🍰 French Cakes: A Guide to Iconic Desserts from France
I started baking young—first with my mother, then with my best friend. Our kitchen was our playground, and pastries were our projects. I still remember the first recipe I ever tried on my own: choux à la crème, straight from my mother’s cookbook. It was labelled “easy,” which tells you everything you need to know about the challenge level we were up against.
Since then, I’ve gathered more than just recipes. I’ve collected stories, mishaps, and a few unexpected baking lessons. From lava-cake disasters to late-night charlottes, each of these cakes has left a mark—not just on my taste buds, but on my memories.
In this list, I’ve gathered 12 French classics. Some are simple, some are showstoppers. All of them are close to my heart. They’re sweet slices of culture—but also, very personally, my own “Madeleines de Proust.”
Let’s begin. 🍰
🍮 Choux à la crème (not to be confused with profiteroles!)
These delicate choux pastry puffs are filled with a silky-smooth vanilla cream. The pastry is light and airy—thanks to steam doing its magic in the oven—and it pairs beautifully with the rich, sweet custard inside.
Now, don’t mistake these for profiteroles. While those are usually stuffed with ice cream and drowned in chocolate sauce, choux à la crème take a simpler, more elegant path. Sometimes they’re topped with a touch of caramel, but the star here is that luscious vanilla filling.
💛 This one is my all-time favourite. I’ve baked it more times than I can count, always with my best friend.
✨ Our secret? Good vanilla beans. Fresh ones from Réunion or Madagascar..
Do you want to try? Here is the French recipe for choux à la crème.
🍰Mille-feuille (not to be confused with Napoleon cake!)
And let’s clear this up: Napoleon cake isn’t French. It’s a foreign cousin, inspired by the mille-feuille. Funny enough, the first time I ever tried one was… in Estonia!
This intricate pastry is all about layers—three crisp, flaky ones of puff pastry, and two creamy ones of vanilla pastry cream. Not more, not less. And no, you won’t find jam or fruit in a traditional mille-feuille. Just a delicate topping of fondant icing or a dusting of powdered sugar.
🎓 Back in my university days in Paris, I decided it was time to master another of my favourites. My roommate was instantly on board. Our R&D process? Invite a few different friends over each time we baked, and gather feedback while they were eating.Looking back, I realise I was unknowingly using the “Think Aloud Protocol”—and it worked like a charm.
If you are tempted, here is a good recipe for classic mille-feuille.
🥃 Baba au rhum
This iconic cake was invented by French pastry chef Nicolas Stohrer in his Paris shop, all the way back in 1735. Traditionally shaped like a crown, the yeast-based sponge is soft, airy, and fully soaked in fragrant rum syrup. It’s often served with whipped cream or a generous swirl of crème chantilly for an extra touch of indulgence.
It can also be made in small, individual portions—just as delicious, and maybe even more fun to serve.
❤️ This one became a favourite of mine a bit later. It’s a deceptively simple cake, which means everything has to be perfect. The sponge must be just right: soft, springy, and ready to soak up all that lovely rum. And that’s not easy to get right at home.
💪 But after a few rounds of trial and error, I finally cracked it. Now I feel confident making it from scratch.
📜 Here’s my recipe for Baba au Rhum, complete with tips and anecdotes.
🍓 Charlotte aux fraises
This refreshing, no-bake dessert combines ladyfinger biscuits with fresh strawberries and a light, airy cream. The biscuits are arranged around a mold to form a shell, holding a creamy strawberry filling that sets as it chills. Once unmolded, the charlotte stands tall—elegant, fruity, and perfect for summer.
🌞 This is a childhood classic for me. Always a summer cake, thanks to those sweet, juicy strawberries. As a young girl, unmolding it was a thrill—and a gamble. Each reveal was either a triumphant “Wow!” or a panicked “Oh no!” depending on how well it held together.
Over time, I’ve figured out how to tame the gelatin. Getting the balance just right means I can now enjoy that big reveal without fear (well… almost).
For a delicious treat, try out Julie’s recipe.
🍫 There’s also the delicious Charlotte au chocolat—one of my other favourites. The same biscuit shell, but filled with rich, smooth mousse au chocolat instead. Just as impressive, and very hard to resist.
👑 Galette des rois
Traditionally enjoyed around Epiphany, this golden, round cake is made from flaky puff pastry and filled with sweet almond frangipane. Hidden inside is a tiny charm—called a fève—and the lucky one who finds it gets to be crowned king or queen for the day. With its crisp layers and buttery almond filling, this cake is as festive as it is delicious.
🎉 But the galette is more than just a cake—it’s an experience. One that brings people together, adds a spark of surprise, and turns dessert into a little celebration. Honestly, it’s something you have to try at least once in your life.
Of course, I’ve had my moments baking it. One year, my galette puffed up so wildly that it turned into a kind of lava cake—frangipane spilling everywhere! But hey, you live, you learn… and you get better with each try.
📚 Curious about the full tradition? Here’s how it works: [link to process]
🍏 Tarte aux pommes (not to be confused with tarte Tatin!)
This elegant classic keeps things simple and beautiful: thinly sliced apples arranged in a fan or spiral, often over a soft layer of apple compote. It’s baked right-side up, unlike the Tarte Tatin, which is flipped after baking and features rich caramel. I like both, but since I prefer things less sweet, the tarte aux pommes wins for me.
✨ A light sprinkle of cinnamon adds subtle warmth and brings out the apples’ natural sweetness and texture—without overpowering them.
We often use garden apples at home. They’re all different shapes and sizes—not picture-perfect like the supermarket ones, but full of character. For a lovely artistic twist, try starting the center with the smallest slices, then work your way out with the larger ones.
