Recipes · Cakes & pastries

Butter Cake on a Sheet Pan (Butterkuchen)

Name: Butter Cake on a Sheet Pan (Butterkuchen)
Prep time: 35 min
Cook time: 25 min
Total time: 150 min
Yield: 20 servings
Ingredients: 500 g (4 cup) all-purpose flour; 1 cube fresh yeast 42 g (1 cube); or 1 packet (2 1/4 tsp, 7 g) instant yeast; 70 g (2.5 oz) granulated sugar; 1 packet vanilla sugar about 8 g, or 1 tsp vanilla extract; 0.5 tsp salt; 220 ml (1 cup) milk lukewarm; 100 g (1/2 cup) butter softened; 2 eggs large, at room temperature; 150 g (3/4 cup) butter cold, in small dots; 120 g (4.2 oz) granulated sugar; 100 g (3.5 oz) sliced almonds

AI-written · not yet kitchen-tested

With butter cake, the dimples are what matter: pressed deep into the dough, they hold the cold butter dots, which melt into the dough as it bakes instead of running off. The sugar crust ends up juicy rather than dry.

Serves 20
Prep 35 min
Cook 25 min
Rest 90 min
Total 150 min
medium

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This recipe was written with AI assistance and has not yet been kitchen-tested. Check quantities and times as you cook, and follow safe core temperatures for meat, poultry, fish and eggs.

Ingredients

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500 g (4 cup) all-purpose flour
1 cube fresh yeast 42 g (1 cube); or 1 packet (2 1/4 tsp, 7 g) instant yeast
70 g (2.5 oz) granulated sugar
1 packet vanilla sugar about 8 g, or 1 tsp vanilla extract
0.5 tsp salt
220 ml (1 cup) milk lukewarm
100 g (1/2 cup) butter softened
2 eggs large, at room temperature
150 g (3/4 cup) butter cold, in small dots
120 g (4.2 oz) granulated sugar
100 g (3.5 oz) sliced almonds

Method

Crumble the yeast into the lukewarm milk and stir in 1 teaspoon of the sugar until dissolved. Mix the flour, the remaining sugar, the vanilla sugar and the salt, add the yeast milk, softened butter and eggs, and knead for 10 minutes into a soft, smooth dough that pulls away from the side of the bowl.
Let the dough rise in a covered bowl in a warm place for 45 minutes, until it has visibly doubled.
Line a rimmed baking sheet (about 16 × 12 inches / 40 × 30 cm) with parchment paper. Knead the dough briefly, roll it out on the sheet and press it into the corners with your fingers. Cover and let it rise for 15 minutes. Meanwhile preheat the oven to 375 °F (190 °C) conventional or 350 °F (170 °C) convection, with the rack in the middle.
With the handle of a wooden spoon or your fingertips, press deep dimples into the dough, about 1 1/4 inches (3 cm) apart and almost down to the pan.
Place the cold butter dots in the dimples. Mix the sugar and sliced almonds and scatter them evenly over the dough.
Bake for 22 to 25 minutes, until the crust is golden brown, the butter in the dimples bubbles and the bottom is golden brown when you lift a corner with a spatula. If the crust already looks dark after 15 minutes, lay a sheet of parchment paper loosely over it.
Let the cake cool on the pan for about 30 minutes and cut it into 20 pieces while still lukewarm.

Tip: The butter must go on the dough cold, in small dots. Soft or melted butter runs out of the dimples, burns on the pan and makes the crust greasy.

Tip: The dough should pull away from the side of the bowl but stay soft. If it sticks strongly to your hands, work in 1 to 2 tablespoons of flour; a dough that is too stiff does not turn fluffy in the oven.