Buttercake is our most requested recipe.
Pictured below: one of the buttercakes we used to sell, a test batch before and after the oven, and some cinnamon rolls made with the leftover dough.
This formula is still being tested and may be revised.
Last updated: 3/27/24.
Tips
Prep:
Butter the form well, I don't recommend using sprays.
Because of the temperature drop when opening a kitchen oven, it helps to preheat it 25 degrees over baking temp, just make sure you drop it right away!
Butter should be high quality for the topping, I use unsalted grass-fed. Room Temp
More notes at the bottom.
Adjusting Egg & Liquid amounts:
Eggs: Since a single egg isn't likely to match what you need in each of these formulas you should thoroughly whisk enough eggs in a separate bowl for both the topping and the dough then add what is needed from that to each mix of the topping and dough. This is where using a scale is important. These formulas are broken down from very large batches where being off by a few ounces doesn't matter but it does here.
Water/Milk: If you don't have milk powder use milk instead of water. Use slightly less milk than stated and add some at the end if needed.
Dough Mix: The dough should be shaped and chilled overnight in the fridge. Longer ferments are better. You need to adjust the amount of flour depending on type, and seasonal humidity.
Topping Mix: The buttertopping can be mixed a day ahead and kept in the fridge. Let sit on the counter for an hour or more to get to near room temp while the dough warms up. Mix it up again with a paddle before depositing it on the dough.
Dough & Topping amounts: 8 ounces of donut dough and 9-10 ounces of topping for 1 - 7"x11" brownie pan. This gets you a 6"x10" buttercake we used to sell as pictured in the cardboard tray above.
9x13 form = approx 16-18 ounces of dough and 18-20 ounces of topping. These amounts are still being tested.
Proofing: Shape/Roll the dough to fill most of the pan. Let it relax & come up to room temperature. Stretch and pull the dough to fill the form. Roll with a "Docker" or prick with a fork all over. Add the buttertopping and proof slowly at room temperature. Don't put it in a warm oven or all the topping will turn into a slurry long before it's baked.
Baking: 365 for 25 minutes or until the topping is golden brown on the surface but gooey underneath. Adjust according to your oven, humidity, and elevation. Convection ovens need to reduce time and temp. Remove once the topping is browned. If the dough is not baked you've used too much dough and need to make a thinner layer.
For my own oven I'm preheating to 375, baking at 365 for 23-27 minutes. (Testing these temps as of 3/27/24)
Butter-topping (Ours)
Batch 1
1lb, 12 oz Yield for 3 - 7x11 forms (8 oz each) or 1-2 - 9x13 forms. Tested OK
- Sugar = 15 ounces
- Butter unsalted grass-fed = 7 ounces
- Eggs = 2.14 ounces (61 grams or 1 Extra Large Egg)
- Milk Powder = 1 ounce (28.3 grams) Omit if using milk instead of water
- Flour = 1/2 ounce (14.2 grams)
- Salt = 0.125 ounces (3.5 grams)
- Vanilla = 1/3 teaspoon (variable)
- Water = 3 ounces (85 grams)
Batch 2
1 Pound Yield for making 2 - 7x11 or 9x9 form (8 oz each) or 1 - 9x13 form. Tested OK
- Sugar = 8.28 ounces
- Butter unsalted grass-fed = 3.86 ounces
- Eggs = 1.77 ounces (50 grams or 1 Large Egg)
- Milk Powder = 0.55 ounces (15.5 grams)
- Flour = 0.28 ounces (8 grams)
- Salt = 0.07 ounces (2 grams)
- Vanilla = 1/4 teaspoon (variable)
- Water = 1.7 ounces (48.2 grams)
Our Donut dough
2 lb batch. Not Done Testing
Enough for 3 - 7x11 forms or 2 - 9"x13" forms. The remainder can be shaped into rolls, proofed, and baked
- Water / Milk warmed 7.36 oz (208.7 grams) / Not Done Testing
- Yeast = 1.4 ounces compressed baker's yeast or 20 grams of dry yeast (Dry Yeast conversion is 1/2 of wet yeast. don't use fast-acting)
- Sugar = 2.3 ounces / 65 grams
- Butter = 2.8 ounces / 79 grams
- Eggs = 2.9 ounces / 82 grams
- Milk Powder = This has been omitted in favor of milk. Originally it was 1.35 ounces / 38.25 grams
- Salt = 1/4 ounces / 7.5 grams kosher
- Spring Flour = Not Done Testing - Combined 15.9 ounces / 450 grams
- Pastry Flour = Not Done Testing - Added to Spring Flour
The ratio of Flour is 1.5 parts Pastry Flour to 4 parts Spring flour OR substitute with All-Purpose Flour.
Add flour until it forms a nice dough that barely pulls away from the sides while mixing.
Don't over mix as this is meant to be a softer dough, not like a bread dough.
Alternative Basic Soft Dough Recipe
25 ounces
- Warm Milk = 3/4 cup (6 fluid ounces)
- Yeast = 7 grams (1 packet or 2.25 tsp)
stir then add - Egg = 50 grams (1 large egg)
mix then add - Sugar 51 grams / 1.8 ounces (1/4 cup)
- Butter, softened = 57 grams2 ounces
mix well
then combine & add slowly - Flour = 369 grams (13 ounces or 3 cups)
- Salt = 4.5 grams (3/4 teaspoon)
Notes:
You can use all-purpose flour instead of 2 different flours. Donut dough is a softer dough than bread dough.
Fresh yeast - crumble up and add to water
Dry yeast - whisk up with water, adjust/add water in the formula
Mix as you like, you can try these steps using dry yeast...
1 - Cream butter and sugar well
2 - Add eggs slowly, mix well
(If the amount in your bowl is small and the dough hook isn't making enough contact to mix then add some of the flour without salt at this point)
3 - Add fresh yeast and water mixture
4 - Mix dry and add to liquid
5 - Mix until combined then 5 minutes on low speed until well developed
Whatever method you use just take your time and mix each step well.
Bake at 375 for 30 minutes or until the topping is golden brown on the surface but gooey underneath. Convection ovens need to reduce time and temp. Remove once the topping is browned. If the dough is not baked you've used too much dough and need to make a thinner layer.
Grams conversions below have been rounded.
Vanilla: Spend the money on pure Madagascar-type vanilla.