Little French Heart Cake ~ the Easiest Cake in the World to Make

Little French Heart Cake is the easiest cake in the world to make. It is wholesome, wonderfully adaptable, and perfect for those moments when you want to give your children a little homemade love for a school snack, or morning tea with friends, no matter how busy you are.

Because the Little French Heart Cake is so simple, it turns out beautifully every time, and it’s your go-to comfort cake. Add bananas, raspberries, pears, or perhaps nuts, coconut, chocolate chips, or carrot… whatever your heart desires. You can change it each time and make it entirely your own.

Bake the Little French Heart Cake with your children, or prepare it for friends—either way, it’s a joy to share. Its origins are grounded in an easy, carefree Australian style—practical, relaxed, and made for everyday life—yet finished with a gentle touch of France. Think a hint of French vanilla, and that effortless charm that turns something simple into something truly beautiful.

There are a few helpful hints along the way, but truly, just start baking. The Little French Heart Cake is always a winner.

 

Ingredients

150gr wholewheat flour

1/4 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp bicarbonate of soda

pinch salt (not essential)

1/2 cup olive oil (this replaces butter)

100gr brown sugar

25gr castor sugar

Drop of French vanilla essence or scraping from half a vanilla pod

1tsp finely grated lemon or orange zest

2 large freerange eggs

2 heaped dessert spoons low fat or Greek yoghurt

1 large ripe banana mashed

**Handful of raspberries, handful of walnuts (these ingredients can be interchanged with pears, strawberries, apple, dried apricots chopped, blueberries, chocolate chips, ie any other ingredient that can be baked).

 

Method

Preheat oven to 190C.

Add dry ingredients, mix well. Add all wet ingriedients aside from banana, mix well (leave raspberries until last so they don’t get too mushed).

Add mashed banana and raspberries fold in.

Pour mixture into a cake tin, preferably loaf style tin, that has been oiled and line with baking paper.

Turn oven down to 180C, bake for about 40 minutes, test with knife or skewer so it comes out clean or almost clean when placed in centre of cake.

Cool for about 5 minutues before transferring to a rack.

Voila!

Tips on this recipe

It’s a great cake to make with the kids.

While the cake doesn’t need sifting, ensure the baking powder and bi-carb are blended well.

Use baking paper and olive oil to line the tin so it comes out easily.

Nuts and other ‘flavour’ ingredients aren’t essential, make it to your liking and family needs.