Dutch Buttercake (Boterkoek). This is a moist, soft butter cake, famous in the Netherlands. Often served with a cup of coffee. Easy to make and very popular! Dutch Buttercake (Boterkoek) is so delicious! It's an easy cake to make with simple ingredients.

This cake originates from Holland, and is called 'Boterkoek', or Buttercake.
It is traditionally made in a round tin and has characteristic lines on the surface which are a little crispy once cooked. Of course, you could make this in a rectangular tin and cut it into finger pieces. Whatever you like! It's a simple, straightforward recipe, and I would advise you to make two as it will get eaten very fast!
You can swap half of the flour for ground almonds or desiccated (flaked) coconut. Both of these also give a delicious flavor to this moist cake.
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When I lived in Holland, this Dutch Buttercake was very often served alongside a cup of coffee, particularly if you were visiting friends, they would often make or buy this cake and as soon as you walked through the door, you had the wonderful aroma of fresh ground Dutch coffee and a freshly baked Dutch buttercake.
In fact, this is so popular in Holland, you can even buy the ready mixed packages and simply add the butter and egg. I never tried the boxed version as my friend kindly gave me her family recipe and this is what I'm proud to share with you today!

Prep Time
10 minutes
Cook Time
25 - 30 minutes
Yield
8 Slices
You will need
A 23 cm / 9 inch tin with a removable base (easier to get the cake out) or use parchment paper.
Ingredients
½ cup or 150 g butter
1 cup or 200 g caster (cake) or regular sugar if you cannot get castor. US name is 'superfine' sugar.
1 ½ teaspoons almond extract
1 egg, beaten
1 ½ cups or 200 g plain flour
½ teaspoon baking powder
A handful of flaked almonds (optional)
NOTE: You can swap 75 g or ½ cup of the flour amount for the same amount of ground almonds or desiccated (flaked coconut) This will also give a lovely flavor.
Instructions
1. Preheat the oven to 180 C / 350 F / Gas 4. Grease and line your tin.
2. Mix together butter, sugar and almond extract until light and fluffy.
3. Add the beaten egg to the mixture but LEAVE a teaspoon or so in the bowl for glazing at the end. Combine the egg with the mixture, and add the flour and baking powder. Combine until smooth.
4. Place mixture in the baking tin and gently push evenly with your hands or back of a spoon. Get it level.
5. Use a sharp knife and score the surface of the mix in a criss-cross pattern, like the photo.
6. Mix the teaspoon of egg with a teaspoon of water, and brush on top of the buttercake.
7. Sprinkle with the flaked almonds, and bake for 25-30 minutes until just golden and test with a toothpick it comes out clean.
We'd love to hear from you and what you thought of our Dutch Buttercake recipe. Did you make any changes or add some other goodies? Let us know in the comments below. Thanks for reading and happy cooking!

Recipe Card

Dutch Buttercake (Boterkoek)
Dutch Buttercake (Boterkoek). This is a moist, soft butter cake, famous in the Netherlands. Often served with a cup of coffee. Easy to make!
Ingredients
- ½ cup or 150 g butter
- 1 cup or 200 g caster (cake) or regular sugar if you cannot get castor. US name is 'superfine' sugar.
- 1 ½ teaspoons almond extract
- 1 egg, beaten
- 1 ½ cups or 200 g plain flour
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- A handful of flaked almonds (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 180 C / 350 F / Gas 4. Grease and line your tin.
- Mix together butter, sugar and almond extract until light and fluffy.
- Add the beaten egg to the mixture but LEAVE a teaspoon or so in the bowl for glazing at the end. Combine egg with the mixture, and add the flour and baking powder. Combine until smooth.
- Place mixture in the baking tin and gently push evenly with your hands or back of a spoon. Get it level.
- Use a sharp knife and score the surface of the mix in a criss cross pattern, like the photo.
- Mix the teaspoon of egg with a teaspoon of water, and brush on top of the buttercake.
- Sprinkle with the flaked almonds, and bake for 25-30 minutes until just golden and test with a toothpick it comes out clean.
Notes
You can swap 75 g or ½ cup of the flour amount for the same amount of ground almonds or desiccated (flaked coconut) This will also give a lovely flavor.
Recommended Products
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CHEFMADE 9.5-Inch Round Tart Pan with Removable Loose Bottom, Non-stick Carbon Steel Quiche Pan, FDA Approved for Oven Baking (Champagne Gold)
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Hiware Springform Pan Set of 3 Non-stick Cheesecake Pan, Leakproof Round Cake Pan Set Includes 3 Pieces 6" 8" 10" Springform Pans with 150 Pcs Parchment Paper Liners
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 8 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 378Total Fat: 20gSaturated Fat: 10gTrans Fat: 1gUnsaturated Fat: 8gCholesterol: 64mgSodium: 196mgCarbohydrates: 46gFiber: 1gSugar: 26gProtein: 5g
Nutrition information isn’t always accurate
Delicious Dutch Recipes
Here's a selection of the delicious Dutch recipes I made during my time living in Holland
Dutch Farmhouse Cake - It's delicious! There's apples, cinnamon, spices and the way you make it is very different! So easy it's untrue!
Dutch Apple Pie - Loaded with apples, raisins, cinnamon and the most delicious pastry I've ever eaten! Be sure to have a lovely cup of coffee to go with a slice of pie in true Dutch tradition!
Dutch Apple Pudding with Butterscotch Sauce, this is a delicious dessert, wonderful served warm. Lovely chunks of apple, laced with cinnamon and then served with a drizzle of warm butterscotch sauce. So Yummy!
Delicious Cake Recipes using Almonds
If you like almonds as much as we do, try out these other cake recipes using ground almonds in the cake batter. Delicious!
Moist Pecan Almond Loaf Cake. The flavor combo is just divine!
This Raspberry and Almond Cake is an easy recipe with soft almond sponge with a scattering of fresh raspberries throughout and topped with toasted almonds. A delicious afternoon tea treat.
Chocolate Almond Pound Cake. Delicious, rich chocolate cake with added melted chocolate and ground almonds to take this cake to another level of deliciousness!
Cherry Almond Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting is a lovely soft cake and great tasting. Perfect for parties too!
Almond Joy Cake. A delicious chocolate cake with almond and a coconut frosting. Always a hit and so popular!
Cherry Frangipane! What a delight to bake and eat. It's a lovely recipe and so full of flavor. The filling is a lovely soft almond cake with cherries on the top, baked in a pastry case. Delicious!
Lemon Frangipane. This is a really nice coffee time cake to make. Have as a dessert, warm or cold with a squirt of whipped cream or like me, a blob of vanilla ice cream! It's really yummy! Delicious!
Blueberry Frangipane. A delicious almond cake bursting with juicy blueberries. This is a really nice coffee time cake to make.
Apple Frangipane. This is a really nice coffee time cake to make. Goes great with a nice cuppa! Or you can have as a dessert, warm or cold with a squirt of whipped cream or like me, a blob of vanilla ice cream! It's really yummy! Delicious!
Gold Miner's Almond Joy Cake. A super moist, delicious and rich cake loved by all! Loaded with chocolate, marshmallows,coconut, almonds... this is a pretty amazing cake and perfect for parties too!