Boterkoek — Dutch butter cake
Boterkoek — "butter cake" — is a dense Dutch baked good somewhere between a shortbread and a cake. It is made with almost equal weights of butter, sugar and flour, baked into a single round, scored into wedges and eaten with strong coffee.
i. Origin & history
Boterkoek is canonical Dutch home baking — particularly Frisian, in northern Netherlands, where it is sometimes called boterkoek or Friesche boterkoek. The dense, deeply buttery character is the appeal.
ii. Ingredients
Makes 12 servings · scroll the side panel to adjust
- 250 g unsalted butter, soft
- 225 g caster sugar
- 1 egg yolk + 1 whole egg
- Zest of 1 lemon
- Pinch salt
- 350 g plain flour
- 1 egg yolk + 1 tbsp milk to glaze
- 30 g flaked almonds
iii. Method
- Heat oven to 170 °C. Grease a 22 cm round tin.
- Cream butter and sugar 3 min. Beat in egg yolk, whole egg, zest and salt.
- Fold in flour to a soft dough.
- Press into the tin in an even layer. Score the top into 12 wedges. Brush with yolk-milk glaze; scatter almonds.
- Bake 35-40 min until deeply golden. Cool in the tin completely. Cut along scored lines.
iv. Tips & common mistakes
- Use the freshest ingredients you can. The recipe relies on them.
- Read the method through first. Several steps must be ready in advance.
- Season patiently. Sweetness and salt are tuned at the end, not the start.
v. Variations
Frisian boterkoek is denser. Almond boterkoek includes ground almonds. Modern variations include chocolate chips, lemon, or salted-caramel.
vi. Common questions
What is boterkoek?
Boterkoek is dutch butter cake, from austrian & german cuisine. It is made with almost equal weights of butter, sugar and flour, baked into a single round, scored into wedges and eaten with strong coffee
Where is boterkoek from?
Boterkoek is from the austrian & german dessert tradition; the recipe and history are detailed above.
How long does boterkoek keep?
See the storage note in the Quick facts panel: 1 week airtight.