Protein Tuna-Sardine Cake

Ingredients

• 2 boîtes Canned tuna in olive oil (Drain roughly, keep the oil in the mixture)
• 1 boîte Whole sardines in oil (Keep bones and skin, they are edible and provide calcium)
• 3 unités Eggs (At room temperature)
• 200 g Wheat flour (Sift before use)
• 1 sachet Baking powder (Approximately 10 g)
• 100 g Grated Gruyère (Reserve 20 g for the top of the cake)
• 2 c. à soupe Fresh chives (Finely chopped)
• 1 c. à café Curry powder (Optional, adds a spicy note)
• 1 pincée Ground pepper (To taste)
• 100 ml Extra‑virgin olive oil (Add only if using plain tuna; otherwise use the oil from the canned tuna)

Instructions

1. Prepare the fish and aromatics

   Open the two cans of tuna, drain lightly while keeping the oil in the bowl. Do the same with the sardine can, keeping the bones and skin. Chop the chives.

   Time: PT5M

2. Mash and mix the wet ingredients

   In the large bowl, add the eggs, tuna, sardines, chives and curry (if used). Mash everything with a fork until a roughly homogeneous texture is achieved.

   Time: PT5M

3. Incorporate the dry ingredients

   Add the sifted flour, baking powder, grated cheese (reserving 20 g) and pepper. Mix gently until the flour disappears, without over‑mixing.

   Time: PT5M

4. Prepare the pan and pour the batter

   Grease the loaf pan with a little olive oil or line it with parchment paper. Pour the batter into the pan and sprinkle the remaining cheese on top.

   Time: PT3M

5. Baking

   Bake the cake for 40 minutes at 180 °C. Check doneness by inserting the tip of a knife: it should come out slightly moist but without raw batter.

   Time: PT40M

   Temperature: 180°C

6. Cool and unmold

   Remove the cake from the oven, let it rest 10 minutes in the pan, then unmold onto a rack. Slice with a serrated knife.

   Time: PT10M

Nutrition Facts

Calories

350

Protein

25 g

Carbohydrates

30 g

Fat

15 g

Fiber

2 g

Ingredient Substitutions

• Instead of Canned tuna in olive oil: Plain tuna + olive oil, Canned tuna in water
• Instead of Whole sardines in oil: Sardines in water, Mackerel fillets
• Instead of Eggs: Organic chicken eggs, Duck eggs
• Instead of Wheat flour: Quinoa flour (gluten‑free), Oat flour
• Instead of Baking powder: Baking soda + vinegar
• Instead of Grated Gruyère: Grated Comté, Grated Emmental
• Instead of Fresh chives: Flat‑leaf parsley, Tarragon
• Instead of Curry powder: Sweet paprika, Garam masala
• Instead of Ground pepper: White pepper, Espelette pepper
• Instead of Extra‑virgin olive oil: Sunflower oil, Canola oil

Equipment Needed

• Large mixing bowl
• Fork or potato masher
• Whisk or wooden spoon (optional)
• Loaf pan (20 cm)
• Parchment paper or butter for greasing the pan (optional)
• Oven
• Serrated knife
• Cutting board

Critical Steps — Do Not Skip

• Use the oil from the tuna cans to avoid adding extra fat
• Do not overmix the batter after adding the flour
• Precise baking at 180 °C for 40 minutes

Chef Tips from the Video

• Use the tuna's olive oil for a richer flavor
• Keep the small sardine bones for an extra calcium boost
• Serve the cake warm with a small lamb's lettuce salad and a lemon vinaigrette

Troubleshooting

Storage

Refrigerator: Store in an airtight container 3 to 4 days

Freezer: Wrap individually and freeze up to 1 month

Room temperature: Consume the same day, otherwise keep refrigerated

Make-Ahead Tips

• The cake stores very well in the refrigerator and can be reheated in the oven or microwave
• Prepare the batter the day before and let it rest in the fridge before baking for an even moister result