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The Flavor Bender Recipes All Dessert Recipes Cakes & Cupcakes Sri Lankan Butter Cake (Authentic Recipe)

Sri Lankan Butter Cake (Authentic Recipe)

1 hr
Easy
Cakes & Cupcakes
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1.4K shares

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Author: Dini K.
Posted: 8/11/2020
Updated: 8/11/2020

Authentic Sri Lankan Butter Cake is easy to make. And easy to love! It’s essentially a pound cake, but even more deliciously moist, light and buttery. And perfectly sweet, with a gorgeous crumb. Often accompanied with a cup of tea, and absolutely no frosting. And it’s very popular as a birthday cake too!

Classic Sri Lankan Butter Cake recipe with step by step instructions!

A close up of two pieces of butter cake on a small serving plate

This is the first cake I learned to make as a kid. That’s no surprise because it’s perhaps the most popular type of cake in Sri Lanka. If a little me can bake this cake with little hassle, then you can nail this recipe too.

What is a Sri Lankan Butter Cake?

This is essentially a pound cake. This butter cake is made with butter (duh), and flavored with vanilla. It’s served in every bakery in Sri Lanka (no really, every single one of them without fail), because it’s a simple cake that can be served during special occasions as well as mundane occasions. Due to its simplicity and relative inexpensiveness, it’s widely popular!

Although it is made with butter and vanilla, butter can be expensive in Sri Lanka. So most people substitute the butter with margarine. Butter has more flavor in my opinion, but margarine does yield a softer cake. So you can use half butter and half margarine if you like.

A close up of the butter cake crumb

I also prefer using vanilla extract. Some people use almond extract as well. Some families use a little lime rind or lemon rind, because vanilla extract used to be hard to find when I was growing up. The primary purpose of this flavoring is to shield any “eggy” smell. But good quality vanilla extract does add a flavor that is hard to beat.

This cake doesn’t have any frosting, or any toppings. Just like regular pound cake. The flavor and texture of this butter cake are bold and beautiful enough on their own!

Is this similar to an American butter cake?

Similar, but not the same.

American butter cake usually has more sugar compared to this Sri Lankan butter cake. This butter cake recipe has more in common with an American pound cake recipe (because of the added milk).

However, all of these cakes derive from a common ancestor – the classic British pound cake.

Is butter cake hard to make?

This is a common question I get. The answer is not at all.

Yes, baking is a science of sorts. But if you have a weighing scale, an oven, a bowl and a mixer – this cake is indeed a piece of cake.

It’s important to get the consistency right at each step, so make sure to read the whole recipe properly once or twice before you start, and check out the photos in the post to know what to expect.

There are two ways people choose to make Sri Lankan butter cake. You could do it either way, but let me explain each method first.

Sri Lankan butter cake on a cooling wire rack

Two ways to make butter cake

The classic method – This is the method that I’ll be sharing in this post. The butter and sugar are creamed together and then WHOLE EGGS are added to the batter, followed by milk and dry ingredients.

The sponge method – This method will use the same ingredients as the classic method, but usually without the baking powder. However the eggs are separated, and only the egg yolks are added to the butter and sugar mixture. The egg whites are whisked separately and folded into the batter at the end.

Which method do I prefer?

Classic method. This method is easier, and the results are amazing. The texture here is more like that of a classic cake as well. This way you don’t have to whisk the egg whites separately and you still get an amazingly light texture. If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it, right?

With the sponge method, the cake relies on the egg whites for “lift”. The final cake has a more sponge cake-like texture as well.

Pieces of butter cake, standing upright on a serving plate

Can I make butter cake without a mixer?

Yes, you can! It takes a little longer, and it’ll be a good arm workout too.

The hardest part is creaming the butter and sugar until really light and fluffy. Once that step is done, the rest will be a breeze to do by hand.

How to make the perfect Sri Lankan Butter Cake

Ingredients

You will need equal amounts of butter, sugar, all purpose flour and eggs. To make sure you have equal amounts of each of these ingredients, you MUST weigh them, including the eggs.

It’s also very important that ALL the ingredients are at room temperature. If it’s a cold day, then make sure the butter is at about 73 F / 23 C. It’s important that the butter is softened, but NOT melted.

Softened butter, with a dent in it to show how soft it is

Apart from these core ingredients, you will also need;

  • Baking powder – the chemical leavener to “lift” the cake and make it lighter.
  • Vanilla – flavoring to make the cake taste better, and enhance the buttery flavor and sweetness.
  • Milk (at room temperature) – unlike classic pound cake, milk is added to the cake batter here. The extra liquid makes the cake batter light, and yields a cake with a beautiful, light crumb. Pound cake on the other hand has a more dense crumb.

Make sure you have the right tools to make the cake first.

  • Stand mixer (preferable), or hand mixer
  • An 8 inch or 9 inch square pan
  • Parchment paper
  • Spatula

The process of making butter cake

Line your baking pan (8 or 9 inch square pan) with parchment paper. I usually only line the bottom of the pan, and then butter and flour the sides. But you can leave a generous overhang of parchment paper over the sides, so that it’s easier to remove the cake from the pan.

