UPDATE: Caution before making this recipe. I have been receiving feedback that about 50% of the time the result are not great. The cakes sink in the middle and are too wet & greasy from all the butter. I also get feedback that the Butter Cakes worked great. I need to work on the recipe and try to figure out why this recipe is not 100% successful for everyone. Check back in a few weeks.
I just discovered Warm Butter Cake. Unfortunately. A toasty butter cake, topped with a thin layer of vanilla cheesecake, and that topped with a sweet crunchy sugar crust. Yes, a blow torch is involved. It is warmed, and served with a scoop of vanilla bean ice cream. Just one bite and I entered a meditative state while the buttery goodness slowly dissolved in my mouth.
I heard so much about the Warm Butter Cake dessert served at Mastro’s Steakhouse and California Pizza Kitchen that I just had to try it. Yes, you can go to either of those wonderful restaurants and order it any time you want. I don’t know where the recipe originated but I adapted this one from Epicurious.com that matched all the copycat recipes. It is actually easy to make, and very dangerous to know that.
Now for the bad news. This recipes calls for 4 sticks of butter and 1 package of cream cheese for 6 individual cakes. I started to add up all the calories and carbs and stopped at 1000 per cake. At that point what difference does it make. This is going to be my new special occasion treat, in addition to dark chocolate of course. Cold Butter Cake is even wonderful for breakfast with a cup of Italian roast coffee. These are great make-ahead desserts, and just need to be warmed in the microwave for 1 minute before serving. UPDATE: I updated the recipe to chill the cooked cakes in the fridge overnight to avoid mushy centers. This seems to solve the problem some people were having. Warm in microwave before adding the brûlée topping and serve.
Try to use the mini-springform cake pans if you can. You can purchase them at Amazon here. You can also use oversized Ramekins. The kitchen torch I used is filled with butane and is a wonderful tool to have on hand for small jobs. Here is a good home use one and don't forget to order the butane cartridge.
The Epicurious recipe actually made only 4 individual cakes, but I stretched the batter to six cakes. The recipe makes a lot of batter, and filling them to the top risks spill over. Honestly the cake is so rich it does not need to be so big. I found that 6 pans filled ¾'s of the way made the perfect size cake.
Fill the pans ¾'s full with the butter batter and cheesecake topping.
Bake until golden.
Brûlée the sugar on top with a kitchen torch.
Serve with whipped cream or vanilla ice cream.
Warm Butter Cake or 1000 Calories of Bliss
Ingredients
Cake Batter
- 2 cups (4 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
- 4 ounces cream cheese room temperature
- 2 ¼ cups granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs room temperature
- ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
- 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract
Cream Cheese Layer
- 4 ounces cream cheese room temperature
- 1 egg room temperature
- ⅓ cup granulated sugar + 6 teaspoons for top
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 325 degrees (do not use convection). It's best to make the cakes a day ahead of time and chilled in fridge overnight.
- Spray 6 mini springform pans with baking spray. Place pans on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
Prepare the cake batter
- In a stand mixer cream butter, cream cheese, and sugar for 1-2 minutes. Add eggs one at a time and beat on low for 20 seconds after each addition. Add the vanilla and mix one more time.
- Whisk flour and salt, then slowly add to the creamed mixture. Beat on low until just incorporated, making sure not to over beat.
- Spoon the batter into the prepared springform pans filling them almost ¾'s of the way up.
Prepare the cream cheese layer
- In a the stand mixer bowl, whip together cream cheese and granulated sugar until creamed. Scrape sides and add the egg and vanilla extract. Beat again until smooth and fully combined.
- Ladle he cream cheese mixture on top of the butter cake batter. Wipe any batter from the top of each pan.
- Bake for 55 - 60 minutes, or until tops are golden brown and a toothpick comes out clean when inserted into the center of the cakes. Continue cooking for another 5-15 minutes if needed, checking at 5 minutes intervals.
- Remove from oven and let the cakes cool in the pan. Wrap each cake with plastic wrap and chill in the fridge overnight.
- When ready to serve, remove cake from pan, and place on a serving plate. (If desired, microwave the cake until warm for approximately 30 seconds). Sprinkle one teaspoon of sugar on top and with a kitchen blow torch brûlée the top and sides of the cake to caramelize the sugar crystals.
- Serve immediately with one scoop of vanilla bean ice cream on top or just whipped cream.
Pamela Johnson
Just made this recipe and it came out perfectly. Absolutely delicious and I will definitely be making these again.
Kim
Hi Cara,
These cakes are so cute! I am looking forward to trying them out, maybe for Easter brunch. Thanks for sharing!
Jen
We’ve made these several times and they are amazing. Just like what we had at Gary Danko in San Francisco, which is what I was searching for. Throw some vanilla ice cream, fresh mixed berries and raspberry compote on top and it’s absolute heaven!
Cara Kretz
Thank you so much for the note!
Maria
Followed the recipe, the cakes sink after cook and is way too runny and extremly sweet. Flavor is not bad in the crunchy outside. However the ingredients and measurements need to be modify.
