Best 4 Classic Breton Butter Cake Recipes

facebook share image   twitter share image   pinterest share image   E-Mail share image

Welcome to the world of classic Breton butter cake, a traditional French pastry that exudes a symphony of flavors and textures. This iconic cake, originating from the region of Brittany in northwestern France, has captivated taste buds for centuries, enchanting dessert enthusiasts with its golden-brown crust, rich and velvety interior, and a distinctive caramelized crust. Embark on a culinary journey as we explore the secrets behind creating the perfect Breton butter cake, unraveling the nuances of its preparation, selecting the finest ingredients, and mastering the art of baking to achieve that perfect balance of flavors and textures.

Here are our top 4 tried and tested recipes!

BRETON BUTTER CAKE



Breton Butter Cake image

For dessert or breakfast, this supremely simple cake has a crisp, dense texture, similar to shortbread, that pairs perfectly with coffee.

Provided by Martha Stewart

Categories     Food & Cooking     Breakfast & Brunch Recipes

Yield Makes one 9-inch cake

Number Of Ingredients 8

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature, plus more for pan
1 cup sugar
1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
6 large egg yolks
2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 large whole egg, lightly beaten
Strawberry Compote

Steps:

  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cream butter and sugar in bowl of electric mixer fitted with paddle attachment until light and fluffy. Beat in vanilla and yolks one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add flour and salt; beat just until combined. Do not overmix.
  • Transfer batter to 9-inch tart pan with removable bottom; with small offset spatula, spread batter and smooth top. (If necessary, chill batter 10 minutes before smoothing.) Place pan in refrigerator 15 minutes.
  • Remove from refrigerator. Brush top with beaten egg, and mark a criss-cross pattern with a fork. Brush again with egg. Bake until cake is deep golden brown and edges pull away from sides of pan, about 50 minutes.
  • Transfer to a wire rack to cool slightly. Remove cake from pan, and slice while still warm. Serve with strawberry compote.

CLASSIC BRETON BUTTER CAKE



Classic Breton Butter Cake image

Provided by Martha Stewart

Categories     Food & Cooking     Dessert & Treats Recipes     Cake Recipes

Yield Makes 1 9-inch cake

Number Of Ingredients 7

2 sticks (1 cup) unsalted butter, room temperature, cut into small pieces, plus more for pan
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
1 cup cake flour (not self-rising)
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 large whole egg, lightly beaten, plus 4 large egg yolks
1 cup sugar

Steps:

  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter a 9-inch tart pan with removable bottom.
  • Sift both flours, baking powder, and salt into a large bowl; set aside.
  • In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the egg yolks and sugar on medium-high speed until doubled in volume and pale yellow, 2 to 3 minutes, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed. Add the butter in four parts, beating until completely combined after each, 1 to 2 minutes total. With the mixer on low speed, add flour mixture, beating until combined.
  • Transfer batter to prepared pan; with a small offset spatula, spread batter and smooth top. (If necessary, chill batter for 10 minutes before smoothing.) Refrigerate for 30 minutes.
  • Remove pan from refrigerator. Brush top with beaten egg, and mark a crosshatch pattern with a knife. Brush again with egg. Bake until cake is deep golden brown and edges pull away from sides of pan, 40 to 45 minutes. Cover with foil if browning too quickly.
  • Transfer to a wire rack to cool slightly. Remove cake from pan, and slice while still warm.

GATEAU BRETON



Gateau Breton image

You won't believe how delicious this French gateau Breton is. Well, it's really a cross between shortbread and cake, something that is very common for European cakes.

