Dutch Pepernoten Loaf Cake Recipe

Are you ready for a simple yet incredibly delicious holiday bake? Then you’re going to love this Dutch pepernoten loaf cake. This cozy, spiced cake brings all the warm Sinterklaas vibes straight into your kitchen.

Sinterklaas is a traditional Dutch holiday and somewhat similar to Santa Claus although definitely not the same.

Why this recipe works

This cake is based on my classic vanilla cake recipe, but with a festive twist. A few small additions like warm speculaas spices (similar to pumpkin pie spice) and crunchy Dutch spiced cookies (also known as pepernoten) turn it into a true holiday favorite.

A splash of milk keeps the texture light and moist because the cookies absorb some of the moisture as the cake bakes.

Baking tip: Invest in a sturdy rectangular loaf pan. A good one will last for years and is a must-have in every baker’s kitchen.

What Are Pepernoten (Dutch Spiced Cookies)?

In the Netherlands, these tiny cookies are a holiday favorite. It’s an easy recipe and one of my favorite Dutch recipes for sure. They’re crisp, bite-sized, and full of delicious spices. Think of them as a cross between ginger snaps and speculoos cookies.

Traditionally, they’re tossed into gift bags or scattered around for kids during Sinterklaas celebrations, but they’re also wonderful to bake with.

If you can’t find authentic kruidnoten or pepernoten, don’t worry, you can easily substitute them with ginger snaps or Biscoff cookies. The flavor and texture will be similar. The key is to use crunchy cookies.

Recipe Ingredients

• unsalted butter – Use a good-quality butter for best flavor.
• granulated sugar
• vanilla sugar – Or 1 tsp vanilla extract.
• eggs – Medium-sized.
• self-rising flour
• speculaas spice mix – Or use pumpkin pie spice as an alternative.
• milk – Keeps the cake soft and moist.
• pepernoten or spiced cookies – want to try using traditional Dutch pepernoten cookies? Make them yourself with this original recipe.

How To Make Dutch Pepernoten Loaf Cake

Start by mixing the butter, sugar and vanilla sugar until it is light and fluffy. Now add the eggs one at a time and mix well in between each egg. Use a separate bowl to combine the rest of the dry ingredients (self-rising flour, salt and spices)

Now alternate by adding the flour mixture and the milk into the batter.

For the pepernoten you’ll want to toss them in a little bit of all-purpose flour and then fold them into the batter.

Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan and smooth the top. Sprinkle with some extra pepernoten and sliced almonds on top and bake for about 60 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.

Expert tip

When the cake first comes out of the oven, the cookies on top are wonderfully crisp. As it cools and you store it, they’ll soften slightly. This is perfectly normal and gives the cake that signature chewy texture.