French Pound Cake, or Quatre Quarts, is one of those wonderfully simple French desserts I have loved since childhood. Rich with butter yet tender and delicate, this traditional French pound cake is made with equal weights of eggs, flour, sugar, and butter.

True to its name, quatre-quarts means “four quarters.” You weigh the eggs first, then use the same weight of butter, sugar, and flour. It is wonderfully easy to remember, and once you know the formula, you can turn it into other cakes, including my French pear pound cake (quatre-quarts aux poires).

French Pound Cake or Quatre Quarts baked in a decorative mold and placed on a white cake stand with raspberries and blackberries around it.

Recipe Overview: French Pound Cake or Quatre Quarts

  • Prep Time: 20 minutes
  • Cook Time: 40 minutes
  • Total Time: 1 hour
  • Servings: 6 people
  • Cook Method: Baked in a loaf or cake pan
  • Flavor & Texture: Rich, buttery, and lightly sweet with a tender, dense crumb and delicate golden crust
  • Difficulty: Easy. The traditional equal-weight formula makes this classic French cake simple to prepare and easy to remember.
  • Why this Recipe? With only four main ingredients, this classic French Quatre-Quarts delivers wonderful buttery flavor and a beautifully tender crumb. Simple enough for everyday baking yet elegant enough for dessert, it is a timeless recipe you will return to again and again.
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I was introduced to this cake in my home economics class when I was about 10 or 11 years old, and I have been making it ever since. Once you understand the simple four-part formula, it will be a recipe you know by heart.

In this Article

What is Quatre-Quarts?

Quatre-quarts is a traditional French pound cake made with four main ingredients: eggs, butter, sugar, and flour. The name translates to “four quarters,” referring to the equal weight of each ingredient.

Unlike recipes where you measure everything first, you begin by weighing the eggs. The weight of the eggs determines the amount of butter, sugar, and flour you will use.

It is one of those beautifully simple French recipes that, once learned, is almost impossible to forget.

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Quatre-Quarts vs. American Pound Cake

Pound cake got its name from its old measurements: one pound each of butter, sugar, eggs, and flour. Quatre-quarts means “four quarters” in French.

It follows the same idea, with one difference. In France, we weigh the eggs first. The butter, sugar, and flour then match that weight.

We also separate the eggs and fold in the whipped whites. That is what lifts the cake, so there is no baking powder.

Many modern American pound cakes add leavening, milk, or sour cream. This one stays with four ingredients.

If you love this classic cake style, my moist lemon pound cake with fresh lemon zest follows the same wonderfully rich tradition with a bright citrus flavor.

What is the secret to a good pound cake?

The eggs and butter should be at room temperature as well. Both should be at the same temperature.

Adding cold eggs to warm butter will cause the butter to break and form clumps.

I suggest leaving the eggs on the counter longer than the butter to ensure they reach the proper temperature.

And whatever you do, do not use melted butter from the microwave.

You want soft, manageable butter, not melted butter, which will not perform the same way in this recipe or any recipe that calls for soft butter.

Key Ingredients

Ingredients needed to create this french pound cake.

Unsalted butter -Butter is one of the stars of this traditional French pound cake, so use the best quality you can find. I prefer unsalted butter because it gives me complete control over the final flavor.

Granulated Sugar – Provides sweetness while helping to create a tender structure and a beautiful golden crust.

All-purpose flour gives the cake its structure while keeping the crumb tender. Measure carefully, or preferably weigh it, since equal weights are the foundation of a true quatre-quarts.

Large eggs – at room temperature. You will be working with the yolk and the white separately.

Salt – a pinch, and this is optional

Lemon zest – is also optional, but it adds a pleasant fragrance. Lemon is one of my favorite ways to brighten a rich cake. My Italian ricotta lemon cake with fresh lemon zest is another lovely option when you want something moist and slightly denser.

Variations

Once you master the basic quatre-quarts, it is wonderfully easy to make it your own. My French pear pound cake, or quatre-quarts aux poires, uses the same classic idea with fresh pears folded into the dessert.

  • Add a dash of vanilla extract, or add a couple of tablespoons of rum.
  • For a chocolate variation, divide the batter in two and add cocoa to one half before gently swirling the batters together. If you love that combination, try my vanilla and chocolate marble cakes next. You will notice a great design once baked and ready to be sliced.
  • If chocolate is calling your name but you want an entirely chocolate cake rather than a swirl, my rich chocolate pound cake is the one to make.
  • Add some chopped dates and raisins to it.

How to Make French Pound Cake or Quatre Quarts

Step 1: Preheat the oven to 350°F. Butter and flour a 9 x 5-inch loaf pan or your favorite decorative cake mold, ensuring all corners are well coated.

Step 2: Separate the eggs, placing the yolks in one bowl and the whites in another. Beat the egg whites until firm peaks form. Set aside. Folding in whipped egg whites is the same technique that gives my easy French chocolate mousse its light, airy texture.

Soft peaks created by beating the egg white

Another way to ensure that all the egg white is beaten up is to move the bowl from side to side. By keeping the egg whites still, they are beaten to perfection. In my cooking classes, I demonstrate this by turning the bowl upside down.

