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1 hour
4 peopleAbout this dish
A savory loaf cake with ham and gruyère that bakes up light and tall, the kind the French call a cake salé. It has been a fixture of French aperitifs and picnics for decades, cut into cubes for a buffet or into thick slices for a picnic. The name promises a risen, airy crumb, and the oven door is the main risk: opening it early can make the cake fall. Serve it warm with a green salad or cold the next day.
Ingredients
Preparation
Preheat the oven to 180°C (thermostat 6). Butter and flour a loaf tin.
Separate the egg whites from the yolks.
In a large bowl, whisk the egg yolks with the olive oil and milk until well combined.
Sift in the flour and baking powder, then mix until smooth.
Stir in the grated cheese, diced ham, salt, and pepper.
In a clean bowl, beat the egg whites with a pinch of salt until stiff: when you lift the whisk, they should hold their shape.
Add the egg whites to the batter in two batches, gently lifting and turning the mixture with a spatula (don't stir hard, or the whites will lose their air).
Pour the batter into the prepared tin.
Bake for 45 minutes, until golden and a knife inserted in the center comes out clean.
Let the cake cool for 10 minutes before unmolding.
Tips
Avoid opening the oven door during the first 30 minutes of baking, or the cake may deflate.
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