gâteau

[ga-toh, gah-, gah-toh]

noun

French Cooking.

plural

gâteaux 

1. a cake, especially a very light sponge cake with a rich icing or filling.

gateau

/ ˈɡætəʊ /

noun

1. any of various elaborate cakes, usually layered with cream and richly decorated

Word History and Origins

Origin of gateau¹

1835–45; < French; Old French gastel (compare Middle English wastel < Old North French ) < Frankish *wastil, perhaps akin to Old English, Old Saxon wist food, nourishment

Word History and Origins

Origin of gateau¹

French: cake

Example Sentences

Stutzmann has been invited back to conduct the 2024 revival of the sold-out “Tannhäuser” staging, notorious for the director adding the drag queen Le Gateau Chocolat and dwarf actor Manni Laudenbach, who combine with the title character and the goddess Venus to form a counterculture clique Richard Wagner never could have envisioned for a work that premiered in 1845.

From Seattle Times

Her most popular items include wondrously fluffy souffle cheesecake, minimally sweet strawberry cake and a tender single-layer matcha gâteau.

From Seattle Times

Gâteau au yaourt, or yogurt cake, took hold when yogurt began to be sold in tiny jars in the early 20th century.

From Washington Times

The original recipe is called “Le gâteau au chocolat fondant de Nathalie” on Page 14, and a photo on Page 15 shows a rather plain, if dense, chocolate cake with a slice taken out.

From Washington Post

Food writer Aleksandra Crapanzano writes in her cookbook “Gâteau” that such simple cakes are the norm in France, which might explain why the French bake so often.

From Washington Post