A good recipe for Dutch butter cake should not be missing in any household. Is this recipe not yet in your personal recipe book? Then grab it, because you really want to add this one to your collection.
Butter cake is not often eaten here at home (or in my childhood home), but that doesn’t mean we don’t like it. My sister and I love a piece of this rich and dense cookie, but the biggest fan is still my dad. He loves it and can’t get enough.
So I was thrilled when my dad approved this recipe! He thinks I should make it more often. And I definitely will, because this butter cake is insanely delicious and easy to make.
The literal translation of “boterkoek” is butter cookie, but the common translation is butter cake. The result is a bit in between, but to me it is closer to a cookie. Or a cookie cake if you like.
It is a flat compact, soft and creamy cookie cake, rich in flavor. A good butter cake almost melts in your mouth.
You can also make good flavor variations, I already have many different butter cake recipes on my Dutch blog, which I will still translate for you of course.
No, I do not recommend it. A butter cake should be dense and creamy. Self-rising baking flour is a mixture of flour and baking powder, and the baking powder will make your cake rise and become airy. Exactly what you don’t want! Preferably use all-purpose flour.
No, the butter needs to be at room temperature. In fact, this is a common rule in baking: all your ingredients must be at room temperature before you start baking, unless the recipe says otherwise.
You do this so that the cake will have a nice shine when it is baked. A beaten egg will do, but it is even better to mix the beaten egg with milk. This will prevent the glossy layer from flaking off.
There is no trick to test whether butter cake is done like a cake. But the most important thing to remember is that this creamy cake is always a bit soft when it comes out of the oven. It should also have a nice golden brown color. If you hesitate and push the cake back into the oven anyway, chances are it will overcook and becomes too dry.
A good recipe for Dutch butter cake should not be missing in any household. Is this recipe not yet in your personal recipe book? Then grab it, because you really want to add this one to your collection.
Butter cake is not often eaten here at home (or in my childhood home), but that doesn’t mean we don’t like it. My sister and I love a piece of this rich and dense cookie, but the biggest fan is still my dad. He loves it and can’t get enough.
So I was thrilled when my dad approved this recipe! He thinks I should make it more often. And I definitely will, because this butter cake is insanely delicious and easy to make.
The literal translation of “boterkoek” is butter cookie, but the common translation is butter cake. The result is a bit in between, but to me it is closer to a cookie. Or a cookie cake if you like.
It is a flat compact, soft and creamy cookie cake, rich in flavor. A good butter cake almost melts in your mouth.
You can also make good flavor variations, I already have many different butter cake recipes on my Dutch blog, which I will still translate for you of course.
No, I do not recommend it. A butter cake should be dense and creamy. Self-rising baking flour is a mixture of flour and baking powder, and the baking powder will make your cake rise and become airy. Exactly what you don’t want! Preferably use all-purpose flour.
No, the butter needs to be at room temperature. In fact, this is a common rule in baking: all your ingredients must be at room temperature before you start baking, unless the recipe says otherwise.
You do this so that the cake will have a nice shine when it is baked. A beaten egg will do, but it is even better to mix the beaten egg with milk. This will prevent the glossy layer from flaking off.
There is no trick to test whether butter cake is done like a cake. But the most important thing to remember is that this creamy cake is always a bit soft when it comes out of the oven. It should also have a nice golden brown color. If you hesitate and push the cake back into the oven anyway, chances are it will overcook and becomes too dry.
If you are familiar with the Dutch ontbijtkoek, you know it’s good! It translates to breakfast cake and is often eaten for breakfast or as a nice snack. The most traditional way to serve ontbijtkoek is to take a slice of the spiced breakfast cake and spread it with a thick layer of butter. I’ll share my recipe for authentic ontbijtkoek with you!
The literal translation of ‘ontbijtkoek’ is breakfast cookie. But in English, that seems a bit weird and is not fitting. Breakfast cake or breakfast bread suits this recipe better. I prefer spiced breakfast cake due to the structure of the cake.
Ontbijtkoek is a very quick bread you make in a loaf pan. You can even make them smaller in mini loaves or even cupcake cases. This sweet bread has a wonderful moist, but dense texture. Especially homemade dutch spice cake! The flavors are amazing due to all the added spices and appelstroop. If you don’t have access to this Dutch product, you could also use molasses.
The breakfast cakes you can buy in a grocery store are usually a bit drier. Although they often have a sticky crust, just like a homemade loaf. If you are in The Netherlands and want tot buy one to take home: you’ll find it in the breakfast section. Usually next to crackers and ‘beschuit’ (another Dutch breakfast product).
A slice of this breakfast cake is the perfect sweet treat for me. I think my recipe is so good that it doesn’t need anything to go with it. But it is certainly possible if you want to. I will share my tips on how I serve my slice of store-bought breakfast cake (I admit, I still buy one from time to time).
Most Dutch people just take a slice and spread it with butter. It’s the most traditional way to eat it. Although ‘koekhappen’ is possibly even more traditional, I’ll tell you all about it after my serving suggestions!
