This easy German butter cake is a simple yeast cake topped with cubed butter, granulated sugar, and sliced almonds to create a moist, mildly sweet, ridiculously irresistible sheet cake that bakes in just 20 minutes!
Meet Your New Favorite Dessert: Traditional German Butter Cake
Butterkuchen translates to “butter cake” in English, because butter (in multiple forms) is the star of this cake's flavor show. Melted butter in the rich cake dough adds a buttery flavor and keeps the cake moist. And cold, cubed butter is added on top, just before the cake goes into the oven. As the butter melts, it keeps the cake suuuper moist. Best of all, that melted butter melds with the cinnamon sugar coating to create a sweet + crunchy caramelized topping. *wipes drool off of keyboard...*
In fact, butter is often a prominent ingredient in German desserts, like my German butter cookies and German lightning cake. So splurge on good-quality, high-fat, European butter for the best flavor!
Sometimes this cake is topped just with butter + sugar to make Zuckerkuchen. But after testing this recipe multiple ways (for science, of course) I highly recommend adding sliced almonds to the topping.
Have You Tried German Yeast Cakes?
Growing up in Germany, I fell in love with the rich and uniquely flavored yeast cakes served for Kaffee und Kuchen & dessert. These cakes use yeast (either fresh yeast or dry yeast) instead of baking soda or baking powder as the main rising agent.
And similar to my bee sting cake recipe, I prefer using instant yeast (not active dry yeast) to create its light and airy texture in much less time. The yeast also adds a slightly tangy flavor, which tastes amazing with the rich butter in this German coffee cake.
Let's Gather Our Ingredients!
- All purpose flour
- Instant yeast
- Granulated sugar
- Salt
- Ground cinnamon - Adds a hint of warm flavor that compliments the rich buttery flavor.
- Milk - Keeps the cake softer than other liquids like water.
- Unsalted butter
- Egg
- Sliced almonds - This optional topping adds a crunchy texture and nutty flavor to compliment the tender butter cake. Sliced almonds are thinner than chopped almonds, which I think tastes and looks better on this thin sheet cake.
Welcome to My Kitchen - Let's Bake Butterkuchen!
Below are the general steps to make this recipe. For the full step-by-step directions and ingredient measurements, scroll down to the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
1. Whisk the flour, instant yeast, sugar, and salt. Set aside.
3. Mix the milk into the dry ingredients.
5. In a small bowl, whisk the egg with a fork.
7. Knead the dough for 5 minutes, until it is smooth and elastic.
9. Let the dough rise for about 1 to 2 hours, until it doubles in size.
11. Cover with a clean kitchen towel for 20 minutes.
13. Scatter the cold, cubed butter over the top of the dough.
15. Evenly sprinkle the sliced almonds on top of the dough.
2. Warm the milk until it's between 105°F and 115°F.
4. Melt the butter & set aside.
6. Add the melted butter and egg to the dough.
8. Place the dough back in the mixing bowl and cover.
10. Flatten the dough in an even layer on a greased baking sheet.
12. Press your fingers into the dough to form indentations.
14. Sprinkle the granulated sugar & cinnamon on top.
16. Bake for 18 to 20 minutes, until it's golden brown.
Baking Tips for My Baking Besties
- Room Temperature: Have all your cake ingredients at room temperature. If your milk and eggs are cold, it will slow the yeast’s activity.
- Check Your Yeast: Make sure your yeast isn’t expired, or else your dough won’t rise.
- Stand Mixer: The dough is really sticky when it’s first kneaded, so it will get your counter messy. For easier cleanup, mix the dough in a stand mixer with a paddle attachment. Then switch out the attachment with a dough hook to knead the dough.
- Rising Dough: 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 rising dough.
How to Store German Butter Cake
Butterkuchen tastes best when it’s fresh, the same day it’s baked. Store leftover cake wrapped in plastic cling wrap at room temperature for up to a few days.
Reheating: German yeast cakes can dry out after a day or two. But you can spread a little butter on the sides of a slice, and reheat it in the microwave for about 20 seconds to quickly warm & soften leftover cake.
Freezing: Allow your baked cake to cool completely, then wrap it tightly in plastic wrap, then in aluminum foil. Freeze it for up to 3 months, then allow the cake to defrost overnight at room temperature or in the fridge.
Old Fashioned German Butter Cake | Butterkuchen
Ingredients
Cake
- 2 cups all purpose flour
- 2¼ teaspoons instant yeast (one packet)
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ cup milk
- 3 Tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
- 1 large egg
Topping
- 4 Tablespoons unsalted butter, cold
- 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). Set aside.
- Melt the butter in the microwave at 20 second intervals. Set aside to cool slightly.
- 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. (The dough will be really sticky at first. But after a couple minutes of kneading, it will become more smooth and easier to knead).
- Place the dough back in the mixing bowl, and cover it with a damp clean kitchen towel. 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.
- Cut the cold ¼ cup of butter into ¼-inch cubes, then scatter it all over the top of the dough.
- Sprinkle the granulated sugar and cinnamon evenly on top. Evenly sprinkle the sliced almonds 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!!
Notes
- Quality Butter: Since the butter flavor is so prominent in this cake, splurging on a high-quality butter or a high-fat European butter like Kerrygold will make your cake taste even better!
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