Last Updated on 27 September, 2026 by Elby | The Tasteful Pantry
This easy gâteau Basque recipe hides smooth vanilla custard inside a golden, buttery cake with a little almond and lemon. The outside sits in the delicious no-man’s-land between cake, biscuit and soft pastry; the centre is cool , creamy and soft.
I stumbled across Gâteau Basque while travelling in northern Spain – although originally from the French Basque Country, I’m very pleased it found its way over the border. Traditionally, the buttery outer layer is filled with pastry cream or black cherry jam. I met the custard version first and, frankly, I was sold.
This is my easy, custard-filled version. The batter is intentionally thick – closer to soft biscuit dough than regular cake batter—and is piped or pressed around the filling. It looks as though it may require delicate pastry skills. It does not. Chill the custard, keep it inside its batter border and seal the top properly; the oven handles the rest.
For another dessert built around silky homemade custard, try my crème pâtissière, lemon Portuguese tarts, custard doughnuts or mango trifle.
What Is Gâteau Basque?
Gâteau Basque – often written as gateau Basque without the accent—means Basque cake. It is a round bake from the French Basque Country with a golden, buttery outer layer enclosing either pastry cream or black cherry jam. Although it is called a cake, its texture lands somewhere between a tender biscuit, soft pastry and dense butter cake. Decisive name; gloriously indecisive texture.
The bake is particularly associated with Cambo-les-Bains, where Marianne Hirigoyen helped popularise it in the nineteenth century by selling her family’s cakes at the Bayonne market. My version uses a vanilla and lemon-scented custard filling with almond meal in the outer layer.
Ingredients For This Gâteau Basque Recipe
Vanilla custard filling
Egg yolks, caster sugar, cornflour, full-cream milk, vanilla extract, unsalted butter and lemon peel make the thick, silky centre. Use full-cream milk for the best texture, and cut the lemon peel into large strips so it is easy to remove before assembling the cake.
Buttery cake layer
Unsalted butter, caster sugar, eggs, plain flour, almond meal, custard powder and baking powder form the golden outer layer. The butter needs to be softened, not melted, and room-temperature eggs will mix into it more readily. Custard powder adds a little colour and vanilla flavour; cornflour and extra vanilla can be used instead.
How To Make Gâteau Basque
Custard filling
Step 1: Whisk the egg yolks, caster sugar and cornflour together in a small saucepan. The mixture will become quite thick and paste-like at this stage.
Step 2: Gradually pour in the milk, whisking as you go. Adding it slowly makes it easier to create a smooth mixture without any stubborn lumps.
Step 3: Place the saucepan over low-medium heat and whisk constantly for about 5 minutes, or until the custard has thickened. Keep the whisk moving, particularly around the base and edges of the saucepan, where it can catch.
Step 4: Remove the saucepan from the heat, then add the vanilla, butter and lemon peel. Whisk until the butter has completely melted and the custard is smooth.
Step 5: Leave the custard to cool for about 10 minutes. Press a piece of baking paper directly onto the surface to stop a skin forming, then refrigerate until the custard is cold and thick. Warm custard is far more likely to escape during assembly, and nobody needs a custard breakout at this point.
Cake batter
Step 6: Preheat the oven to 180°C conventional or 160°C fan-forced. Lightly grease a 20 cm springform cake tin and line the base and sides with baking paper.
Step 7: Using a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the softened butter and caster sugar for 4–5 minutes, or until pale, light and fluffy. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed so everything mixes evenly.
Step 8: Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. The mixture may look slightly curdled as the eggs go in, but it will come together once the dry ingredients are added.
Step 9: Sift in the plain flour, custard powder and baking powder, then add the almond meal. Fold everything together until no streaks of flour remain.
Take care not to overmix. The batter should be very thick and closer to a soft biscuit dough than a pourable cake batter. Do not add extra liquid to loosen it.
Assembly
Step 10: Transfer the batter to a piping bag fitted with a large round tip. Pipe about half of the batter evenly over the base of the prepared tin, then pipe an extra ring around the edge to create a border for the custard.
Gently spread the batter to close any gaps. A spatula works, but I find lightly dampened fingers much easier because this batter clings to a spatula with impressive commitment. The border matters: it keeps the custard away from the edge of the tin and gives the top layer something to seal against.
Step 11: Remove and discard the strips of lemon peel from the chilled custard. Spoon the custard over the bottom layer of batter, spreading it evenly while keeping it inside the raised border.
Step 12: Pipe the remaining batter over the top of the custard. Use a spatula or damp fingers to carefully spread the batter until the custard is completely covered and there are no visible gaps. Check the surface and edges carefully for gaps before baking; even a small opening gives the custard somewhere to make its escape.
Step 13: Bake for 40-45 minutes, or until the top is golden, set and springs back lightly when touched.
A skewer test is not especially useful here because the skewer may pass through the custard and come out moist. The colour and firmness of the top are better guides.
Allow the gâteau Basque to cool completely in the tin before releasing the springform and slicing. The custard continues to set as it cools, so cutting it warm trades tidy slices for a delicious little landslide.
How To Serve And Store Gâteau Basque
Let the gâteau Basque cool completely before slicing so the custard can set. Serve it cool or at room temperature; I prefer taking it out of the fridge 15-20 minutes before serving so the buttery outer layer softens and the almond, vanilla and lemon flavours come forward.
It needs very little help. Add fresh berries or a light dusting of icing sugar if you like, but cream is unnecessary with the custard filling.
