This breakfast cake is a simple French farmhouse-style cake that’s lightly sweet, rich with butter, and flavored with vanilla and nutmeg. Whether you enjoy it with your morning coffee, afternoon tea, or as part of a special brunch spread, it’s the kind of easy recipe you’ll find yourself making again and again.
More Breakfast Cakes:
Before You Get Started
- Room-temperature butter and eggs create the best texture.
- The batter will be very thick, which is exactly what you want.
- Line the pan with parchment paper for easy release.
Oh boy. This was so easy to make and the taste is just right! Why adulterate it with anything else! Pure simple buttery goodness!
– Laura
What Is Breakfast Cake?
I first discovered this breakfast cake in Susan Loomis’ French Farmhouse Cookbook. I’ve tweaked her version slightly for my own farmhouse kitchen, but the heart of the recipe remains the same: a rich, buttery cake flavored with vanilla and nutmeg, then finished with a dusting of powdered sugar.
In Brittany, France, home cooks often serve a version of le gâteau du petit déjeuner when hosting guests for breakfast. It’s less sweet than a typical dessert cake and has a texture that’s somewhere between a pound cake and a coffee cake. Baked in a simple round pan and served with coffee or tea, it’s the kind of cozy morning treat that feels special without requiring much effort.
How to Make Breakfast Cake
This easy breakfast cake comes together with basic pantry staples and about 15 minutes of prep. The result is a tender, buttery cake with crisp golden edges and a soft crumb that’s perfect for breakfast or brunch. Here’s how to do it:
Step 1: Prepare the Pan and Dry Ingredients
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Butter and flour a 9-inch round cake pan, then line the bottom with parchment paper and butter and flour the paper as well.
In a large bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, nutmeg, and salt.
Step 2: Cream the Butter and Sugar
Using an electric mixer, beat the butter until pale and creamy. Add the vanilla and sugar and continue beating until the mixture is light and fluffy.
⇢ Room-temperature butter creams much more easily and helps create the cake’s tender texture.
Step 3: Add the Eggs and Dry Ingredients
Beat in the eggs one at a time. Gradually add the dry ingredients, mixing just until combined.
The batter will be quite thick, which is exactly what you want for this recipe.
⇢ Avoid over-mixing once the flour is added. Overworking the batter can make the finished cake dense instead of tender.
Step 4: Bake the Cake
Spread the batter evenly into the prepared pan. Because the batter is thick, a damp spatula helps smooth the surface.
Bake for 25-30 minutes, or until the cake is golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
⇢ Start checking for doneness around the 25-minute mark since every oven runs a little differently.
Step 5: Cool and Finish
Allow the cake to cool in the pan for about 10 minutes before transferring it to a wire rack to cool completely.
Dust generously with powdered sugar before slicing and serving.
⇢ A leftover slice warmed for 15-20 seconds in the microwave tastes remarkably similar to a warm old-fashioned donut.
Serving Suggestions:
For brunch, pair this breakfast cake with fresh fruit, yogurt, scrambled eggs, quiche, breakfast casseroles, bacon, sausage, or shrimp and grits. It also makes a wonderful addition to holiday brunches, baby showers, and Easter morning celebrations.
Storage Tips
Store the cake in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days or in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.
To freeze, wrap the cake tightly in plastic wrap and foil and store in the freezer for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature or overnight in the refrigerator.
To reheat, warm individual slices in the microwave for about 15-20 seconds. The cake becomes soft and tender again, almost like a fresh donut.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can you eat cake for breakfast?
Absolutely! This French-style breakfast cake is specifically designed to be enjoyed in the morning. It’s less sweet than traditional dessert cake and pairs beautifully with coffee.
Is breakfast cake the same as coffee cake?
They’re very similar. Coffee cake often includes a streusel topping or cinnamon swirl, while this French breakfast cake is simpler, with a buttery pound cake-like texture and a dusting of powdered sugar.
Can I make breakfast cake ahead of time?
Yes. In fact, it’s a great make-ahead recipe. Bake it the day before and store it covered until you’re ready to serve.
Can I add fruit to breakfast cake?
Definitely. Blueberries are especially delicious, and lemon zest adds bright flavor.
This is SCRUMPTIOUS! I will be making this regularly in the future. My three year old and I just whipped this up for breakfast. We were missing donuts from a local place, your description mentioned tasting like a donut. It does! Thanks for sharing.
– Elena
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Watch How to Make It
Breakfast Cake
Equipment
- 9 inch round cake pan
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 14 tablespoons (1 ¾ sticks) salted butter, at room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ⅔ cup granulated sugar
- 3 large eggs, at room temperature
- Powdered sugar, for dusting
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Butter and flour a 9-inch round cake pan, then line with parchment paper. Butter and flour the paper.
