German butter cake is a yeasted sheet cake also known as “butterkuchen” in its native language. I’ll show you how to make my homemade German butter cake with simple ingredients! This classic cake recipe has a sweet, chewy base and gooey, buttery custard topping dusted with powdered sugar.
If you love the texture of this German butter cake, try my ooey gooey bars for another easy dessert!
“Butterkuchen” in German literally translates to butter cake in English, and it’s all in the name. German butter cake reminds me a bit of my Danish kringle recipe. This butter cake is pastry-like and sweet, with a gooey, buttery custard topping dusted with powdered sugar. What sets this cake apart from recipes like my copycat Crumbl butter cake and Kentucky butter cake is that the cake batter is more like a yeasted dough, creating a soft and chewy, sponge-like bottom.
All the Things to Love About This German Butter Cake
- Authentic flavors. Full disclosure, I am not German in any way, so I certainly HOPE this is authentic. Either way, this cake is delicious and full of rich, buttery flavors.
- Quick and easy. I make my German butter cake recipe with instant yeast, cutting the rising time in half.
- Versatile. Similar to coffee cake, this pastry-style butter cake makes a tasty breakfast and dessert with coffee or tea. And I would never turn a slice down after dinner or as an afternoon snack!
- Taste and texture. The base is a chewy, yeast cake, and the topping is an ooey, buttery layer that gets crunchy on top when baked, but stays gooey on the inside!
Ingredients You’ll Need
Most of the ingredients are shared between the topping layer as well as the yeast cake layer. Be sure to scroll down to the recipe card at the bottom of the post for the complete ingredient list and recipe instructions.
- Milk – You will need milk that’s warm to the touch (120°F-130°F), but not hot. If the milk is too warm, it will kill the yeast. Too cold, and the yeast won’t activate. I use 2% milk, but you can also use whole milk.
- Yeast – I like to use instant yeast in this recipe as it reduces the rising time. Some brands are known as “rapid rise”. If you only have regular yeast, you can absolutely still make this recipe. You will just need to allot a longer time for the dough to double in size.
- Butter – You will need butter in both the base and the topping for this cake. It is a butter cake after all! I use salted butter in this recipe, but you can use unsalted if you prefer.
- Vanilla Extract – You will need vanilla in both the cake base and the butter topping.
- Granulated Sugar – This isn’t an overly sweet cake, so there isn’t a large amount of sugar in the cake layer and topping. You could substitute light brown sugar if you’d like.
- Egg – I use large eggs in this recipe. You will need 3 eggs total, 1 for the cake layer and 2 for the topping. I have seen German butter cake recipes where there is no egg in the topping layer, but in this version, I like the custard-style texture the eggs add.
- Flour – I use all-purpose, and I haven’t tried substituting it with another type of flour. Make sure to measure your flour using the spoon and level method, where you spoon the flour into the measuring cup and level the top with a knife. This avoids overmeasuring. Of course, a kitchen scale is always the first choice.
How To Make German Butter Cake
To make this easy German butter cake with yeast, you’ll prepare the recipe in two steps. First, you’ll make the dough, and then the custard topping. This is a very forgiving recipe and a great dessert to start with if you’ve never baked with yeast before! Let’s get started:
- Prepare the yeasted dough. First, combine warm milk, vanilla, and yeast, and allow the yeast to dissolve. Meanwhile, mix the butter, sugar, salt, egg, and flour. Add the yeast mixture, and stir until combined.
- Knead. Use your hands or a dough hook to knead the dough for 3 minutes, until it’s smooth. Cover and let the dough rise in a warm space or in your oven on the proof setting (if you have one).
- Make the custard. Now, in your stand mixer bowl, combine the additional butter, sugar, vanilla, eggs, and flour to make a smooth custard.
- Assemble. Lastly, press the yeast dough into a 9×13 baking dish. Spread the custard topping over the dough. Cover the cake and let it rise again for 20 minutes.
- Bake. Bake the cake for 30-40 minutes in a 375°F oven until it’s lightly golden. Once it’s cooled completely, dust the top with powdered sugar and slice.
Butter Cake Variations
Since this is (mostly) an authentic recipe, I have made my German butter cake as traditional as possible. However, there are loads of versions of this cake out there, so you can really make it your own with some easy tweaks. Here are a few ideas:
- Add nuts. Sprinkle sliced almonds on top for flavor and texture. Pecans and walnuts would also be delicious.