Store leftover Basque cake in an airtight container in the fridge for up to three days. Because of the custard filling, do not leave it at room temperature for extended periods. If you have spare egg whites after making the custard, use them for meringue kisses.
Gateau Basque Recipe FAQ
What is Gâteau Basque?
Gâteau Basque, or Basque cake, is a traditional round bake with a buttery outer layer surrounding pastry cream or black cherry jam. Its texture is firmer than a sponge cake and softer than crisp pastry, which allows it to hold the filling as it bakes.
Where does Gâteau Basque come from?
Gâteau Basque originated in the French Basque Country and is particularly associated with Cambo-les-Bains. Early versions appeared around 1830, and local baker Marianne Hirigoyen helped make the cake widely known by selling it at the Bayonne market.
Is Gâteau Basque the same as Basque cheesecake?
No. Basque cheesecake is a crustless cheesecake with a deeply browned top and creamy centre. Gâteau Basque has a buttery cake-like pastry enclosing custard or jam. Similar geography, entirely different dessert—and choosing between them is not a decision anyone should be forced to make quickly.
Why is the Basque cake batter so thick?
The batter is meant to be thick and will feel more like a soft biscuit dough than a standard cake batter. It needs enough structure to hold the custard inside the cake as it bakes, so avoid adding milk or other liquid to loosen it.
A piping bag makes the batter easier to distribute, but lightly dampened fingers also work well for pressing it into place.
What filling is used in Gâteau Basque?
The two best-known fillings are pastry cream and black cherry jam. This recipe uses a thick vanilla custard scented with lemon. Whichever filling is used, it needs to be contained between two sealed layers of the buttery cake mixture.
Can I make the custard filling ahead of time?
Yes. The custard can be prepared up to two days ahead and stored in the fridge. Press a piece of baking paper directly onto the surface to prevent a skin from forming.
Give the chilled custard a quick stir before assembling the cake. It should be thick and spoonable rather than runny.
How do I know when Basque cake is cooked?
A skewer test is not especially helpful because the skewer may pass through the custard and come out moist. Instead, look for a golden top that feels set and springs back when lightly pressed.
The cake will continue to firm as it cools, so leave it in the tin until it is stable enough to remove without cracking.
Can I use shop-bought custard?
Yes, but it must be a very thick, spoonable custard rather than a pouring custard. Chill it before assembling the cake and keep it inside the raised batter border. A loose custard is far more likely to leak.
Why did the custard leak out of my Basque cake?
The custard may leak if it is too warm or runny, the batter border is too low or the top layer has gaps.
Make sure the custard is thoroughly chilled before assembling the cake. Keep it inside the raised ring of batter and check that the top is completely covered before baking. The custard needs boundaries. Fair enough.
Feedback and More: What did you think of the Basque cake recipe? Select a star rating ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ or leave a comment below to let me know. Cheers, Elby!
If you enjoyed this recipe, you might like some of my other cakes and bakery faves. For more tasty ideas and new recipes from The Tasteful Pantry, join me on Instagram, Facebook and Pinterest.
Gâteau Basque (Basque Cake)
*Note: Adjusting servings will not adjust the ‘light grey’ quantities
Equipment
Ingredients
Custard Filling
- 2 large egg yolks
- 40 grams caster sugar
- 15 grams cornflour
- 200 ml milk - full-cream
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 20 grams unsalted butter - chopped into 1 cm cubes
- 3 strips of lemon peel - or ½ tsp grated lemon zest
Cake Batter
- 150 grams unsalted butter - softened
- 165 grams caster sugar
- 2 large eggs - at room temperature
- 160 grams flour - plain
- 30 grams almond meal
- 1 tbsp custard powder - substitute with cornflour (see notes)
- 1½ tsp baking powder
Instructions
Custard Filling
- Use a whisk to combine the egg yolks, caster sugar and cornflour in a small saucepan. It will become a thick paste.
- Gradually whisk in the milk until it is fully incorporated and the mix is lump-free.
- Place over low-medium heat, whisking constantly until the mixture thickens – about 5 minutes.
- Remove from the heat and add the vanilla, butter and lemon peel. Whisk until the butter has completely melted.
- Let the mix cool for 10 minutes before placing a piece of baking paper onto the top of the custard to stop a skin from forming. Place in the fridge until ready to use.
Cake Batter
- Preheat the oven to 180°C conventional | 160°C fan-forced and lightly grease and line a 20cm springform cake tin.
- Using a stand mixer with the paddle attachment, beat the butter and sugar until light and fluffy, about 4–5 minutes.
- Add the eggs one at a time, beating well between each addition.
- Fold through the sifted flour, almond meal, custard powder and baking powder. Do not overwork the mix but make sure there are no streaks of flour. The batter will be quite thick – not a runny cake batter.
Assembly
- Transfer the batter to a piping bag (see notes). Pipe half of the batter over the base of the prepared tin, and an extra ring of batter around the edge to create a border for the filling.
- Use a spatula to gently spread the batter and fill any gaps. Alternatively, wet your fingers and carefully press the batter into place (my preferred method).
- Remove and discard the lemon peel. Spread the chilled custard evenly over the bottom layer of batter, keeping it inside the raised outer ring.
- Pipe the remaining batter over the top of the custard and use a spatula or damp fingers to gently spread the batter until the custard is completely covered.
- Bake for 40–45 minutes – a skewer test is a little tricky here because of the custard filling. Instead, the top should be golden and will spring back when lightly touched.
- Allow the cake to cool for 10 minutes in the tin before transferring to a rack to cool completely before slicing. The custard will firm as it cools.
Notes
Nutrition
*Nutrition and calorie figures are estimates only.
