This easy German butter cake is a simple yeast cake topped with cubed butter, granulated sugar, and sliced almonds for a crunchy coating. And since it's pressed out onto a baking sheet, it bakes in just 20 minutes.
Meet Your New Favorite Dessert, Traditional German Butter Cake
Butterkuchen translates to "butter cake" in English, because butter is very much the star. I add melted butter into the dough to keep it moist, while cold, cubed butter goes on top just before baking. As it melts into the dimpled cake, it prevents it from drying out and melds with the cinnamon sugar coating to create a sweet + crunchy caramelized topping.
Growing up in Germany, I fell in love with the rich yeast cakes served for Kaffee und Kuchen in the afternoon. So instead of baking soda or baking powder, I use instant yeast (not active dry yeast) to create a light, fluffy texture in the short bake time. And once you're on the yeast-cake-train, try my German bee sting cake next!
Let's Bake Buttercake Together!
Tips from My Küche
- While some recipes top this cake with just butter + sugar (aka Zuckerkuchen), I prefer adding sliced almonds for more crunch & nutty flavor. Feel free to leave them off or swap in any finely chopped nuts you have on hand.
- Since butter carries so much of the flavor here, I recommend splurging on a good-quality, high-fat, European butter, like Kerrygold.
- I recommend getting all your cake ingredients out so they can come to room temperature before getting started. In testing, if my milk and eggs were cold, it slowed the yeast activity.
German Butter Cake | Butterkuchen
developed & tested by:
Soft German butter cake (Butterkuchen) is a simple yeast cake with a crunchy caramelized butter, sugar & almond topping that bakes in just 20 minutes.
Equipment
Ingredients
Cake
- 2 cups all purpose flour
- 2¼ teaspoons instant yeast (one packet)
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- ¼ teaspoon salt (use fine sea salt or table salt)
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ cup milk
- 3 Tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
- 1 large egg
Topping
- 4 Tablespoons unsalted butter, cold, cut into ¼-inch cubes
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 cup sliced almonds (optional)
Instructions
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk to combine the flour, instant yeast, sugar, and salt. Set aside.
- Warm the milk in the microwave for 20 to 30 seconds, until it is warm, between 105°F and 115°F.
- Add the warm milk to the dry ingredients, and mix with a large spoon for 1 minute. (It will still be quite dry).
- In a small bowl, whisk the egg. Add the melted butter and whisked egg to the dough, and mix until a sticky dough starts to form, after about 1 minute.
- Lightly flour a work surface and knead the dough by hand for a full 5 minutes, until it is smooth and elastic.
- Place the dough back in the mixing bowl, and cover it with a damp kitchen towel or plastic wrap (to retain moisture). Leave the dough in a warm place to rise for about 2 hours, until it doubles in size.
- Line a 9-inch by 13-inch baking sheet (also called a quarter sheet) with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat. Alternatively, you can use a 9x13 baking dish.
- Place the dough inside the baking sheet, and use a rolling pin or your hands to flatten the dough in an even layer all the way to the sides and corners of the baking sheet. Cover with a clean kitchen towel for 20 minutes. Preheat the oven to 350°F.
- Press your fingers into the dough to form indentations all over. Spread the cold, cubed butter all over the top of the dough. Sprinkle the granulated sugar, cinnamon, and sliced almonds evenly on top.
- Bake for 18 to 20 minutes, until the cake is golden brown, and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Allow the cake to cool for 15 minutes. You can use the parchment paper to help slide the cake off the baking sheet and onto a cutting board to slice & serve. Enjoy!!
The dough will be really sticky at first. But after a couple minutes of kneading, it will become more smooth and easier to knead.
When rising and proofing dough, I usually set it in the oven (turned off) with the oven light on. This provides a mildly warm, draft-free environment, perfect for yeast activity.
Notes
- Stand Mixer: This dough is really sticky when it's first kneaded, so for easier cleanup, I like to mix the dough in a stand mixer with a paddle attachment. Then switch out the attachment with a dough hook to knead the dough.
- Storing: Butterkuchen tastes best when it's fresh, the same day it's baked. Store leftover cake wrapped in plastic cling wrap or in an airtight container at room temperature for up to a few days.
- Reheating: German yeast cakes tend to dry out after a day or two, so I spread a little extra butter on the sides of a slice and reheat it in the microwave for about 20 seconds to quickly warm & soften leftover cake.
Nutrition
Serving: 1 slice (of 12)Calories: 230kcalCarbohydrates: 27gProtein: 6gFat: 12gSaturated Fat: 5gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 4gTrans Fat: 0.3gCholesterol: 32mgSodium: 60mgPotassium: 123mgFiber: 2gSugar: 9gVitamin A: 241IUVitamin C: 0.01mgCalcium: 43mgIron: 1mg
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