Julia Child Queen of Sheba Cake Recipe

Julia Child Queen of Sheba Cake (Reine de Saba) is her famous chocolate almond cake from Mastering the Art of French Cooking (pages 677-679). Julia writes: “This extremely good chocolate cake is baked so that its center remains slightly underdone; overcooked, the cake loses its special creamy quality.”

That slightly underbaked center is everything. The outer ring is set, but the middle stays soft and almost fudgy. Covered with a chocolate-butter icing and decorated with almonds, this cake needs no filling because the creamy center does all the work.

The name comes from the legendary Queen of Sheba, famous for her decadence. This cake lives up to it.

Is this a flourless chocolate cake? Not quite. It contains ½ cup cake flour, but far less than a typical cake. Some call it flourless, but Julia’s version has just enough flour to give it structure while keeping that creamy center.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• The creamy center: Slightly underdone for that fudgy, melt-in-your-mouth texture.
• Julia’s exact technique: The creaming method she developed specifically for this stiff batter.
• Impressive but doable: Looks like a pastry shop creation, but comes together in under an hour.
• Perfect for chocolate lovers: Rich, intense, deeply satisfying.
• No filling needed: The center is the filling.

Julia Child Queen of Sheba Cake Ingredients

From Mastering the Art of French Cooking, Vol. 1, pages 677-679. Serves 6-8.

For the Chocolate:

• 4 ounces semi-sweet chocolate
• 2 Tb rum or coffee

For the Batter:

• ¼ lb (1 stick) softened butter
• ⅔ cup granulated sugar
• 3 egg yolks

For the Egg Whites:

• 3 egg whites
• Pinch of salt
• 1 Tb granulated sugar

For Folding In:

• ⅓ cup pulverized almonds
• ¼ tsp almond extract
• ½ cup cake flour (scooped and leveled)

For the Chocolate-Butter Icing:

• 2 ounces semi-sweet chocolate
• 2 Tb rum or coffee
• 5 to 6 Tb unsalted butter
• Slivered almonds for decoration

How To Make Julia Child Queen of Sheba Cake

Step 1: Prepare

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter and flour an 8-inch round cake pan, 1½ inches deep.
2. Melt the chocolate: Set chocolate and rum or coffee in a small pan. Cover and place (off heat) in a larger pan of almost simmering water. Let melt while you proceed.

Step 2: Make the Batter

3. Cream butter and sugar: Beat for several minutes until pale yellow and fluffy.
4. Add egg yolks: Beat until well blended.

Step 3: Beat the Egg Whites

5. Whip whites with salt: In a separate bowl, beat until soft peaks form.
6. Add sugar: Sprinkle on 1 Tb sugar, beat until stiff peaks form.

Step 4: Combine

7. Blend in chocolate: With a rubber spatula, fold the melted chocolate into the butter mixture.
8. Add almonds and extract: Stir in pulverized almonds and almond extract.
9. Lighten the batter: Immediately stir in one fourth of the beaten egg whites. This loosens the stiff batter.
10. Fold in remaining whites and flour: Delicately fold in a third of the remaining whites. When partially blended, sift on a third of the flour. Continue folding. Alternate rapidly with more whites and flour until all are incorporated.

Step 5: Bake

11. Fill the pan: Turn batter into cake pan, pushing it up to the rim with a rubber spatula.
12. Bake 25 minutes: In the middle level of the oven.
13. Test for doneness: This is the crucial step. The outer 2½ to 3 inches around the edge should be set (a needle comes out clean). THE CENTER SHOULD MOVE SLIGHTLY when you shake the pan, and a needle comes out oily. This is correct. Do not overbake.

Step 6: Cool and Ice

14. Cool in pan 10 minutes. Run a knife around the edge.
15. Invert onto rack: Let cool completely, an hour or two. The cake must be thoroughly cold before icing.
16. Make the icing: Melt 2 ounces chocolate with 2 Tb rum or coffee over hot water. Beat in butter by tablespoons. Beat over ice until spreading consistency.
17. Ice immediately: Spread over the cold cake and decorate with almonds.

Recipe Tips

• The center must stay soft: Julia is emphatic about this. The creamy center is what makes this cake special. If overbaked, you’ve lost it.
• Why the creaming method? Julia explains: “Because the chocolate and the almonds make a batter so stiff it is difficult to fold in the egg whites, we have chosen another method.”
• Pulverize the almonds finely: They should be almost like flour. A food processor works well.
• Cake flour, not all-purpose: The lower protein keeps the cake tender.
• Ice when completely cold: If the cake is warm, the icing will melt and slide off.
• Rum or coffee: Either works. Coffee deepens the chocolate flavor without tasting like coffee.

What Julia Said

Julia calls this “extremely good” and warns that if overcooked, “the cake loses its special creamy quality.” She notes that because of its creamy center, “it needs no filling.”

The name Reine de Saba translates to “Queen of Sheba.” Like its namesake, this cake is all about richness and indulgence.

Variations

• Coffee Version: Use strong brewed coffee instead of rum in both the batter and icing.
• Orange Flavor: Replace rum with Grand Marnier and add the zest of one orange to the batter.
• Without Icing: The cake is also good dusted with powdered sugar and served with crème anglaise.

Make-Ahead

The unfrosted cake can be made a day ahead. Wrap tightly once completely cool and store at room temperature. Ice the day you plan to serve.

The iced cake is best served the same day, but will keep covered at room temperature for up to 2 days. The center may firm up slightly in the refrigerator, so room temperature storage is better.

How To Store

• Room Temperature: Unfrosted cake keeps tightly wrapped for 1 day. Frosted cake keeps covered for 2 days.
• Refrigerator: Not ideal because the cold firms up that special creamy center. If you must, bring to room temperature before serving.
• Freezer: Unfrosted cake freezes well for up to 2 months. Thaw at room temperature, then ice before serving.

Nutrition Facts

Per serving (1/8 of cake with icing):

• Calories: 380 kcal
• Protein: 5g
• Total Fat: 26g
• Saturated Fat: 14g
• Carbohydrates: 34g
• Fiber: 2g
• Sugar: 26g
• Sodium: 85mg
• Cholesterol: 115mg

FAQs

Source: Mastering the Art of French Cooking, Vol. 1 by Julia Child, pages 677-679

– Claire