Provided by Dolce-Danielle

Categories     World Cuisine Recipes     European     French

Time 1h5m

Yield 8

Number Of Ingredients 6

6 egg yolks
1 tablespoon water
1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
1 cup butter, softened
¾ cup white sugar
2 tablespoons cornstarch

Steps:

  • Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Grease a 9-inch springform pan.
  • Mix 1 teaspoon egg yolk and water in a small bowl. Set aside for glazing the cake.
  • Combine remaining egg yolks, flour, butter, sugar, and cornstarch in a large bowl. Mix with an electric mixer until dough is stiff and sticky, similar to cookie dough. Knead dough a little bit to bring it together.
  • Press dough into the prepared pan with your hands. Brush glaze on top.
  • Bake in the preheated oven for 15 minutes. Reduce temperature to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Continue baking until golden brown, about 25 minutes more. Cool for 10 minutes. Slice cake crosswise.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 408.4 calories, Carbohydrate 38.9 g, Cholesterol 214.6 mg, Fat 26.5 g, Fiber 0.7 g, Protein 4.6 g, SaturatedFat 15.8 g, Sodium 170.1 mg, Sugar 18.9 g

GâTEAU BRETON



Gâteau Breton image

With its soft, buttery crumb, this classic French cake is similar to a giant shortbread, though moister and more tender. Its hidden prune filling is traditional, although you can use other dried fruit, such as apricot, instead. In France you sometimes even see bakers sandwiching melted chocolate or caramel between the layers. This keeps well if you want to bake it 1 or 2 days ahead. Store it well wrapped at room temperature.

Provided by Melissa Clark

Categories     cakes, dessert

Time 1h45m

Yield 12 servings

Number Of Ingredients 7

3/4 cup/100 grams pitted prunes or dried apricots (about 16)
2 tablespoons/30 milliliters rum
2 1/4 cups plus 2 1/2 tablespoons/300 grams all-purpose flour
1 cup/200 grams superfine sugar
Large pinch flaky sea salt
8 1/2 ounces/240 grams unsalted butter (2 sticks plus 1 tablespoon), diced, more for greasing pan
6 extra-large egg yolks

Steps:

  • In a small pot over medium-high heat, combine prunes, rum and 2 tablespoons water. (Use 1 cup/240 milliliters water if using dried apricots.) Cook until most of the liquid has been absorbed (about 5 minutes for prunes, 10 to 15 for apricots). Use a fork to mash into a thick purée. Cover and chill.
  • In a food processor, pulse to combine flour, sugar and salt. Add butter and pulse until mixture resembles bread crumbs. Add 5 egg yolks and pulse until mixture comes together as a dough. Divide in half, form into disks, and wrap in plastic wrap. Chill at least 2 hours or until firm.
  • Heat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and line an 8-inch round cake pan with parchment paper. Between two sheets of parchment paper or plastic wrap, roll one of the dough halves into an 8-inch circle. Transfer dough to prepared cake pan, pressing into edges. Spread prune or apricot purée across dough, leaving 3/4 inch border around outside edge. Roll second piece of dough into an 8-inch circle, transfer to cake pan, press around outside edge to stick the pieces together and seal in fruit purée.
  • In a small bowl, combine remaining egg yolk with 1 teaspoon water and beat lightly. Brush over top of cake, then use a fork to score a crisscross pattern into the dough. Bake until golden brown, about 50 minutes (cover with foil if cake is browning too quickly). Cool in pan 15 minutes. Flip onto a plate, then invert onto a wire rack and let cool completely.

Nutrition Facts : @context http, Calories 442, UnsaturatedFat 7 grams, Carbohydrate 59 grams, Fat 19 grams, Fiber 2 grams, Protein 7 grams, SaturatedFat 11 grams, Sodium 21 milligrams, Sugar 20 grams, TransFat 1 gram

Tips:

  • Use high-quality ingredients for the best results.
  • Make sure the butter is cold and cut into small pieces before creaming it with the sugar.
  • Cream the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy, this will help to incorporate air into the batter and give the cake a light and airy texture.
  • Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition.
  • Sift the flour and baking powder together before adding them to the batter.
  • Do not overmix the batter, this can make the cake tough.
  • Bake the cake in a preheated oven until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
  • Allow the cake to cool completely before frosting.

Conclusion:

The Classic Breton Butter Cake is a delicious and easy-to-make cake that is perfect for any occasion. With its simple ingredients and straightforward instructions, this cake is sure to be a hit with everyone who tries it. The cake is moist and flavorful, with a delicate crumb and a rich buttery taste. The frosting is the perfect complement to the cake, adding a touch of sweetness and creaminess. Whether you are a seasoned baker or a beginner, this cake is a great choice for your next baking project.

Related Topics