Step 3: In a large mixing bowl, beat the softened butter and sugar together until light, creamy, and smooth.

Step 4: Add the egg yolks one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Add the lemon zest and mix until combined.

Step 5: Sift the flour over the butter mixture and gently mix just until incorporated. Do not overmix the batter.

Step 6: Fold one-third of the whipped egg whites into the batter to lighten it. Gently fold in the remaining egg whites, working from the bottom of the bowl upward until no white streaks remain. Take your time here so you do not deflate the egg whites.

Step 7: Pour the batter into the prepared pan and gently smooth the top.

Step 8: Bake for approximately 40 minutes, or until the cake is golden and a cake tester or thin knife inserted into the center comes out clean.

Step 9: Let the quatre-quarts cool in the pan for about 10 minutes before turning it onto a cooling rack. Allow it to cool completely before slicing and serving.

Batter in a rectangular 9 x5 inch mold ready to get into the oven.

Giangi’s Pro Tips

  • Not all ovens are the same. After 40 minutes of baking, insert a knife into the center; if it comes out clean, the Quatre-Quarts is done. Most noteworthy is not worrying about falling when you open the oven door. We do not use baking powder.
  • Let it rest in the mold over a cooling wire rack for 5 minutes before removing it.
  • Set on a cooling rack. The cooling rack will help the bottom cool off, and air will circulate underneath it.

Readers tips:

I love when our readers make our recipes and have suggestions, and I love to share them with all of you.

From Sassy B:

It’s easier to separate cold eggs than room-temperature eggs, then allow them to come to room temperature. 

French pound cake with a slice taken in a separate serving plate.

How to Serve Quatre-Quarts

Quatre-quarts needs very little dressing up. I love serving a simple slice with a light dusting of powdered sugar, fresh berries, fruit compote, or a spoonful of crème Anglaise. It is equally lovely with coffee at breakfast or with a cup of tea in the afternoon.

For something a little more festive, bake it in a round decorative mold and fill the center with fresh seasonal fruit.

Storage

Store: Once completely cooled, wrap the quatre-quarts tightly or keep it in an airtight container for 2 to 3 days.

Refrigerator: If your kitchen is warm, store it in the refrigerator, covered. Let the cake return to room temperature before serving so the butter-softened crumb has its best texture.

Freezing: I prefer not to freeze this cake. It is at its best freshly baked, and freezing can change that beautifully tender buttery texture.

French Pound Cake or Quatre Quarts FAQs

Why do you weigh the eggs first for quatre-quarts?

The eggs determine the quantity of the other three main ingredients. Once you know their weight, use the same weight of butter, sugar, and flour.

Why does traditional quatre-quarts not need baking powder?

This version gets its lift from whipped egg whites, which are gently folded into the batter.

Can I make quatre-quarts without a decorative mold?

Absolutely. A standard 9 x 5-inch loaf pan works beautifully.

How do I know when French pound cake is done?

Insert a thin knife or cake tester into the center. It should come out clean, and the top should be beautifully golden.

Delicious pound cake with a slice taken out and served on a white cake plate.

More Desserts You Will Love

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French Pound Cake or Quatre-Quarts

5 from 17 votes
quatre-quarts
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 40 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour
Servings: 6 people
Author: Giangi Townsend
Classic French Quatre Quarts is a buttery, tender pound cake made with equal parts eggs, sugar, flour, and butter. Simple, elegant, and delicious.
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Ingredients 

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 350F. butter a 9×5 loaf mold or round mold and coat lightly with flour, or use a no-stick bakery spray.
  • Soften the butter in a bowl until it becomes creamier. Add the sugar 2 to 3 times and whisk vigorously until a nice cream is created.
  • Separate the egg yolk from the white. Add the egg yolks to the butter-sugar mixture. Incorporate the sifted flour.
  • In another bowl, beat the egg whites at full speed with a pinch of salt. Beat until soft peaks form and no white liquid remains in the bowl.
  • Gently fold one-third of the whipped egg whites into the butter mixture to loosen the batter. Add the remaining whites and fold gently from the bottom upward until incorporated. Do not overmix, as you want to preserve as much air as possible.
  • Pour the mixture into the mold and bake for 40 minutes in the middle of the oven.
    Verify that it is ready by inserting a knife in the middle.
    Remove from the oven and wait 5 minutes prior to removing from the mold.

Equipment

Notes

    • Not all ovens are the same. After 30 minutes of baking, insert a knife in the middle, and if it comes out clean, the Quatre-Quarts is done. Most noteworthy is not worrying about falling when you open the oven door. We do not use baking powder.
    • Let it rest in the mold over a cooling wire rack for 5 minutes before removing it.
    • Set on a cooling rack. The cooling rack will help the bottom cool off, and air will circulate underneath it.
 

Nutrition

Calories: 508kcal | Carbohydrates: 49g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 33g | Saturated Fat: 20g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 163mg | Sodium: 36mg | Potassium: 62mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 33g | Vitamin A: 1064IU | Calcium: 25mg | Iron: 1mg

Giangi’s Kitchen provides nutritional information, but these figures should be considered estimates, as a registered dietician does not calculate them.

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