German Butter Cake (Butterkuchen)

Posted at The Cutting Board by Olga Wednesday Sep 7th, 2005 10:37 pm

Makes one 20 x 16-inch cake.

4 cups all-purpose flour, divided
1 (1/4 ounce) package active dry yeast or 1 (3/5 ounce) cake fresh yeast
2/3 cup tepid milk
6 egg yolks
14 tablespoons butter, softened
1/4 cup granulated sugar

Chopped Almond Topping
1 egg, beaten
1 cup almonds, blanched and finely chopped
2 tablespoons coarse sugar
4 tablespoons butter

Mix the yeast with the milk and 2 1/2 cups of the flour; let this sponge rise for two hours in a warm place until doubled in bulk.

Add the remaining flour, the egg yolks, butter and sugar. Knead well for about 10 minutes, then let rise for 30 minutes.

Roll out the dough to fit a well-buttered 20 x 16-inch jellyroll pan. Lay it in the well buttered pan, brush it with the beaten egg, sprinkle it with the almonds and coarse sugar and dot it with the butter. Bake in a preheated 350 degree F oven for 45 minutes, or until golden.

Dorothee V. Hellermann, Das Kochbuch Aus Hamburg