“My coworker Amalia used to make this for our department. I never knew what it was, but I knew it was darn delicious.”
This Dutch Butter Cake, also known as Boterkoek, is a dense, buttery cake with a slightly crisp top and a soft, crumbly interior. The addition of orange zest and nutmeg adds a warm and fragrant touch, making it a perfect accompaniment to tea or coffee.
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Dutch Butter Cake: A Rich and Fragrant Treat
Ingredients:
| Ingredient | Quantity |
|---|---|
| All-Purpose Flour | 2 3/4 cups |
| Fine Salt | 1 teaspoon |
| Ground Nutmeg | 1/4 teaspoon |
| Unsalted Butter (softened) | 1 1/2 cups |
| Granulated Sugar | 1 1/4 cups |
| Packed Light Brown Sugar | 1/4 cup |
| Orange Zest | 2 teaspoons |
| Large Egg (room temperature) | 1 |
| Large Egg Yolk (room temperature) | 1 |
| Vanilla Extract | 1 1/2 teaspoons |
| Large Egg White (lightly beaten) | 1 |
Instructions:
- Preheat oven and prepare pan: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease a 9-inch springform pan with baking spray. Line the bottom and sides of the pan with parchment paper for easy removal. Set aside.
- Combine dry ingredients: In a medium bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, fine salt, and ground nutmeg. Set aside.
- Cream butter and sugars: In a large mixing bowl, using an electric mixer, beat the softened butter, granulated sugar, light brown sugar, and orange zest together until smooth and well combined, about 3 to 4 minutes. Scrape down the sides of the bowl periodically to ensure even mixing.
- Add eggs and vanilla: Add the whole egg and egg yolk to the butter mixture, beating until completely incorporated. Stir in the vanilla extract.
- Combine wet and dry ingredients: Gradually add the dry flour mixture to the wet ingredients, mixing on low speed until just incorporated. The dough will be thick and dense.
- Press dough into pan: Press the thick dough evenly into the prepared springform pan. To create a smooth surface, you can use plastic wrap placed on top of the dough to help spread it evenly to all parts of the pan. Discard the plastic wrap after use.
- Brush with egg white: Brush the top of the cake with the lightly beaten egg white.
- Create crosshatch pattern: Using the tines of a fork, gently create a crosshatch pattern on the top of the dough. This adds a traditional decorative touch to the cake.
- Bake: Bake in the preheated oven for 25 to 30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean and the cake has a nice golden hue.
- Cool: Remove the Dutch Butter Cake from the oven and let it rest in the pan for 5 minutes before carefully removing it from the springform pan and transferring it to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Slice and serve: Once cooled, slice the Dutch Butter Cake into wedges and serve. Enjoy this rich and fragrant treat!
