The Nantes cake, its history and our good addresses

Nantais cake is an iconic regional specialty. Ultra-melting and rich in almond powder, this cake stands out for its softness, its hint of rum and its slightly crunchy glaze.

Its origins date back to the early 19th century. Its creation is attributed to a certain M. Rouleau, maitre fouacier - fouace is a crown-shaped cake baked in the oven - using products such as cane sugar and rum that landed in the port of Nantes. Fallen into oblivion, it regained its popularity thanks to the Lefèvre-Utile (LU) family, who revived production from 1910 to 1970 before passing on the recipe. A travel cake that's easy to have shipped wherever you are!

Vincent Guerlais, Nantes

A thin layer of white icing on top of a moist, moist cake made with almonds and flavored with rum - that's the recipe of Vincent Guerlais, president of the Relais Desserts association. " What I like is the thin layer of sugar on top. It creates a delicious contrast with the cake's softness. Its buttery, rumy flavor makes it an incredible cake that I enjoy as a snack as well as a dessert! "A travel cake sold individually or to share.

• 11 Rue Franklin 44000 Nantes
• www.vincentguerlais.com

Christophe Roussel, La Baule

Simple at first glance, the Nantais cake requires a fine touch, particularly when it comes to baking, which must leave the cake moist and fluffy. " With us, they're soaked in a rum syrup after baking, then glazed with a mixture of powdered sugar and water. The Nantais cake has become a regional specialty that tourists love to take home. It keeps well for a week in the fridge, but needs to be taken out 30 minutes before eating to regain its softness. "confides Enzo Roussel. Rich in almonds and delicately flavored with rum, it's a must-try.

• 6 All. des Camélias, 44500 La Baule-Escoublac
• www.christophe-roussel.fr

Josselin Debotté, in Nantes

A family tradition since 1968! " My parents were already making Nantais cakes. In 1999, the LU company discovered our creations at one of their events and decided to pass on their recipe to us. That's how, with the foreman, we came up with our current Nantais cake recipe," explains Josselin Debotte. Here, the cake resembles a pain de gêne soaked in a syrup of rum and lemon, then covered with a very thin layer of apricot jam and a layer of white chocolate, replacing the traditional water ice. Sold in individual or shared portions, it's a must-try!

• Discover all our stores' addresses on our website
• www.debotte.fr

Le Fondant Baulois, in La Baule

Gâteau Nantais is said to be the ancestor of today's travel cakes, which can be kept for days or even weeks. In addition to their famous Fondant Baulois au chocolat, the company has been offering gâteau Nantais since 1981, made with almond powder, rum (nearly 20%) and semi-salted butter. The result is " a tender almond sponge cake flavored with rum ". when tasted, it resembles a moist financier, with a pronounced rum flavor thanks to the dark rum in the pastry and the white rum and lime in the glaze. A great classic!

• Find out all the store addresses on the website
• www.lefondantbaulois.com

Maison Juhel, Nantes

Winner of first prize in the Gâteau Nantais competition in 2022, Fabien Juhel brings all his know-how to the creation of this Nantes specialty. " Once out of the oven, the cookie is quickly dipped in dark rum-not syrup, but rum! For the glaze, I prefer to use fondant for its very melting texture. "The cake is available individually or to share.

• 90 Bd Robert Schuman 44300 Nantes
• See the Maison Juhel Facebook page