🎨 It’s like a little puzzle—and kids love helping. A baking moment that doubles as playtime!
🍫 Mousse au chocolat (okay, not a cake—but definitely a French classic!)
This rich and airy dessert is made with just a few ingredients: whipped chocolate and eggs. The result? A texture that’s both light and creamy, letting the deep chocolate flavour shine. Whether served in a big bowl to share or in delicate little glasses, it’s a timeless treat for any true chocoholic.
👧👦 This was our go-to easy recipe as kids—quick to make, but… you had to wait at least 4 hours before digging in. And let’s be honest, for a kid, 4 hours feels like forever.
Strangely, it’s the only recipe I find harder to master as an adult. I’ve had more flops lately than I ever did as a child. Why? I have my theories: room temperature, chocolate quality, egg freshness—maybe even the moon phase?
🧪 If you’re a chemist reading this… please, send help.
🐚 Madeleines
These petite, shell-shaped cakes are beloved for their buttery flavor and delicate crisp edges. Inside, they’re soft and tender—sometimes kissed with a hint of lemon zest or a splash of orange blossom water. Perfect alongside tea (as Proust famously reminded us) or a cozy cup of coffee.
☕ Simple, elegant, and instantly recognizable thanks to that signature little hump that forms as they bake.
💛 Right now, they’re an all-time favourite for my daughter—to make and to eat. It’s one of those joyfully simple recipes that kids love to help with.
You could say they’re like a mini quatre-quarts—but shaped like super cute seashells. What’s not to love?
🍒 Clafoutis
A rustic dessert from Limousin, clafoutis is made by pouring a thick, custardy batter over fresh cherries and baking it until golden and set. The batter is a lot like crêpe mix, giving it a texture somewhere between flan and cake, with the cherries adding juicy, tart bursts in every bite.
It’s humble but magical—a dessert that comes together with little effort but delivers so much comfort and flavour.
👨🍳 I’ve shared my mother’s version before, but I can’t forget my father’s clafoutis. During cherry season, we’d eat cherries in all sorts of ways—and this was always part of the mix.
Still one of my favourite go-to desserts. No fuss, no technical tricks—just simple joy, baked into something unforgettable.
🍋 Tarte au citron
This French lemon tart features a crisp, buttery crust filled with silky-smooth lemon curd. The filling is bright, creamy, and hits that perfect balance between sweet and tangy. Sometimes, it’s topped with fluffy meringue, in which case it becomes the ever-popular Tarte citron meringuée.
✨ It’s a dessert that feels like sunshine on a plate—vibrant, elegant, and refreshing.
👩🍳 One of my earliest baking memories, straight from my mother’s recipe book: La pâtisserie des frères Roux. I remember the recipe was meant for two cakes—a detail my best friend and I completely missed the first time we made it.
Let’s just say… we had a lot of lemon tart that day. And we weren’t mad about it.
🚴♂️ Paris-Brest
This iconic, ring-shaped pastry is made from choux dough and filled with a rich, praline-flavoured cream. Topped with sliced almonds and powdered sugar, it’s all about that smooth, nutty hazelnut filling. The result is indulgent, elegant, and unmistakably French.
As a kid, it sounded like the ultimate fancy cake—probably because it had “Paris” in the name. But the name actually comes from a legendary bicycle race between Paris and Brest. The cake was created in honour of the event, with its shape echoing a bicycle wheel.
🧁 It took me a while to nail it. Now, I make it over two days: first the cream (so it cools properly), then the choux and assembly on day two. It’s a labour of love—and it shows.
🎉 One New Year’s Eve, I proudly served it… only to hear a guest say, “Rose, it’s good, but I prefer your chocolate cake.”Just a tip: if someone spends two days making a Paris-Brest, never tell them you prefer a 15-minute dessert. That’s how you get soft-blocked from social media.
Kidding! We’re still friends. But really—it’s like saying you pump to Louboutins. Both are great. It’s all about taste… and timing.
🎄 Bûche de Noël
This is the classic French Christmas cake—a light sponge rolled around a creamy filling, then covered in chocolate buttercream and decorated to look like a Yule log. Think bark-like texture, powdered sugar snow, maybe a few tiny mushrooms or holly leaves. It’s as much about holiday spirit as it is about flavour.
🎁 In France, it’s a true holiday staple—served at Christmas dinners across the country, often with lots of oohs and ahhs before the first slice is cut.
And here’s a fun detail: if you make it outside of the Christmas season, it simply becomes a gâteau roulé. Same delicious sponge, same creamy filling—just without the snow and twigs.
So yes, it’s seasonal… but also secretly versatile.
Virginie has… more than 100 delicious recipes. I know, it’s hard to chose. I tried a few, and impressed my guests.
🥖 Final crumbs…
Of course, there are so many more French cakes out there. But I chose these twelve because they’re the ones I love most to make… and to eat.
They’re more than just recipes—they’re little pieces of French culture, yes, but also little pieces of me. Each one holds a memory, a story, a season of life.
They are, in every sense, my own “Madeleine de Proust.” 📚 (Curious what that means? Here’s the explanation: [link to explanation])
📩 Your turn—what’s your “Madeleine de Proust”?
Which French cake brings back memories for you?
Have a favourite from this list—or one I missed entirely?
💬 Share your stories, your go-to recipes, or your sweet kitchen disasters in the comments! And if you’re feeling inspired, why not pick one and bake it this weekend?
👩🍳 Tag me if you do—I’d love to see your creations!
After exploring delicious French cakes, learn common dining expressions in our article on Bon Appétit.