boterkoek {dutch butter cake}
Dear Thijs,
Welcome to the world! This means nothing coming from a complete stranger, of course, but your mother is one of my dearest friends. I wouldn’t be the person I am today without her friendship and influence, which is something we will now have in common.
My mother, Rosie Beaucoup, was in the delivery room when your mother was born. (Nothing creepy – Rosie was a nurse then.) I’ve been hanging around with your mother ever since. That’s a lot of years, little man. What keeps two people together for that long? The Golden Girls, poop stories and cake. That’s my best life advice for you, by the way – laugh a lot and don’t be afraid to eat whatever the heck you want.
Speaking of cake – and because your dad is Dutch – I thought this traditional butter cake might suit the occasion of your birth. Also (spoiler alert) I don’t think your mother knows how to bake, so this seems approachable and difficult to screw up. Alternatively, ask your dad to make it. It is a simple cake – perfect for parents dealing with your demands needs. It could easily be whipped up after someone has, say, pooped all over the house and is finally napping. (Not cool, dude.)
Do me a solid and cut your mother some slack, okay? Her job has her living all over the world, and I can’t step in and do all the things a good friend would normally do. Like, for example, reminding her repeatedly that she’s going to be a great mother. And telling her to ignore those other mothers who will be all too happy to tell her what she’s doing wrong, because that’s the worst wrong of all.
As Sophia Petrillo would say:
… this is living. Just because you’re going through some rough times doesn’t mean you throw in the towel. You keep living. And eating.
Sage words, little man. Sage words.
Lots of love,
xox movita
. . .
This almond-flavoured snacking cake is somewhat dense, and is even better on the second day. It is delightful when topped with a good dusting of icing sugar. It makes a small, 8-inch cake, which is best enjoyed with a hot cup of tea or coffee.
Boterkoek {Dutch Butter Cake}
recipe: adapted from allrecipes.com
Yields one 8 inch cake.
- 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 cup butter, room temperature
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1 egg, room temperature, beaten
- 1 1/2 teaspoons almond extract
- icing (confectioner’s) sugar for garnish (optional)
Mise en place – start by getting organized. Read through the entire recipe before beginning. Measure out all of your ingredients.
Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease and line an 8 inch cake pan with parchment paper.
Whisk together the flour and baking powder, and set aside.
In a large bowl, cream together the butter and sugar with a hand-held mixer (or stand mixer), until light and fluffy.
Add the beaten egg and mix until well combined. Beat in the almond extract.
Stir in the flour mixture by hand, making sure the ingredients are well combined. The batter will be thick and somewhat stiff.
Press evenly into the prepared pan.
Bake for 25-30 minutes – until the top is golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the centre comes out clean.
Remove from oven and allow to cool for a few minutes on a wire rack. Invert onto the wire rack, remove the parchment paper, and then allow to cool completely. Dust with icing sugar prior to serving.
Cut into wedges to serve. Store tightly wrapped or in an airtight container.
I’m feeling all the feelings over this. Plus butter cake. So what if the cup of tea has a few extra emotional old mommy/missing best girlfriend special moment tears, right?
Mmmmm we have a winner! And it’s not the pooping child. It’s the cake. Although I’m sure the child is delectable as well. N E Way. Cake!
Aw, Auntie Beaucoup! Welcome, wee Thijs. Enjoy your cake. xo
Awww! Congrats! My husband is Dutch, so I’ve eaten my fair share (and probably a few other people’s share) of butter cake, but I’ve only attempted to make it once (with disastrous consequences). Perhaps it’s time to give it another try.
This version is about as easy as it gets! You got this…
Beautiful photos and a great story – everything I love about Movita Beaucoup! Also cake for the win!
I’m going to make it right now—even though I I don’t have a wee baby in the house!
After all……..it’s March*
thank you, my sweet
So sweet! The story and the cake. Question, though: do I need to have a small child poop all over my house in order to make it? I hope not, because it sounds freaking amazing. The cake, I mean, not the poop all over the house. Just to be clear.
Ask your husband to stink up the place, and that should be enough.
This cake would certainly ease the stress of sleepless nights and numerous diaper explosions! A nice treat for any new mamas!
Gorgeous cake, Movita! I don’t think I’ve heard of this before. Looks like one to make for sure!
I hadn’t heard of it either! My wonderful boss told me about boterkoeks – though she hadn’t had it for years and years, but it was burned on her brain. It kind of reminds me of an almond flavoured sugar cookie, but softer and considerably bigger!
Oh, I love how easy this cake is!
Both Frank and I are in tears…he is an easy target, mind you. I cannot say just how much this post means…only that I miss you a lot. It will go immediately into Thijs’ baby book. The past seven days of hormone surge has been not very nice…although the little fellow is adorable and sweet. You nailed all feelings with this post. Sending you a lot of love and a request to skype soon please? (One negative…now Frank is asking if this means I will make the cake cos he loves them….). I miss you!
This is exactly why I stated that asking Frank to make it might be advisable. Yes, let’s be like the cool kids and talk on the picture phone. You can hold Thijs up so I can give him a once over… I miss you so, so much! xox
What a lovely post, Movita! My best friend moved away about five years ago and even though she’s only a two hour drive away, I don’t see her and her little one enough. I love that you dedicated this post to your friend and little Thijs. This butter cake looks pretty legit too. It’s gorgeous!
I am going to be saying ButterKOOK all day today. Yes!
Screw french, let’s learn Dutch instead. Because everything sounds so fun and amazing in Dutch. Can we learn dutch? Also have you tried the duolingo app? I was on a kick with it thinking I would learn french (sorry this is what happens when I read two posts back to back) but all the phrases it was telling me was about rich men. Do people only learn french to speak to rich men? Did I miss something?
What is with babies and poop? SO MUCH POOP. Like little poop factories. I can’t handle that kind of thing. It’s just too much.
But this cake. I NEED THIS CAKE. Maybe it’ll be my no-muss no-fuss delicious birthday cake. I think it counts, right?
I’ve made this cake so often or at least something similar and I never knew it was Dutch! My advice would be to keep this kid on liquids for as long as possible. Then give him this cake and watch out!
Such a sweet post…poop and all. This cake looks delicious!
Too sweet for words. Anyone with a new baby knows all about poop. Poop in the diaper, poop down the leg. Poop up the back, Poop on the floor, Poop on the wall. After a month or so, it just seems normal, doesn’t it?
It’s been a long time and frankly if I had a baby around now, I’d need some of that cake just to get me through.
I sort of wish i DID have a newborn around so you could make me this cake. Oh wait: I could make this cake for MYSELF and give it to MY 4yo “baby”…perfect. I have a reason/excuse now.
Comments on this post are now closed as it was published in March 2015.