Nothing could be more pure and simple than a slice of Gateau Sirop—a Cajun syrup cake. This spiced, dark cake oozing with sugarcane is a rich pastry that home cooks nonchalantly describe as an “everyday” cake.
Gateau Sirop–A Cajun favorite. (All photos credit: George Graham)
This classic dessert is built on sugarcane, one of the essential ingredients of Acadiana, and Steen’s brand cane syrup is a staple in every bayou kitchen. That’s what elevates Gateau Sirop to one of the most iconic recipes along the foodways of South Louisiana.
There’s something about this dish that speaks to the roots of our culinary culture. It rocks with a Zydeco backbeat of flavor infused with a swamp-pop punch. And that punch is the perfect end of a meal at your Maw Maw’s kitchen table.
Pass the syrup, please!
- 2 cups canola oil
- 3½ cups sugarcane syrup, such as Steen's
- 2 cups sugar
- ⅔ cup dark sugarcane molasses, such as Steen's
- 4 teaspoons baking soda
- 2 cups boiling water
- 8 large eggs
- 4 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 4 teaspoons ground cloves
- 4 teaspoons ground ginger
- 4 tablespoons vanilla extract
- 4 cups sifted all-purpose flour
- ¾ cup chopped pecans
- Sugarcane syrup, for serving
- Powdered sugar, for serving
- Preheat the oven to 350ºF.
- In a mixing bowl, combine the oil, cane syrup, sugar, and molasses.
- In a separate container, stir the baking soda into boiling water and add to the syrup mixture. Add all the remaining ingredients, other than the pecans and beat well.
- In a 12 x 20 greased baking pan, pour all contents.
- Place the pan on the center rack of the oven and bake for 30 minutes. Rotate the pan and add chopped pecans to the top, and bake for another 15 minutes, until the cake is done throughout.
- Slice and serve drizzled with cane syrup and dusted with powdered sugar.
Steen’s Syrup Plant – Abbeville, Louisiana
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So thrilled to run into your site. Nostalgia with a capital N. Lived in the S’port-Bossier area many years. Fond memories. Best cuisine worldwide. Loved the music, family values. Son is a product of LA education. Would not change those years. God bless. Best wishes from an adoptive southern gal
Anxious to try this cake recipe! Just returned from New Orleans and my aunt had requested I look for this sugar cane syrup. I didn’t find it but ordered it on Amazon when we returned. My aunt says she had it in a salad dressing while she visited years ago.
In your instructions, it says to pour into a 12×20 inch pan. Then it says it serves 8-10. That is some big servings for such a rich cake…LOL. Must be feeding our Cajun boys.
Hey Beverly-
And they’ll be comin’ back for seconds. All the best.
I substitute the boiling water for boiling coffee.
Also, sometimes I’ll drop canned whole figs into the batter after it’s poured into the cake pan. I try to space them out evenly but I don’t try too hard.