This traditional North African Algerian Mouskoutchou, sometimes spelled Mouscoutchou, is a soft and airy cake with a delicate flavor. Its light sponge like texture, similar to a chiffon cake or yogurt cake, makes it perfect for an afternoon treat with coffee or tea.
Flavored with lemon, orange, or vanilla and made with simple ingredients, Mouskoutchou is a beloved staple in Algerian homes and is especially popular during Eid al Fitr celebrations.
Table of Contents
Ultra-soft Algerian mouskoutchou
Mouskoutchou is one of those quick and easy cakes you can make with ingredients you already have at home. This traditional Algerian cake is soft as a cloud and comes together in no time, making it perfect for an afternoon snack or even breakfast.
It is the kind of cake kids love helping to make, and they get so excited watching a beautifully risen Mouskoutchou come out of the oven with its golden top.
It is one of the most popular Algerian cakes, and for good reason.
This cake, which some also call Meskouta, is easy enough for beginners and very budget friendly. With just a few simple ingredients, you can make a cake large enough to serve about twenty people.
Its soft, airy texture makes it a favorite with both kids and adults. Just like yogurt cake or french Savoy cake, you can flavor it any way you like and fill it with cream and fresh fruit.
Ingredient Notes:
Note: The full recipe with exact measurements is just below.
Traditionally, the measurements are made using a 200 ml/ 6.8 fl oz glass. All the ingredients are measured with the same glass.
Eggs: Bring them to room temperature so they whip up properly. For more accuracy, I weigh them without the shells, but you can easily use 4 large eggs or 5 small eggs without any issue.
Sugar: Use granulated sugar, not powdered sugar. One full glass equals about 200 g / 7 oz, but 150 g / 5.3 oz is enough if you prefer a less sweet cake..
Oil: Use a neutral oil such as vegetable oil or canola oil. About 75 ml / 2.5 fl oz keeps the cake soft and moist without making it greasy. If you plan to soak the cake with syrup, you can slightly reduce the amount.
Milk: Use whole milk at room temperature. It helps create a softer, more tender cake.
Baking powder: 11 g / 0.4 oz (about 2 1/2 teaspoons).
Flavor: Lemon zest, orange zest, or vanilla extract.
Flour: All purpose flour works perfectly for this recipe.
Video Recipe
Ingredients:
Note: You will find the printable recipe card at the end of the post.
Use a Bundt pan with a 2300 ml / 77 fl oz capacity. A 9 inch pan about 4.5 inches deep works perfectly.
To check if your pan is the right size, fill it with water and measure how much it holds.
- 4 large eggs or 5 small eggs (255 g / 9 oz without shells)
- 200 g / 7 oz granulated sugar
- 75 ml / 2.5 fl oz vegetable oil
- 100 ml / 3.4 fl oz whole milk
- 2 packets (15 g / 0.5 oz) vanilla sugar (or 2 teaspoons vanilla extract)
- 1 packet baking powder (11 g / 0.4 oz, about 2 1/2 teaspoons)
- Zest of 1 lemon
- 250 g / 8.8 oz all purpose flour
How to Make Algerian Mouskoutchou Cake
1. Preheat the oven to 175°C (350°F) with conventional heat (top and bottom).
2. Butter the pan and dust it with flour. Tap the pan to remove the excess flour.
3. In a large mixing bowl, combine the granulated sugar, vanilla sugar, and lemon zest. Rub everything together with your fingertips to release the lemon’s natural oils and infuse the sugar with flavor.
4. Add the eggs and beat with an hand mixer for about 8 to 10 minutes, starting on medium speed and then increasing to high. The mixture should triple in volume and become pale, thick, and fluffy. This step is very important. You can also use a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment.
5. Once the eggs and sugar are well whipped and fluffy, slowly drizzle in the oil while continuing to beat on medium speed.
6. Add the milk the same way, then switch to a whisk and gently fold in the sifted baking powder. Fold from bottom to top just until combined, being careful not to deflate the batter.
7. Sift in the flour in 3 to 4 additions, gently folding with a whisk. Use a bottom to top motion, tapping the whisk against the sides of the bowl occasionally to help the batter pass through the wires. This helps prevent the flour from clumping around the whisk.
8. If you prefer using a rubber spatula, feel free to do so. The key is to keep the batter light and fluffy without deflating it.
9. You can also use my second method, which I often use in my crepe recipe to get a perfectly smooth, lump free batter. Rotate the whisk in the center of the bowl to create a gentle whirlpool motion. (Watch the video to see exactly how.).
10. Once the flour is incorporated, give the batter a few gentle strokes from bottom to top, then a few zigzag motions to smooth it out. The batter should still be light and fluffy. You may even hear a faint airy sound from the bubbles.