- Sift together the flour, baking powder, nutmeg, and salt in a large bowl.
- Using an electric mixer, cream the butter until it is pale yellow.
- Add the vanilla and sugar; mix until fluffy. Beat in the eggs, one at a time.
- Gradually add the sifted dry ingredients, being careful not to over-mix the batter. The batter is supposed to be very thick, so don't be alarmed. This will yield a rich, buttery pound cake for breakfast — what could be finer?!
- Transfer the batter to the prepared pan. Tap it on the counter once or twice to release any air bubbles.
- Bake until the cake is golden and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, about 25 to 30 minutes. Allow the cake to cool in the pan on a wire rack for about 10 minutes, then remove from the pan to continue cooling.
- Once the cake is completely cool, dust with powdered sugar, slice, and serve.
Notes
- Use room-temperature butter and eggs for the best texture.
- The batter will be very thick. This is normal.
- Line the pan with parchment paper for easy removal.
- Don’t overmix the batter once the flour is added.
- Add 1 cup blueberries for a blueberry breakfast cake.
- Add the zest and juice of 1 lemon for a lemon version.
- Dust generously with powdered sugar before serving.
- Store at room temperature for up to 2 days.
- Refrigerate for up to 1 week.
- Freeze for up to 3 months.
- Warm leftover slices before serving for a soft, donut-like texture.
Nutrition
Originally published in September, 2020, this post was updated in August, 2026.
It tastes very good but I would recommend adding some lemon.
Thanks, Sam! I agree — lemon zest and/or juice plus a lemon glaze would be a delicious twist. 🙂
This is SCRUMPTIOUS! I will be making this regularly in the future. My three year old and I just whipped this up for breakfast. We were missing donuts from a local place, your description mentioned tasting like a donut. It does! Thanks for sharing.
Yay! I’m so happy that it satisfied the craving, Elena! 🙂
Oh boy. This was so easy to make and the taste is just right! Why adulterate it with anything else! Pure simple buttery goodness!
Thank you, Laura!
Is there any chance this could be made vegan with coconut oil instead of butter?
Hi Renna,
We haven’t tested it, but it should work great! We recommend using refined coconut oil as it has a slightly milder coconut taste.
I’d love to try this recipe but only have unsalted butter as opposed to salted. Would using the unsalted option yield a similar result or would it be inadvisable?
Hi Will,
You can absolutely use unsalted butter! We recommend adding in ~1/4 teaspoon of salt for every stick of butter used.
Well, I took it out of the oven and my husband cut a piece right away. He then poured himself a glass of milk and said “it’s a keeper!”
Next time I’ll make it Into a muffins for a grab and go. Delicious!
That’s so good to hear, Deb. I’m glad that it’s a keeper!
Awesome, this cake is a total winner. Thanks for sharing.
Thank you so much, Manashi!
I just made this last night, and it is delicious! I had 3 pieces today. 😀 Thank you for sharing!
We’re so glad you enjoyed it, Chie! Thank you for trying it out.
Very delicious! But I had to use margarine since I can’t eat butter. In spite of that, the cake turned out well. I served it for coffee with guests and they loved it! Right now I’m baking another cake for us, and will be using this recipe often. Thanks for sharing it!!
would i be able to fold in chopped strawberries at the end?
Hi, Laura! Absolutely! I think the berries would be a great addition. 🙂
I made this with white wheat flour. It was amazing and will be in regular rotation in my home. Thank you for this recipe!
Thanks, Tia!
Very delicious! But I had to use margarine since I can’t eat butter. In spite of that, the cake turned out well. I served it for coffee with guests and they loved it! Right now I’m baking another cake for us, and will be using this recipe often. Thanks for sharing it!!
We’re so glad you enjoyed it, Marcia! Thank you for trying it out and taking the time to leave a review.
My whole family loves this cake. Its nit overly sweet, and fantastic with tea or coffee.
Thank you, Kate!
Terrific recipe – great photos …. but… can’t you find a program that converts to metric? “14 tablespoons salted butter” … flour and sugar I can do in my head, but I have to go search on Google to see what the butter converts to in grams. Makes it annoying when you’re trying to scale out a recipe.
We’re so glad you enjoy the recipe and appreciate your feedback! We will take it into consideration for future updates and see what we can do. We hope, in the meantime, you continue to enjoy other recipes on the site as well!
Hi! I made this for the first time for a guest, and we loved it!
I did replace the 3rd egg with milk and left it in the oven a bit longer . But it turned out great. I’ll see if I can make it again
Thank you for the feedback! We’re so glad you enjoyed the recipe.