Cara Kretz
Maria, thanks for the feedback. I'm trying to understand why it works for some people and not others. May I ask if you let them set in the refrigerator overnight to firm up before serving?
Maria
I did place them in the fridge overnight warm them in microwave 20 seconds and butter separates. The flavor is great thought so I will try it again and add 1/2 cup of flour and one egg. Or reduce butter or omit cream cheese.
Julie
I made these for my family tonight and they were freaking AMAZING!!! actually even better than CPK!!!! My dad told me "there's a special place in Hell for you for serving these to me"!! LOL!!
Cara Kretz
Thank you so much! I am thrilled to hear they are a hit!
Julie
Hi Cara! I'm planning on making these again for my husband's birthday, but I won't have time to make them a day ahead. Will several hours (about 6) in the fridge be sufficient?
Cara Kretz
Julie, That should work! They just firm up better when chilled at least 4 hours. Overnight is best but you should be fine.
Best,
Cara
Lisa Wilkey
What size mini spring form do I need to use?
Rona Price
I just made these and though they are fresh out of the oven and still cooling, they appear to have turned out fine (they feel solid/dense underneath when I touch the tops). I think I know what might have gone wrong for those who ended up with butter soup. I believe the recipe is just a bit confusing with regard to the amount of butter to use. I believe the total amount of butter is only 2 cups, i.e. 4 sticks, since 1 stick of butter is 1/2 cup. But the way the recipe is written, it looks like 2 cups PLUS 4 sticks. Is that what some of you did?
Cara Kretz
Thank you for the feedback. I have changed the recipe to say 2 cups so it not confusing. I also updated the recipe to chill the cakes overnight in the fridge. This will help harden the soft centers. A quick warm up in the microwave just before serving should come out perfect.
Wendy Ellis
I followed this recipe exactly and it looked so yummy coming out of the oven. Toothpick came out clean, and it was a beautiful golden brown on top. But on the inside it was like butter soup - SO much extra butter in the bottom of the ramekin that it wasn’t even cake-like. It was a mushy mess. I’ve had the real thing at Mastros many times, and while this tasted a *little* like it, it was not “cake” like the original is. I noticed other reviews here saying the same thing happened to theirs. So disappointed.
Cara Kretz
Thank you for the feedback. I have retested and updated the recipe to chill the cakes overnight in the fridge. This will help harden the soft centers. A quick warm up in the microwave just before serving should come out perfect.
Jenny
The batter tasted better than the cakes. Was so wet and greasy from all the butter. I’m all for butter flavor but i want a rich tender warm cake. Mine was goopy and chewy sides, greasy bottoms. Checked fondness with toothpicks, was almost worried i overbaked. So sad about this. It’s my sons favorite dessert! Was excited to make for his bday...i was disappointed.
Cara Kretz
Thank you for the feedback Jenny! I am so sorry about the experience. The recipe amounts match the one on Epicuious.com. I just don't know why it works for some and not for others. I added a "caution" on the recipe and will try to figure out why it fails. It really should be 100% successful for everyone.
Leonard P
Followed the recipe, even compared it to four other recipes online with the same exact ingredients and procedure. The ratio seems off. The cake has a nice rise then completely sinks into a mush of butter.
Cara Kretz
Thank you for the feedback. I have retested and updated the recipe to chill the cakes overnight in the fridge. This will help harden the soft centers. A quick warm up in the microwave just before serving should come out perfect.
Erika Clark
I tried this recipe, and followed the exact directions. My cakes out so and uncooked in the middle and crunchy on the outside. I'm confused because when I stuck the toothpick in it came out clean for everyone.
Cara Kretz
Thanks for the feedback. I do not understand how the cake tester can come out clean if undercooked in the center. Oven temps can vary. Obviously it needed to cook a little longer in your oven.
Dianne M Saternow
Can you use a 9 inch springform pan, or do you have to use the small ones??
Cara Kretz
Dianne,
In theory it should work. I have never tried it so cannot say for sure. IF you do try, I suggest it would take much longer to cook. That will be the trick to figure when its done. It could take up to 2 hours+. Use a cake tester in the center and look for dry, crumbly texture on the tester when you pull it out. Please let me know if you do and what you did. I may try it myself in a 9 inch to see what happens. If I do, I will let you know too.
Michael
Thanks for the great recipe. It looks great and I will try it! Please don't tell my cardiologist!
Barbara Kellams
I made this last night ...exact same recipe but from a different website. Recipe said use 4 mini springforms. Also didn't say put on a baking sheet. Had overflow and springforms may have even leaked. Sort of a disaster. Next time 6 pans, but now I am afraid of springforms. Any suggestions?
Cara, HomemadeitalianCooking
So sorry to hear that! Check your springform pan ahead of time for a good seal. Fill with some water and see if it holds. The ones I bought on Amazon were tightly sealed. I love using a Springform cake since they unlock and remove easily. I usually put pie and springform pans on a baking sheet for spill-overs and easier handling in and out of the oven. I hope you try them again. They really are amazing little cakes. Good luck!
Virginia Mitchuson
I had warm butter cake, on an Odyssey Cruise Ship. Amazing!
I'm hoping your recipe is like that cake!
Looks and sounds delicious!