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Light and fluffy Butterkuchen sheet cake with golden buttery sugar crust

Butterkuchen Recipe (German Butter Cake)

This Butterkuchen recipe is a traditional German Butter Cake made with a yeast dough topped with cubes of butter and sprinkled with sugar and almonds, that caramelises beautifully as it bakes.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Resting time 2 hours
Total Time 2 hours 30 minutes
Course Cakes
Cuisine German
Servings 16 pieces

Ingredients
  

For the Yeast Dough:

  • 1 packet / 10g / 0.35oz dry instant yeast Please check the instructions on your packet of yeast to confirm require quantity needed
  • 300 ml / 10.14 fl oz lukewarm milk
  • 500 g / 17.6 oz / 4 cups cake flour
  • 100 g / 3.5 oz / ½ cup sugar
  • 3 drops Dr. Oetker Backol Bittermandel
  • 50 g / 1.75 oz / ¼ cup butter room temperature

For the Topping:

  • 100 g / 3.5 oz / ½ cup cold butter
  • 75 g / 2.6 oz / ⅓ cup sugar
  • 2 tsp homemade vanilla sugar
  • 50 g / 1.75 oz / ½ cup flaked almonds

Instructions
 

  • In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine the dry ingredients: cake flour, sugar, and yeast. Mix to combine.
    Dry ingredients in a stand mixer bowl for Butterkuchen dough.
  • Heat the milk in the microwave until lukewarm, then add the butter and stir until melted.
    Melted butter and milk mixture in a mug for yeast dough.
  • Pour the milk mixture into the dry ingredients. Add the Backol Bittermandel.
    Milk mixture added to Flour mixture before kneading.
  • Attach the dough hook attachment and briefly mix on low, then knead on high for 5 minutes. My stand mixer slides around so I stay nearby to make sure it does not fall off the counter top.
    Kneaded Butterkuchen dough inside a stand mixer bowl.
  • Cover the dough and allow it to rise in a warm spot until it doubles in size (about 1 hour).
    Butterkuchen dough resting in a mixing bowl after knead
  • Prepare a roasting tin by spraying it generously with non-stick spray and lining it with baking paper.
  • Once risen, knead the dough again and roll it out to fit the roasting tin. I do this on a large wooden board as I do want to do this directly on my cold granite surface. Stretch it into the corners.
    Rolled-out Butterkuchen yeast dough on a floured surface with rolling pin.
  • Cover and let the dough rise again in a warm spot for 45 minutes to 1 hour until doubled in size.
    Butterkuchen dough risen in a baking tray before baking.
  • Preheat the oven to 200°C (392°F).
  • Press small dents into the dough where the butter cubes will go. Place the butter cubes into the dents.
    Pro Tip: Always use cold butter when pressing it into the dough before baking. This helps form the distinctive dimples and buttery puddles that make Butterkuchen so special.
    Butterkuchen dough pressed into a baking tray with small cubes of butter on top.
  • Sprinkle the dough evenly with sugar, homemade vanilla sugar or Dr Oetker Vanilla Sugar and flaked almonds.
    Butterkuchen topped with sugar almonds and butter before baking.
  • Bake for 12-15 minutes or until golden brown.
    Freshly baked Butterkuchen topped with sliced almonds and caramelised butter

Notes

If you don't have a stand mixer, you can easily knead the dough by hand to achieve great results.