Moist Vinegar Cake

Moist Vinegar Cake is a easy French recipe that serves 8. 313 calories per serving. Recipe by Oum Arwa on YouTube.

Prep: 12 min | Cook: 30 min | Total: 52 min

Cost: $1.53 total, $0.19 per serving

Ingredients

  • 160 g Whole milk (at room temperature)
  • 2 cuillères à soupe White vinegar (of your choice (apple cider vinegar or lemon juice possible))
  • 120 g Granulated sugar
  • 1 pincée Fine salt
  • 1 unité Egg (medium-sized egg)
  • 2 sachets Vanilla sugar (or 1 teaspoon vanilla extract)
  • 120 g Sunflower oil
  • 220 g Type 45 flour
  • 15 g Baking powder
  • 20 g Butter (to butter the pan)
  • 1 feuille Parchment paper (round, to place at the bottom of the pan)
  • 10 g Icing sugar (optional, for dusting)

Instructions

  1. Prepare the vinegar milk

    Pour the milk into a bowl, add the 2 tablespoons of vinegar and stir quickly. The milk will slightly curdle.

    Time: PT1M

  2. Preheat the oven

    Turn on the oven in convection mode and set to 180°C.

    Time: PT5M

    Temperature: 180°C

  3. Mix the dry ingredients and the egg

    In another bowl, add the sugar, the pinch of salt, the vanilla sugar (or vanilla extract) and the egg. Whisk until the mixture lightens.

    Time: PT2M

  4. Incorporate the vinegar milk

    Pour the milk‑vinegar mixture into the bowl containing the sugar‑egg and mix gently until homogeneous.

    Time: PT1M

  5. Add the oil

    Stir in the sunflower oil until well incorporated.

    Time: PT1M

  6. Fold in the flour and baking powder

    Sift the flour and baking powder together, then add to the batter. Mix gently until you obtain a smooth batter without lumps.

    Time: PT2M

  7. Prepare the pan

    Butter the tart pan, place the round parchment paper at the bottom and lightly grease it.

    Time: PT2M

  8. Pour the batter

    Transfer the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the surface with a spatula.

    Time: PT1M

  9. Bake

    Place the cake in the oven and bake for 30 minutes. The cake should be golden and a knife inserted in the centre should come out clean.

    Time: PT30M

    Temperature: 180°C

  10. Finishing and demoulding

    Remove the cake, let it cool for 5 minutes, then unmould onto a rack. Dust with icing sugar if desired.

    Time: PT5M

Nutrition Facts

Calories
313
Protein
2 g
Carbohydrates
38 g
Fat
17 g
Fiber
0.8 g

Dietary info: vegetarian, contains dairy, contains gluten, low-calorie

Allergens: egg, milk, gluten

Ingredient Substitutions

  • Instead of Whole milk: semi-skimmed milk, almond milk
  • Instead of White vinegar: apple cider vinegar, lemon juice
  • Instead of Granulated sugar: cane sugar, coconut sugar
  • Instead of Fine salt: sea salt
  • Instead of Egg: apple sauce puree (1/4 cup)
  • Instead of Vanilla sugar: vanilla extract, lemon zest
  • Instead of Sunflower oil: vegetable oil, canola oil
  • Instead of Type 45 flour: all-purpose flour, wheat flour
  • Instead of Baking powder: baking soda + cream of tartar
  • Instead of Butter: sunflower oil
  • Instead of Parchment paper: silicone mat
  • Instead of Icing sugar: granulated sugar

Equipment Needed

  • Mixing bowl
  • Whisk
  • Tablespoon
  • Kitchen scale
  • Tart pan (or loaf pan)
  • Parchment paper
  • Oven
  • Silicone spatula (optional)

Critical Steps — Do Not Skip

  • Let the milk curdle with the vinegar (step 1).
  • Do not overmix after adding the flour (step 6).
  • Bake until the cake is golden and a knife comes out clean (step 9).

Chef Tips from the Video

  • Using apple cider vinegar gives a slight fruity note that pairs well with vanilla.
  • For an even richer flavor, replace 20 g of the oil with melted butter.

Troubleshooting

The cake is too dense.

Do not overmix after adding the flour and ensure the baking powder is fresh.

The top of the cake burns before the inside is cooked.

Cover the cake with aluminum foil halfway through baking and lower the temperature slightly to 170 °C.

The cake sticks to the pan.

Butter the pan generously and use well‑greased parchment paper.

Storage

Refrigerator: Store in an airtight container 3 to 4 days.

Freezer: Wrap the cake in two layers of plastic film then place in a freezer bag, keep up to 2 months.

Room temperature: At room temperature, the cake stays moist 1 to 2 days, protected from humidity.

Make-Ahead Tips

  • The batter can be prepared 10 minutes before baking and left at room temperature.
  • The cake stores well and can be slightly reheated in the microwave before serving.

Last updated: September 6, 2026

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Moist Vinegar Cake

Recipe by Oum Arwa

A very moist cake made with a single egg and a surprising ingredient: vinegar. The combination milk + vinegar creates a light texture, while sunflower oil and baking powder ensure an airy result. Ideal for a quick and economical dessert.

EasyFrenchServes 8

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Source Video
20m
Prep
30m
Cook
10m
Cleanup
1h
Total

Cost Breakdown

$1.53
Total cost
$0.19
Per serving

Critical Success Points

  • • Let the milk curdle with the vinegar (step 1).
  • • Do not overmix after adding the flour (step 6).
  • • Bake until the cake is golden and a knife comes out clean (step 9).

Safety Warnings

  • • Handle the hot oven with kitchen gloves.
  • • Be careful of hot oil splatters when mixing.