Gâteau Breton (Breton Butter Cake)

Nov 7, 2026 · By VanillaGoods

Baking Cakes cupcakes Easy

This is a thick, shortbread-like cake from Brittany, made with salted butter, sugar, flour and egg yolks only. Its golden yolk-glazed top carries the classic fork-scored crosshatch, and the crumb is dense, buttery and slightly crumbly at the edges. Makes 10 servings in about 2 hr 58 min.

Prep 20 min

Cook 45 min

Cooling 1 hr 53 min

Total 2 hr 58 min

Servings 10

Ingredients

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servings

1 cup (250 g)salted butter, softened, plus a little for the pan
1 cup (200 g)granulated sugar
6 (108 g)egg yolks, room temperature
1 tbsp (15 ml)dark rum, optional but traditional
2 ⅓ cups (300 g)all-purpose flour, plus a little for your fingers
1 (18 g)egg yolk
1 tsp (5 ml)water, 1 teaspoon

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Instructions

Butter the cake pan and line the bottom with a round of parchment.
Beat the softened salted butter and granulated sugar in a stand mixer with the paddle on medium speed until pale and creamy, about 3 minutes.
Add the 6 egg yolks one at a time, beating well after each, then beat in the dark rum.
On low speed, add the all-purpose flour and mix just until it disappears into a thick, soft, sticky dough.
Scrape the dough into the pan and press it into an even layer with floured fingers and the back of a spoon. Refrigerate for 30 minutes so the top firms up for scoring. Heat the oven to 350°F (175°C) while it chills.
Beat the egg yolk with the water and brush it over the top, keeping it off the edges so it does not run down the sides. Drag the tines of a fork across the surface in parallel lines one way, then the other, to make a crosshatch.
Bake until deep golden brown on top and a skewer in the center comes out clean or with moist crumbs, 40 to 45 minutes. If the top browns too fast, lay a sheet of foil loosely over it for the last 10 minutes.
Cool in the pan on a rack for 20 minutes, then run a knife around the edge, turn out and set upright. Cool completely for about 1 hour before cutting into thin wedges.

Tips

Use the best salted butter you can find; it is the main flavor. With unsalted butter, add 1/2 tsp (3 g) fine sea salt to the flour.
The cake firms up and tastes even better the next day.
Expect a dense, fudgy-crumbed center; that is correct for this cake.
Good with breton black tea with milk or a glass of dry cider.

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Recipe FAQ

How long does it take to make gâteau breton (breton butter cake)?

Plan on 20 minutes of prep and 45 minutes of cooking, plus 1 hour 53 minutes to chill and rest. The recipe makes 10 servings.

How should I store gâteau breton (breton butter cake)?

Wrap well and keep at room temperature up to 5 days, or freeze up to 2 months.

Can I make gâteau breton (breton butter cake) ahead?

It is at its best the day it is made; prepare it a few hours before serving.

Gâteau breton is the signature butter cake of Brittany, made with the region's salted butter, plenty of egg yolks and no whole eggs, then glazed with yolk and scored in a crosshatch with a fork before baking. Serve it with breton black tea with milk or a glass of dry cider.

Variations

Prune-filled gâteau breton: simmer 200 g (7 oz) pitted prunes with 60 ml (1/4 cup) water and 1 tbsp (15 ml) rum until soft, about 10 minutes, and mash. Press half the dough into the pan, spread the prunes to 1/2 inch (1 cm) from the edge, top with the rest of the dough and bake 50 to 55 minutes.
Orange-zest version: beat 2 tsp (4 g) finely grated orange zest in with the sugar; bake time unchanged.
Individual cakes: press the dough into 12 buttered standard muffin cups, glaze and score, and bake 20 to 25 minutes.
Alcohol-free: replace the rum with 1 tsp (5 ml) vanilla extract.

Estimated · per serving

Nutrition

Per serving = 1 of 10 servings this recipe makes.

231 Calories / serving

3.7g Fat

43.6g Carbs

5.2g Protein

20.3g Sugar

Whole recipe (10 servings): ~2310 cal · 37g fat · 436g carbs · 52g protein · 203g sugar

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