This Dutch Butter Cake, or Boterkoek, is flavored with almond and vanilla with simple ingredients- and a lot of butter! Makes two cakes and freezes well.
Cream together the 1/2 lb. salted butterand 1.5 cups sugaruntil fluffy with an electric mixer on high speed for about 1 minute.
Add the 1 large egg and mix on high speed for about another minute.
Add the 1 teaspoon vanilla extract and 1 teaspoon almond extract and mix until combined.
Add the 2 cups all-purpose flour and mix until combined. The dough will be thick and sticky. Use a spatula to scrape down the sides of the bowl to place all the dough in the center of the bowl. Use a butter knife to cut down the center of the dough, to divide into two equal portions.
Mix together the 2 tablespoons water and the 1 egg yolk with a fork until smooth. Set aside.
Place the 2 dough portions in two 8-inch cake pans (see notes about greasing). Press down with your hands, or using an offset spatula, to flatten and smooth out the dough as best you can, filling the bottom of the cake pan all the way to the edges. If the dough is sticky, try getting your hands a little wet with water and then pressing it in.
Brush the tops of each cake with the egg yolk mixture. I recommend brushing each of them 2-3 times, allowing the egg to be absorbed into the top layer while you alternate back and forth, using all or almost all of the yolk mixture.
Sprinkle the top of each cake with the 1/2 cup sliced almonds(1/4 cup for each cake). Press the almonds down gently, so they are in a single layer and are adhered to the top of the cake. It's OK, and actually a good thing, if the egg yolk mixture gets on top of the almonds.
Bake at 350 degrees F for 30-40 minutes, or until deeply golden on the edges and slightly golden all across the top.
For best results, cool in pan for at least 45 minutes (do cool for at LEAST 10 minutes or so, so it doesn't fall apart when you take it out). Remove and cut each cake into 12-16 wedges, depending on how big you want them. Store in an airtight container at room temperature for 4-5 days, or in the fridge for 7-10 days.
Video
Notes
If using unsalted butter, I recommend adding 1/4 teaspoon of kosher salt to the batter when you add the sugar.
If you don't have 8-inch cake pans, 9-inch can be used. The cakes will come out thinner and may crumble more easily but are still delicious! Bake for 25-35 minutes, as they may need less time. You can also use rectangular loaf pans, and cut into bars instead of wedges.
If using nonstick cake pans, leave them ungreased. If using other cake pans, the original instructions say to leave them ungreased, but a few readers have commented that the cake has stuck for them. Greasing the pan with butter certainly won't hurt, so I recommend greasing the pans if they aren't nonstick just in case.
For a nut-free version, omit the almonds on top and omit the almond extract, unless you know it's allergen-free. Use the tines of a fork to carve lines on top of the cake before brushing the egg wash mixture on top, then bake as directed.
Freezer directions: Freeze the cake whole, wrapped tightly in plastic wrap, nestled into the cake pan, then thaw at room temperature for 12-24 hours. Alternatively, you can flash freeze the sliced cake- place the slices on a baking sheet and freeze for 20 minutes, then place the slices into an airtight container or plastic bag and store in the freezer. Lasts for 3 months in the freezer.