The history of Basque cake

The Basque cake is one of the most iconic desserts of the French Basque Country, particularly from the region of Labourd. Its origins date back to the 18th century in the town of Cambo-les-Bains, a small locality near Bayonne. There, farming families prepared a substantial sweet using local ingredients such as flour, butter and eggs, to which a filling of pastry cream or black cherry jam—typical of the area—was later added.

The first written record of this dessert appears in the 19th century, when the pastry cook Marianne Hirigoyen began selling it at local fairs around 1832. Her recipe was passed down from generation to generation, always closely guarded, which explains the existence of family and regional variations. In its most traditional form, Basque cake was filled with black cherry jam from Itxassou, a nearby village renowned for its cherry orchards. Over time, pastry cream became another common alternative, especially on the French side of the Basque Country.

On the Spanish side, particularly in Navarre and Gipuzkoa, Basque cake arrived somewhat later, in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, as cultural and commercial exchanges with Bayonne intensified. Bayonne was already recognised for its chocolate-making tradition since the 17th century, which encouraged the spread of French-influenced sweets into the Basque regions of Spain. Basque cake soon found its place in the patisseries and bakeries of San Sebastián, Pamplona and Bilbao.

The classic recipe combines a shortcrust pastry enriched with butter and egg, encasing a creamy filling. Its hallmark is the lattice or cross pattern drawn on the surface with the prongs of a fork before baking. This detail has remained a distinctive feature for centuries and is now one of the most recognisable traits of Basque cake across Europe.

In 1999, the Basque Cake Brotherhood (Eguzkia) was founded in Cambo-les-Bains with the aim of preserving the traditional recipe and protecting the authenticity of this dessert. Since then, the Fête du Gâteau Basque has been held every year on the first Sunday of October, where bakers and pastry chefs compete and showcase their creations. This festival has become a landmark gastronomic event attracting thousands of visitors.

Today, Basque cake is enjoyed not only in the Basque Country but has also become established as a symbol of Basque patisserie worldwide. Renowned restaurants and bakeries feature it on their menus, keeping alive a tradition that spans more than two centuries. Its popularity lies in the balance between simplicity and flavour, allowing it to stand alongside the great desserts of both French and Spanish patisserie, while maintaining a strong regional identity.