My easy, no-fuss Financiers recipe is flavorful with brown butter, almond, and cinnamon. These delicious mini cakes have a moist and dense-yet-tender crumb, with a lightly crisp exterior — the perfect little sweet treat with a cup of coffee or tea!
Financiers are delightful little cakes that owe much of their rich flavor and texture to nutty brown butter. They are simple, yet elegant, like something you’d get at a fancy French cafe. Around here, they disappear fast, as we adore that they’re flavored with almond and cinnamon!
Why Financiers Deserve a Spot in Your Baking Rotation
The first time I saw financiers was in a French bakery when our family visited Montreal a couple years ago; the closest I’ve come to actually visiting France. The cakes were in the traditional small rectangular shape that resemble gold bars (hence the name: financier means “banker” in French). I was so intrigued. So of course, I just had to bake!
What You Can Expect:
- No-fuss recipe. To make these cakes in their traditional shape, you would need to use small rectangular molds. But I didn’t want to buy and store special pans, so I developed this financiers recipe with a mini muffin pan. This makes it an easy, approachable version for home bakers.
- Rich brown butter flavor. Browning the butter adds rich, nutty depth to these financiers. (My family adores anything made with browned butter, especially my Brown Butter Chocolate Chip Skillet Cookie recipe!)
- Moist, tender, delicate crumb. Perfect financiers are light yet moist, with delicately crisp golden edges. The combination of almond flour and egg whites gives them a unique texture that’s hard to resist.
What You’ll Need
Here’s a quick look at what goes into these financiers. Scroll down to the printable recipe card for exact measurements.
- Butter – Browned butter gives the financiers a gorgeous nutty flavor and adds richness to the cake.
- Sugar – Granulated sugar sweetens the financiers.
- Almond flour – Almond flour is traditionally used in financiers because of its texture and flavor, but pretty much any nut flour will work.
- All-purpose flour – For structure.
- Cinnamon – This spice adds a subtle warmth that complements the almond extract.
- Salt – Kosher salt helps balance the sweetness and enhance the flavor of the almonds and butter.
- Egg whites – Egg whites help bind the batter with a light texture.
- Vanilla extract – Enhances the overall flavor.
- Almond extract – Almond extract has a fantastic, almost cherry-like flavor. It’s a common ingredient in French baking.
- Almonds – Sliced almonds add extra nutty flavor and a bit of crunch, but they are optional.
How to Make Financiers
Here’s a step-by-step look at how these little cakes come together.
- Brown the butter. In a small saucepan over medium heat, cook the butter until it begins to brown and smells nutty, about 6 to 7 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool slightly.
- Prep the pan. Preheat oven to 350°F and grease a mini muffin pan with nonstick spray.
- Mix the dry ingredients. In a large bowl, whisk together the sugar, almond flour, all-purpose flour, cinnamon, and salt.
- Add the wet ingredients. Stir in the egg whites, vanilla extract, almond extract, and cooled brown butter until fully combined.
- Fill the pan. Spoon or pipe the batter into the prepared muffin pan, filling each cavity about two-thirds full.
- Add almonds. Place a few sliced almonds on top of each financier, if you’re using them.
- Bake. Bake for 15 to 18 minutes, until the edges are golden and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
- Cool. Let the financiers cool in the pan for about 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
Brenda’s Tips
- Watch the butter closely. Browned butter can go from browned to blackened very quickly. If it does end up burnt, there’s no saving it; you’ll need to discard it and start over.
- Use room temperature egg whites. Rather than letting the whole eggs come to room temperature, I separate the eggs and let the whites come to room temperature in a bowl. They’ll come to temperature faster that way (and cold eggs separate more cleanly).
- Don’t overbake. Baking the financiers too long will lead to dry cake instead of moist. Look for those golden edges and check for doneness with the toothpick test — if it comes out clean, you’re good to go.
How to Store
- Room Temperature: Store financiers in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
- Freezer: Freeze in a airtight, freezer-safe container for up to 2 months. Thaw at room temperature before serving.
More French-Inspired Treats
Financiers
Yield: 24 financiers
These delicious mini cakes are flavored with brown butter, almond, and cinnamon. They have a moist and dense-yet-tender crumb and a lightly crisp exterior — so lovely with a cup of tea or coffee.
Print
Ingredients
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 cup almond flour
- ⅓ cup all-purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon Morton kosher salt
- 3 large egg whites, at room temperature
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon pure almond extract
- 3 teaspoons sliced almonds, optional
Instructions
- Place the butter in a small saucepan and cook over medium heat until the butter just begins to brown and starts to smell nutty. This should take about 7 minutes but keep an eye on it – you don’t want to burn the butter. Remove the butter from the heat immediately and let it cool while you prepare the rest of the ingredients.
- Preheat the oven to 350°F and grease a mini muffin pan with nonstick baking spray.
- Add the sugar, almond flour, all-purpose flour, cinnamon, and salt to a large mixing bowl. Whisk to combine.
- Add the egg whites, vanilla extract, almond extract, and cooled brown butter. Stir to combine — the dough will be quite thick.
- Spoon or pipe the dough into the greased muffin tins, filling each one about ⅔ of the way full.
- (Optional) Place 2-3 sliced almonds on top of the dough, if using.
- Bake for 15-18 minutes, or until the edges are golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out just clean.
- Allow the financiers to cool slightly in the pan for 5 minutes and then remove them to a wire rack to cool completely. Enjoy.
Notes
Store any leftover financiers in an airtight container at room temperature for up to three days. Or freeze in an airtight container for up to two months.
Nutrition Information:
Calories: 96kcal Carbohydrates: 11g Protein: 2g Fat: 5g Saturated Fat: 2g Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.2g Monounsaturated Fat: 1g Trans Fat: 0.1g Cholesterol: 8mg Sodium: 32mg Potassium: 14mg Fiber: 1g Sugar: 9g Vitamin A: 88IU Vitamin C: 0.002mg Calcium: 13mg Iron: 0.3mg
Nutrition information is automatically calculated by Spoonacular. I am not a nutritionist and cannot guarantee accuracy. If your health depends on nutrition information, please calculate again with your own favorite calculator.
Did you make this recipe?Please leave a comment below. And share a photo on Instagram with the hashtag #afarmgirlsdabbles or tag @farmgirlsdabble!
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