11. Pour the batter into the buttered and floured pan, then bake for about 45 minutes, depending on your oven.
12. Do not open the oven during the first 40 minutes. Check occasionally through the oven window instead.
13. Check for doneness by inserting a skewer into the center of the Mouskoutchou. It should come out clean and dry.
14. Remove from the pan and let it cool on a wire rack.
15. Once completely cooled, you can dust it with powdered sugar or top it with melted chocolate or jam.
Tips for the Perfect Algerian Mouskoutchou
Whip the eggs and sugar well: The key to a perfectly risen Mouskoutchou is whipping the eggs and sugar until pale, thick, and fluffy, similar to a sponge cake batter. The more air you build into the batter at this stage, the lighter the final cake will be.
Sift the flour before adding it: Sifting helps create a smoother, lighter batter without lumps. Gently fold it in using a J shaped motion, lifting the batter as you go. You can use a whisk, tapping it lightly against the side of the bowl, or a rubber spatula. Avoid mixing vigorously so you do not deflate the batter.
Respect the baking time: Do not open the oven before halfway through baking, or the cake may collapse. Toward the end of the baking time, check for doneness by inserting a skewer into the center. It should come out clean and dry.
Use the right pan: Traditionally, Mouskoutchou is baked in a Bundt or Savarin style pan, which gives it its characteristic ring shape. You can also use a round cake pan if you plan to slice and fill it with whipped cream, fruit, or ganache. Be sure to grease and flour the pan well so the cake releases easily.
How to Store this Mouskoutchou Cake:
Mouskoutchou keeps very well at room temperature for 3 to 4 days when wrapped tightly in plastic wrap or stored in an airtight container to preserve its soft texture. Avoid leaving it uncovered so it does not dry out.
For longer storage, you can refrigerate it, making sure it is well wrapped. Let it sit at room temperature for a little while before serving so it regains its soft texture.
This cake also freezes very well, either whole or sliced, for up to 2 months. Wrap it tightly in plastic wrap and then place it in a freezer bag. Let it thaw at room temperature so it becomes soft and tender again.
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Mouskoutchou, a Soft and Light Algerian Cake
INGRÉDIENTS
- Use a Bundt pan with a 2300 ml / 77 fl oz capacity. A 9 inch pan about 4.5 inches deep works perfectly. To check if your pan is the right size, fill it with water and measure how much it holds.
- 4 large eggs or 5 small eggs 255 g / 9 oz without shells
- 200 g granulated sugar
- 75 ml vegetable oil
- 100 ml whole milk
- 2 packets 15 g / 0.5 oz vanilla sugar (or 2 teaspoons vanilla extract)
- 1 packet baking powder 11 g / 0.4 oz, about 2 1/2 teaspoons
- Zest of 1 lemon
- 250 g all purpose flour
PRÉPARATION
- Preheat the oven to 175°C (350°F) with conventional heat (top and bottom).
- Butter the pan and dust it with flour. Tap the pan to remove the excess flour.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the granulated sugar, vanilla sugar, and lemon zest. Rub everything together with your fingertips to release the lemon’s natural oils and infuse the sugar with flavor.
- Add the eggs and beat with an hand mixer for about 8 to 10 minutes, starting on medium speed and then increasing to high. The mixture should triple in volume and become pale, thick, and fluffy. This step is very important. You can also use a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment.
- Once the eggs and sugar are well whipped and fluffy, slowly drizzle in the oil while continuing to beat on medium speed.
- Add the milk the same way, then switch to a whisk and gently fold in the sifted baking powder. Fold from bottom to top just until combined, being careful not to deflate the batter.
- Sift in the flour in 3 to 4 additions, gently folding with a whisk. Use a bottom to top motion, tapping the whisk against the sides of the bowl occasionally to help the batter pass through the wires. This helps prevent the flour from clumping around the whisk.
- If you prefer using a rubber spatula, feel free to do so. The key is to keep the batter light and fluffy without deflating it.
- You can also use my second method, which I often use in my crepe recipe to get a perfectly smooth, lump free batter. Rotate the whisk in the center of the bowl to create a gentle whirlpool motion. (Watch the video to see exactly how.).
- Once the flour is incorporated, give the batter a few gentle strokes from bottom to top, then a few zigzag motions to smooth it out. The batter should still be light and fluffy. You may even hear a faint airy sound from the bubbles.
- Pour the batter into the buttered and floured pan, then bake for about 45 minutes, depending on your oven.
- Do not open the oven during the first 40 minutes. Check occasionally through the oven window instead.
- Check for doneness by inserting a skewer into the center of the Mouskoutchou. It should come out clean and dry.
- Remove from the pan and let it cool on a wire rack.
- Once completely cooled, you can dust it with powdered sugar or top it with melted chocolate or jam.
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