A slice of savoury garlic mushroom cake on a white plate with salad and a blue linen

I often have the hardest time naming recipes. With some dishes, it’s immediately obvious what they should be called. Recipes like this cheesy garlic mushroom cake… not so much. In this case, all you need to know is cheese + garlic + mushrooms. That should be enough to convince you that it’s worth a try.

A savoury garlic mushroom cake on a plate with a wedge removed, on a blue linen.

Despite my best efforts in finding a name for this recipe, ‘cake’ still isn’t quite the right word for it. In reality, it’s kind of a cross between a cake and a frittata. It’s made with both eggs and flour, so it’s got more substance than a frittata, but it’s moister than a cake. I’ll admit it sounds a little odd, but savoury muffins are a thing, so why not savoury cake?

Whatever you call it, I really enjoyed this cheesy garlic mushroom cake. We had it for lunch for a few days, served with salad and coleslaw, and it would pack up really well in a lunchbox. It would be a great addition to a picnic too (the sun is finally out this week!!). It’s not delicate, and it’s not messy to eat. It’s great hot or cold. Perfect picnic food!

A slice of savoury garlic mushroom cake on a plate with some salad and a fork, shot from above.

I’m now imagining all the other savoury ‘cakes’ I could make using this same idea. I’m thinking grated carrot or courgette (zucchini) would be great to make it extra moist. Maybe a Mediterranean version with sun-dried tomatoes and olives. Or a spicy Mexican version! Try different veggies, different cheeses, maybe some extra herbs or spices. The world’s your savoury cake.

A slice of savoury garlic mushroom cake on a plate, being cut into by a fork.

A savoury garlic mushroom cake on a plate with a wedge removed
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5 from 7 votes

Cheesy garlic mushroom cake

A savoury cake that's perfect for lunchboxes and picnics! Garlic, mushrooms, cheese - so much flavour.
Prep Time: 20 mins
Cook Time: 40 mins
Total Time: 1 hr
Servings: 6 people

Ingredients

  • 1/2 tbsp butter, plus more for greasing the tin
  • 1/2 tbsp oil
  • 485 g mushrooms, cut into chunky dice (~ 5 cups when chopped)
  • 1 clove garlic, minced
  • 6 eggs
  • 150 g (~ 1 cup) self-raising flour
  • 150 g cheddar cheese, grated (~ 1 1/2 cups when grated)
  • 1/2 tsp dried thyme
  • Salt
  • Black pepper

Instructions

  • Melt the butter in a frying pan, along with a small dash of oil. Add the mushrooms and garlic, and cook over a medium heat until the mushrooms are soft and any excess liquid has cooked off (with this amount of mushrooms, it might take about 10 minutes). Set aside.
  • Break the 6 eggs into a mixing bowl, and add the self-raising flour. Carefully mix until fully combined, then add the cheese, thyme, a good pinch of salt and pepper, and the garlic mushrooms. Mix to combine.
  • Thoroughly grease an 8-inch loose-bottomed cake tin, and add the garlic mushroom mixture. Bake at 190°C (Gas Mark 5 / 375°F) for around 40 minutes, or until firm. Leave to cool, then remove from the tin and slice.
Course: Light lunch
Author: Becca Heyes

 

Note: Nutritional information is approximate, and will depend on exactly what ingredients you choose. Information above is for 1/6 of the cake.

Like experimenting with savoury versions of sweet dishes? Try my cheese and chive savoury flapjacks:

Cheese and chive savoury flapjacks