Butter cake

Traditional Dutch butter cakes are so luscious that it'll take all your willpower to let it mature overnight before taking a bite. Chef Geert Elzinga says if you’re after a treat, you can’t go past this traditional Dutch butter cake recipe.

Credit: Tammi Kwok

• serves

  10

• prep

  20 minutes

• cook

  45 minutes

• difficulty

  Easy

Ingredients

• 775 g sugar
• 20 g preserved lemon (or finely grated lemon peel)
• 775 g butter, plus extra, to grease
• 700 g flour
• 10 g salt
• 100 g egg, lightly beaten, for brushing

Cooling time 30 minutes

Resting time 12 hours

Instructions

1. Put the sugar, preserved lemon and butter in a mixing bowl. Use a butterfly mixer (or hand mixer) to mix on low speed until creamy. Add the flour and salt, and continue mixing for further 5 minutes or until the mixture is white.
2. Line the baking tray with butter and greaseproof paper. Turn mixture over into the tray. Use a wet spatula to smooth the mixture out flat. Brush with the lightly beaten egg but not the rim.
3. Leave to stiffen up in a cool place for 30 minutes. Brush again with egg and use a fork or knife to score a diamond pattern on top. Leave it in the fridge overnight.
4. The next day, bake at 190°C for 40-45 minutes until the cake is brown. The centre must still be springy otherwise it will be rock hard the next day. Leave to cool before serving.

Cook's Notes

Oven temperatures are for conventional; if using fan-forced (convection), reduce the temperature by 20˚C. | We use Australian tablespoons and cups: 1 teaspoon equals 5 ml; 1 tablespoon equals 20 ml; 1 cup equals 250 ml. | All herbs are fresh (unless specified) and cups are lightly packed. | All vegetables are medium size and peeled, unless specified. | All eggs are 55-60 g, unless specified.