A method of manufacturing a ready-to-eat cake or culinary preparation with a long, extended shelf life at ambient temperature, in which the basic mixture is prepared with selected ingredients having a low water content and foamed under inert gas pressure prior to being packaged in a container. After packaging and before the container is closed, a vacuum is applied. The base can be deaerated prior to foaming, subjected to a microbe-destroying stabilisation treatment, and/or subjected to a pasteurisation treatment. The low water content of the ingredients resulting in a base water activity value of between approximately 0.70 and 0.92, preferably between 0.85 and 0.90.