I like to spread a slice with peanutbutter and if I’m in the mood for a real treat: I add some chocolate sprinkles. It’s amazing and you should really try it sometime. Another option I hear often is a nice layer of chocolate spread.
Time for some more Dutch traditions: koekhappen! It’s a popular thing to do on Kingsday, but you’ll see it at other festivities as wel. To explain what koekhappen is: you tighten a string from A to B just above your head and hang slices of spiced cake on it.
Participants must eat the ontbijtkoek with their hands behind their backs. It is a fun activity and usually not a competition. Although you could make it a competition to see who finishes their gingerbread first.
Ontbijtkoek is known by different names in The Netherlands, from honey cake to pepper cake (no, there’s no pepper in the recipe). The original name is ‘honingkoek’ which translates to honey cake. A long time ago, the recipe was made with honey. The honey was an expensive ingredient and was replaced with sugar. Which made it a spiced breakfast cake.
There are a lot of variations of breakfast cake. You could add nuts, ginger or a different spice mix. The recipe below is how I like my homemade breakfast cake best, for me it’s the real thing. But feel free to vary a bit.
I use all purpose flour, but you could also use whole wheat flour. With this alternative you don’t have to adjust the recipe. There are more options (rye flour for exemple), but I haven’t tested this yet. If you want to use rye flour, the recipe should be adapted.
Appelstroop is a key ingredient in ontbijtkoek. It is a (thick spreadable) dark syrup or jelly made from apples and sugar. It is most commonly used as a spread on bread, but can also be used as an ingredient in recipes for both hot and cold dishes.
If you are looking for a place to buy Dutch ingredients, I have a list of (web)shops that sell Dutch ingredients.
You can make it yourself with my recipe for speculaas spice mix. But you could also use gingerbread spice mix. It’s fine to leave out the ginger powder or use less than stated in the recipe. Most important is to have a variety of spices in you breakfast cake for the best result.
No, it isn’t. I love a slice of ontbijtkoek as a snack, but it’s definitely not a healthy snack.
As a Dutchie myself, you won’t be surprised I have many more Dutch recipes on my blog. Here are a few of my (and your!) favorites:
If you are missing any Dutch recipes, please let me know! I have many more Dutch recipes on my Dutch blog to translate. Here you can find all of my Dutch baking recipes in English.
Want to try a classic savory Dutch snack? Try Bitterballen! These fried meatballs are made from a thick, meaty gravy that is rolled in breadcrumbs for a crispy bite. A perfect snack to enjoy and easy to make!
Bitterballen are often referred to as Dutch meatballs. It’s not a classic meatball made from a mixture of meat. No, bitterballen are made of beef broth with shredded beef and a handful of other ingredients. A delicious meaty filling with a crispy crust.
These fried Dutch meatballs are traditionally made with beef, but you can also try other flavors. How about chicken or veal? And if you’re looking for a vegetarian bitterballen, there are bitterballen made with mushrooms.
When I developed my recipe for Dutch meatballs, I wanted to make sure it was really easy. So I bought a jar of beef broth that already had shredded beef in it. If you can’t find that ingredient, you can buy (or make) your own beef broth and add the beef separately. Sometimes I use the broth with the meat and add extra meat for a really tasty filling.
In addition to the broth and the beef, you need some ingredients to make a nice roux. And to make it thick enough, you add some gelatin leaves. Here are all the ingredients for the stuffing:
There are some tools that come in handy when frying the meatballs. This is what I use:
After spending some time in the kitchen making this Dutch recipe, you’ll have a serving of nice golden-brown bitterballen ready to enjoy.
In the Netherlands, fried meatballs are a popular snack that you can order at a cafe. Or serve them at home for a party, game day or birthday. They are usually eaten as a snack and not for dinner. But if you do eat them for dinner, they will probably be served with fries.
You can drink whatever you want with a bitterball, but this Dutch food is often served as a tasty snack with some alcoholic beverages. Most Dutch people love the combination of a nice cold beer with a piping hot bitterbal.
Bitterballen are dipped in a sauce, usually mustard. I prefer to dip them in mayonnaise.
And be careful when you take a bite: Bitterballen are best when they come straight out of the fryer and are piping hot. I have burned my mouth countless times.
The best way to eat bitterballen is right after frying them. If you have leftovers, I would not save them (although I have never tried, there are never leftovers).
After breading, you have two options: fry and eat. Or: freeze them. You can freeze them in an airtight container or freezer bag and keep them for up to 3 months. This way, you’ll always have a deep-fried snack (almost) ready to enjoy.
This way it’s possible to make a big batch and only fry the amount of bitterballen you need. You can fry them directly from the freezer, but they will need 30 seconds to 1 minute more to fry.
Looking for Dutch recipes? I got you! As a Dutchie I share a lot of authentic Dutch recipes on my blog. Here are some of my favorites. Sweet and savory.
