Butterkuchen (German Yeast Butter Cake)

Nov 3, 2026 · By VanillaGoods

Baking Cakes cupcakes Vanilla: Extract Medium

A soft, tender yeast cake with a crisp, buttery sugar-almond top. It is the most familiar form of German Kuchen, served with afternoon coffee. Makes 16 squares in about 2 hr 10 min.

Prep 30 min

Cook 25 min

Cooling 1 hr 15 min

Total 2 hr 10 min

Yield 16 squares

Ingredients

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squares

3 ¼ cups (400 g)all-purpose flour
¾ cup (200 ml)warm whole milk, about 100 F (38 C)
¼ oz (7 g)instant yeast
⅓ cup (60 g)granulated sugar, for the dough
½ tsp (3 g)salt
1 (50 g)egg
¼ cup (60 g)soft butter
1 tsp (5 ml)vanilla extract
½ cup (100 g)cold butter, cut in small cubes
½ cup (90 g)granulated sugar, for the topping
½ cup (50 g)sliced almonds

Fresh ingredient guides

AlmondsHow to pick, season & nutrition · 188 kcal per 30 g

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Instructions

Mix the flour, yeast, sugar and salt. Add the warm milk, egg, soft butter and vanilla and knead 8 minutes by machine or 10 by hand, to a soft, smooth dough.
Cover and let rise in a warm place 1 hour, until doubled.
Grease a 9 x 13 inch (23 x 33 cm) pan. Press the dough out to the corners; if it springs back, rest 5 minutes and press again.
Cover and let rise 30 minutes until puffy. Heat the oven to 400 F (200 C).
Poke deep dimples all over the dough with your fingertips. Press the butter cubes into the dimples and sprinkle with sugar and almonds.
Bake 22 to 25 minutes, until golden. The butter melts into the dimples and the sugar caramelizes.
Cool 20 minutes in the pan, then cut into squares. Best the day it is made.

Tips

Dimple deeply so the butter sits in pools.
Do not skimp on butter; it is the cake.
Add a pinch of flaky salt on top if you like.
Good with coffee.

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Recipe FAQ

How long does it take to make butterkuchen (german yeast butter cake)?

Plan on 30 minutes of prep and 25 minutes of cooking, plus 1 hour 15 minutes to chill. The recipe makes 16 squares.

How should I store butterkuchen (german yeast butter cake)?

Keep covered at room temperature up to 2 days; freeze baked squares up to 2 months and refresh in a 300 F oven.

Can I make butterkuchen (german yeast butter cake) ahead?

Yes. It needs time to chill and set, so it is a good one to make the day before you serve it.

Can I use a different form of vanilla?

Yes. This recipe uses 1 tsp vanilla extract (5 ml). Each teaspoon of pure vanilla extract can be swapped for 1 teaspoon of vanilla bean paste, the seeds of half a vanilla bean, or 1/2 teaspoon of vanilla powder. Paste and seeds add the classic dark specks.

Serve it with coffee.

Estimated · per serving

Nutrition

Per serving = 1 of 16 servings this recipe makes.

232 Calories / serving

10.7g Fat

29.9g Carbs

4.2g Protein

10.3g Sugar

Whole recipe (16 servings): ~3712 cal · 171g fat · 478g carbs · 67g protein · 165g sugar

Estimated values per serving, calculated from standard ingredient data. Not verified Nutrition Facts; actual values vary with brands, measurements, and preparation.