- Ice the cake. Instead of powdered sugar, make a quick icing or glaze to pour over the cake. I think the glaze from my butter pecan cookies would taste amazing on this cake!
- Coconut. Add flaked coconut to the topping or mix it into a layer of frosting. You can even replace the vanilla extract in the cake with coconut extract.
- Add chocolate. Stir white, dark, or semi-sweet chocolate chips into the custard topping.
- Add fruit. You could definitely layer fresh berries in between the cake and topping! I think blueberries or raspberries would be perfect.
How to Store
- Refrigerate. Keep this German butter cake covered at room temperature for up to 3 days, or in the fridge to enjoy within 5 days. Take the cake out and bring it to room temperature ahead of serving.
- Freeze. If you plan on freezing this cake, I recommend leaving off the powdered sugar garnish until it’s time to serve. Store the cake tightly wrapped in plastic wrap, with an extra layer of foil. Freeze for up to 2 months and thaw the cake in the fridge when it’s time to serve.
More Easy Cake Recipes
German Butter Cake
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 35 minutes
- Total Time: 55 minutes
- Yield: serves 12
- Category: Cake
- Method: Oven
- Cuisine: Dessert
Description
German Butter Cake is a yeasted sheet cake is also known as butterkuchen. It’s perfect for breakfast with a cup of coffee and also for dessert or an afternoon snack!
Ingredients
Cake
- 1/2 cup warm milk (120 – 130°F)
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 (1/4 oz) packet instant (Rapid Rise) yeast
- 1/2 cup butter, room temperature
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 large egg
- 2 1/4 cups all purpose flour
Topping
- 1 cup butter, room temperature
- 2 cups granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 large eggs
- 2/3 cup all purpose flour
- 1/4 cup milk
- Optional – powdered sugar
Instructions
- Cake: In a small bowl, stir together the milk, vanilla, and yeast, until yeast has dissolved. Set aside.
- In the bowl of your stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, mix the butter, sugar, and salt together for 2 minutes on medium speed. Add in the egg and mix for an additional minute, scraping the sides of the bowl as necessary.
- Turn the mixer to low speed and add in the flour, mixing until combined.
- Pour in the yeast mixture and mix on low speed for 30 seconds.
- Replace the paddle attachment with a dough hook and mix on medium speed for 3 minutes. Alternately, knead dough by hand on a lightly floured surface if you don’t have a hook attachment.
- Transfer the dough to a lightly greased bowl and cover with a clean dish towel. Allow the dough to rise in a warm place, until doubled in size, approximately 30 minutes.
- Topping: Line a 9×13-inch pan with parchment paper and coat with non-stick spray. Set aside.
- In the clean bowl of your stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, mix the butter and sugar together for 2 minutes until combined. Add in the vanilla and eggs and mix for another minute, scraping the sides of the bowl as necessary.
- Turn the mixer to low and add in the flour and milk and mix until combined and smooth.
- Assemble and Bake: When the dough has risen, spread it out to all four edges of the prepared pan. Press the dough up the sides of the pan.
- Spread the topping mixture onto the dough and cover with a clean dish towel. Allow it to sit for 20 more minutes.
- Preheat the oven to 375°F.
- Bake for 30 – 40 minutes, or until the top is golden but not quite set.
- Allow the cake to cool completely and dust with powdered sugar if desired.
Notes
- Store airtight at room temperature for up to 3 days or in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
- Freeze airtight for up to 2 months. Thaw at room temperature.
I grew up in a neighborhood in Philadelphia settled by Germans and this is the cake of my childhood! As the old bakers are passing away and the independent Bakeries are closing, I was sad to think I would never have this again. Any recipes I’ve found use a regular cake (or, heaven forbid, a mix!!) and it most definitely must be a yeast cake. Yours is the authentic butter cake.
I’m looking forward to making this and introducing it to my grandchildren. Thanks so much for sharing!
, it’s pretty, authentic Butter cake has no eggs within the topping simply butter, sugar and cream. and sliced almonds on prime, that provides it a pleasant crunch and texture.
German here, it looks lovely, authentic Butterkuchen has no eggs in the topping just butter, sugar and cream. Plus sliced or sliverd almonds on top, which give it a nice crunch and texture.
Thank you so much for the tips! I bet almonds would be great!
Butter and cake it absolutely the reason I clicked. #noshame
I have never heard of a recipe like this so I am curious! Looks fantastic.