Textual Chef Textual Chef

Butterkuchen

A classic German yeast sheet cake topped with butter dimples, sugar, and sliced almonds. Fluffy on the inside with a rich, caramelized topping.

45 minMediumServes 12280 cal/serving

GermanDessertOvenVegetarianHalal-friendlySoy-FreePork-FreeAlcohol-FreeLow-SodiumNightshade-FreeCorn-Free

Cook this free in the appFree. No download, no account. The screen stays awake and each step can run its own timer.

Ingredients

  • 2.25 tsp active dry yeast
  • 3/4 cup whole milk, warmed
  • 1/2 cup granulated sugar
  • 3 cups all-purpose flour
  • 2 large eggs, beaten
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
  • 1/2 cup unsalted butter, cubed
  • 1/2 cup sliced almonds

Instructions

  1. 1

    In a bowl, whisk 2.25 tsp active dry yeast, 3/4 cup warmed whole milk, and 1/2 cup granulated sugar until combined and let sit for 5 minutes until foamy.

  2. 2

    In a large bowl, combine 3 cups all-purpose flour and 1/2 tsp salt, then stir in the yeast mixture, 2 beaten large eggs, and 1/4 cup softened unsalted butter until a smooth dough forms.

  3. 3

    Cover the dough and let it rise in a warm spot for 1 hour until doubled in size.

  4. 4

    Press the dough evenly into a greased baking sheet, cover, and let rise for 20 minutes while preheating oven to 375F.

  5. 5

    Poke deep dimples all over the dough surface, push 1/2 cup cubed unsalted butter into the dimples, and sprinkle 1/2 cup sliced almonds over the top.

  6. 6

    Bake at 375F for 18 to 20 minutes until golden brown, then cool slightly before slicing.

Cook this free in the appCooking it now? The app keeps the screen awake and times each step. Free, nothing to install.

Questions

What oven temperature does Butterkuchen need?

For Butterkuchen, the oven is set to 375 F (about 190 C) in step 4. The longest stretch at that heat is 20 minutes, in step 4.

What if the yeast does not foam in Butterkuchen?

Step 1 reads: "In a bowl, whisk 2.25 tsp active dry yeast, 3/4 cup warmed whole milk, and 1/2 cup granulated sugar until combined and let sit for 5 minutes until foamy." Then it is dead or the liquid was too hot. Step 1 is the test: no foam after ten minutes means start again with fresh yeast and liquid that feels barely warm, about 105 F.

Is there a substitute for yeast in Butterkuchen?

The entry for Butterkuchen calls for 2.25 tsp active dry yeast. In its place: Instant and active dry yeast swap measure for measure. Active dry wants five minutes in warm liquid first, while instant goes straight into the flour.

Can I make Butterkuchen dairy-free?

Yes. The dairy in Butterkuchen is 3/4 cup whole milk, warmed, 1/4 cup unsalted butter, softened, 1/2 cup unsalted butter, cubed. Swap the milk for unsweetened oat or soy milk; the butter for olive oil where it melts, or a plant-based block butter where it is creamed. The richness shifts slightly, but the method does not change.

Is Butterkuchen vegan?

No, though it is vegetarian. What keeps it from vegan is 3/4 cup whole milk, warmed, 1/4 cup unsalted butter, softened, 1/2 cup unsalted butter, cubed and 2 large eggs, beaten. For fully plant-based entries, see the vegan dessert collection.

Does Butterkuchen contain tree nuts?

Yes: 1/2 cup sliced almonds. The full allergen list for this entry is gluten, dairy, eggs and tree nuts. Where the nuts are a garnish or a texture, toasted sunflower or pumpkin seeds stand in. Packaged ingredients vary by brand, so check labels if the allergy is serious.

Which part of Butterkuchen can be done ahead?

Everything up to step 3. Step 3 is a built-in pause of 1 hour: "Cover the dough and let it rise in a warm spot for 1 hour until doubled in size." Do everything up to that point ahead of time and pick up at step 4 when you are ready to finish.

Serve it with

Cook this free in the app

Textual Chef is 4,530 plain-text recipes, free to read and free to cook from. No account, no paywall, no ads, no life stories. Open this one in the app and each quantity sits inside the step that uses it, so you read once and cook.

Every recipe is curated or public-domain sourced, written to one template and checked before it publishes. Nothing here is a scraped blog post.

Cook this free in the appNo download needed. It opens in your browser. The kitchen tools (planner, shopping list, pantry, import) are $5.33 a month billed annually; the first 30 days are free.

More German entries

All German recipes · All Dessert recipes · All Butter recipes