Quatre Quarts

Here we are at the seventeenth installment of our 2026 Alphabet Challenge that was started by Wendy of A Day in the Life on the Farm. As in years past, we post every two weeks with a recipe inspired by a certain letter. It's like Sesame Street for grown ups! And I love it, so, here we are with the letter 'q'...

Q is for...

• Baked Quail Egg XO Sauce Appetizers by Food Lust People Love

• Cauliflower, Onion, and Pancetta Quiche by Karen’s Kitchen Stories

• Fresh Corn Quiche by A Day in the Life on the Farm

• Fresh Summer Corn & Zucchini Sausage Quiche by Faith, Hope, Love, & Luck Survive Despite a Whiskered Accomplice

• Jalapeno Popper Quesadillas by Jolene’s Recipe Journal

• Mughlai Paneer Qorma by Mayuri’s Jikoni

• No Rice Quinoa Dosa ~Quinoa Crepes by Sizzling Tastebuds:

• Qabuli Biryani by Sneha’s Recipe

• Quatre Quarts by Culinary Cam (you're here)

• Queen Elizabeth Cake by A Messy Kitchen

• Western Omelette Quiche by Blogghetti

Quatre Quarts

Quatre Quarts means 'four fourths' in French and refers to what Americans would call a pound cake. I prefer the French name because it reminds me of the method. This cake is simple to make and yet so, so rich. It is also has infinite variations once you get the basics down.

Notes: This process does require a kitchen scale which I think is essential for accurate baking anyway! You will weigh your eggs in their shell, then use equivalent weights for the sugar, flour, and butter. I have provided the weights for my most recent quarte quarts, but yours will vary depending on the weight of your eggs. Also the last two ingredients are optional, however I love the addition of vanilla and orange in my cakes. Feel free to use orange zest and juice if you don't want to use alcohol in yours.

Ingredients

• 4 room temperature eggs (mine weighed 253 grams total - adjust the recipe to match the weight of your eggs)

• 1/2 teaspoon salt

• 253 grams butter

• 253 grams organic granulated sugar

• 253 grams flour

• 1 teaspoon vanilla paste

• 1 Tablespoon orange liqueur (I used Grand Marnier for this batch)

Procedure

Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Line a loaf pan with parchment paper and set aside.

Once you have weighed all of the ingredients, separate the egg yolks and egg whites. Place the egg whites in a clean mixing bowl and the egg yolks in the bowl with the sugar.

Add the salt to the egg white and beat until stiff peaks form. Melt the butter.

Add the vanilla paste and orange liqueur to the sugar and yolks and mix together with a wooden spoon. Pour in the melted butter and stir to incorporate.

Add in the flour and stir until everything is just moistened.

Gently fold in the beaten eggs whites and turn into the prepared loaf pan.

Bake in the preheated oven for one hour. Remove pan from the oven and let cool for 10 minutes. Remove the cake from the pan and let cool completely on a wire rack.

The Previous Years' Offerings

My posts link to everyone else's. Enjoy exploring the alphabet through food.

• A Reclaimed Æbleskiver Pan + Æbleskiver Bread Pudding (2024), The Polarizing Anchovy + Egg Salad Niçoise (2025)

• Börek with a California Twist (2024), A Belated Birthday Bûche De Noël (Yule Log) (2025)

• Crab-Stuffed Ravioli (2024), Lemon Lavender Blackberry Cake (2025)

• Dark Chocolate-Juniper Panna Cotta (2024), Gluten-Free Crystal Dumplings in Noodle Soup  (2025)

• Elderflower & Roasted Strawberry Layer Cake (2024), A Dozen Eggs - Stuffed, Scotch, Curried, and More (2025)

• Fig Leaf-Wrapped Cheese (2025)

• Aïgo Bouido (Provençal Garlic Soup) (2024), Garlicky Fregola with Edamame, Mint, and Ricotta (2025)

• Halva with Fiori di Sicilia (2024), Huckleberry & Earl Grey Tea Cakes (2025)

• I Scream, You Scream, We All Scream for Saffron-Cardamom Ice Cream (2024), Es Teler (Indonesian Drunk Ice) (2025)

• Bulgogi-Inspired Oven Beef Jerky  (2024), Inspired by a One-Word Text: Jjamppong (2025)

• Purple Napa Kimchi  (2024), A Fruit Formerly Known as ‘Kaffir’ + Makrut-Kissed Cookies (2025)

• Lingcod Over Legumes  (2024), Enamored with Culinary Lavender: From Sips to Sweets (2025)

• Mushrooms in My Cookies? Yep. Candy Cap Cookies.  (2024), Mini Peach Galettes (2025)

• Nocino, Italian Green Walnut Liqueur  (2024), White Nectarine-Lime Jam (2025)

• How to Shuck Oysters and a Few Serving Ideas  (2024), Octopus: Takoyaki, a Japanese Snack Food, from a Santa Cruz Apartment (2025)

• A Parade of Pickles, Including Pickled Chard Stems (2024), Brunede Kartofler (Danish Caramel Potatoes) (2025)

• Quesabirria Tacos (2024), Quince Sharlotka (2025)

That's a wrap for my 'q' offering for the Alphabet Challenge. Stay tuned for the letter 'r' in two weeks!