Let Us Eat Cake!

No trip to Nantes is complete without a slice - or two - of Gâteau Nantais. Moist, buttery and flavoured with rum, this delicious cake has been a speciality of the city since the 18th century when the port was an important point of entry for goods arriving from the Caribbean colonies, including cane sugar, vanilla and rum.

At the time, Gâteau Nantais was an expensive treat, served by the wealthy to impress important guests, but today it can be found at every good café and restaurant in the city - including Brasserie La Cigale where we stop for tea on the first day of our holiday in Nantes. 

It is easy to make at home too. Simply mix together sugar, salted butter (the salt is important for an authentic gâteau as Nantes used to be the capital of the sea salt producing region of Brittany), eggs, flour, ground almonds and dark rum, bake, then cover in rum-infused royal icing. For best results - and this is the most difficult bit - put the cake away for 24 hours to let the flavours come to the fore.

Come and eat cake with us on our holiday to Pour l'Amour du Fil, Nantes 2025!