc bags
- Scissors
- Madeleine tins
- Cooling rack
Sour Cream Madeleines
This simple, cake-like cookies are quick to make and oh so buttery delicious!
Ingredients
- 2 large eggs at room temperature
- 3/4 cup sugar
- 1/4 cup sour cream
- 1 lemon zested
- 3/4 cup flour See recipe notes
- 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 cup butter melted
- 1/4 cup icing sugar for sifting
Instructions
-
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Butter and flour 2 madeleine pans.
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In a medium sized mixing bowl, beat the eggs. Add the sugar, sour cream, and lemon zest. Sift in the flour and baking powder; whisk to combine, and then whisk in the melted butter until smooth.
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Pour the batter into a large piping or ziploc bag, snip off the tip or corner, and divide the batter between 18 madeleine molds.
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Bake for 10-15 minutes, or until golden brown around the edges and risen in the centres. Sift the warm madeleines with icing sugar, and gently turn or lift out of the pans onto a wire rack to cool.
Note: The images in this post were taken on 2 separate occasions.
Other teatime recipes:
- Lemon Poppyseed Tea Cookies
- Cinnamon Sugar Cookies
- Double Chocolate Dipped Cookies
- White Chocolate Macadamia Nut Cookies
- Chocolate Hazelnut Cookies
If you like this recipe, make sure to tag me in your photos on Instagram @naomicakesofficial! I’d love to know that you’re enjoying these little butter cakes!
Thanks for stopping in! Back soon,
–Naomi
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