As the new season of the Great British Bake Off kicks off with Cake Week, aspiring bakers across the nation are gearing up to test their skills. The Signature Challenge for this week features a loaf cake, and while it may seem simple, achieving a perfectly cooked interior without burning the top requires finesse. The correct oven temperature is crucial, but to truly elevate your loaf cake to the level of French patisserie excellence, there’s a clever trick you need to know.
Esteemed French pastry chef Eric Lanlard, the mastermind behind Cake Boy, recently shared his ingenious baking secret on TikTok. In a video showcasing his technique, he promised, “A cake like this will sit happily on the shelf of the best patisserie in Paris.”
For this technique, you’ll need a greaseproof paper cornet and a bit of softened butter. Eric explains, “Before I put my cake into the oven – this one is a lemon cake – I’m just going to pipe two lines side by side in the middle of the cake.” The magic lies in the butter. As the cake bakes, the butter melts, creating a ridge of fat that allows the cake to rise beautifully. This prevents misshapen loaves and guarantees a perfectly cooked interior.
As Jen, a viewer of the video quipped, “So the perfect loaf looks like a lady loaf. The French know what’s up.”
Inspired? For a simple yet delicious treat, try this air fryer loaf cake recipe that only requires six ingredients.