A parchment lined square pan to bake butter cake

The first step is to place the softened butter and salt in your mixer bowl. Using the paddle attachment in your mixer, beat the butter until light and creamy.

Fluffy, creamy butter in a mixer bowl after being mixed with a hand mixer
Mixing the butter until creamy
Adding sugar to the creamed butter
Add the sugar to the creamed butter

Add the sugar, and cream the butter and sugar together until you have a very light and fluffy butter-sugar mix. Half way through creaming these ingredients, scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl to make sure everything is mixing evenly. DO NOT SKIP THE STEP. It’s crucial for how fluffy and soft the cake will be at the end. Take your time and make sure you get this step right. There’ll be plenty of time to enjoy your fruits (cakes?) of labor later.

An image showing the texture of the creamed butter and sugar at the start of the process of making butter cake
This is what the batter looks like as soon as the sugar is mixed into it
Creamier, fluffier butter and sugar mixture after mixing for a few minutes
After a few minutes of creaming the butter and sugar mixture

Next, add the eggs. For 250 g of butter, you may need 4 – 5 eggs (weighed with the shells). Mix one at a time, and add the next one only after the previous egg has been mixed in. It’s also important not to over-beat the batter once you add the eggs.

4 eggs in a bowl
One egg added to the creamed butter sugar mixture

Over-beating the eggs will incorporate more air that could deflate during and after the baking process. The result would be a sunken cake.

Sift the flour and baking powder together. You will be adding the dry ingredients into the cake batter alternately with the milk. Make sure to end with the flour.

Preventing overmixing of the batter

Very important that you do not overmix the batter while folding in the flour. Fold in the flour gently with a spatula to avoid overworking the gluten in the dough. If you end up with a rubbery, dry cake with a dense crumb with tunnel-like holes – this is usually the culprit.

Fold the flour in using a big, flat spatula. Do this by sweeping the spatula THROUGH the middle of the batter, and then go along the wall of the bowl from the bottom to the top, and then fold it over. Rotate the bowl and repeat to evenly mix in the flour. DO NOT stir or mix the batter vigorously.

Once the flour and milk are folded in, the batter is ready to be baked. The batter should be smooth and light yellow in color. It should not look grainy or be too liquid.

Dry ingredients - flour and baking powder in a bowl
room temperature milk in a jug next to the bowl of dry ingredients
Cake batter in a bowl, with dry ingredients added on top
An image to show mid way through the folding process of the flour into the cake batter

How to bake the butter cake, and tell when it’s done.

Scrape the batter into the prepared baking pan. The longer you let your batter sit on your counter, the less active the baking powder is going to be. This is why we prepared the baking pan first! Once the batter is in the pan, use an offset spatula to evenly spread it.

Cake batter that has been made and poured into a prepared cake pan.

To make sure there are no big air holes trapped in the batter – knock the pan on your kitchen counter about 2 – 3 times. This not only knocks out air pockets from the batter, but also makes the batter spread evenly in the pan.

I bake my Sri Lankan butter cake in a oven preheated to 325 F. Since the cake is a square, and the heat doesn’t distribute as evenly as in a round pan, I like to bake the cake at a slightly lower temperature. This way the cake bakes a little slowly, but also evenly.

Using a spatula to spread the smooth butter cake batter evenly in the pan

Bake the cake in your preheated oven until the cake is done. This can vary slightly depending on whether you used an 8 or 9 inch pan, or your oven. But you will know it’s done when you insert a toothpick in the center of the cake, and it comes out clean. The cake surface will also spring back slightly when gently pressed with a finger.

The butter cake batter in the cake pan, ready to be baked
A freshly baked sri lankan butter cake, still in the cake pan

Why is my butter cake domed? Can I have a flat surface?

A little doming is natural. And it’s not a bad thing. It you want a flat surface on your butter cake, then you can either bake the cake in a water bath, or wrap the baking pan with these even bake oven strips. Both of these methods slow down the baking process and help distribute the heat evenly, which will largely prevent any doming.

You can also make the cake by separating the egg whites, and whisking them into a meringue and then adding this to the cake batter. This will substitute the baking powder. This can also help make the surface flat.

Two cakes on two wire racks, to show the different in height between 8 and 9 inch cake pans
The difference in height between a 9 inch (L) and 8 inch (R) square cake pan

Personally, I prefer it with a slightly domed surface. It’s the natural end result, and there’s just no reason to mess with that.

A properly baked butter cake should have a nice brown top with absolutely NO spots. Usually cakes have spots on the crust when the sugar and butter weren’t mixed properly, and/or the sugar didn’t dissolve. It can also happen if you accidentally added too much sugar to your cake batter.

Serving suggestions

What else does this Sri Lankan butter cake need to make it extra special and extra delicious? NOTHING, absolutely NOTHING! It’s a delightfully light, moist, buttery cake with a gorgeous crumb and perfect sweetness, with a hint of vanilla flavor. And it’s the simplicity of this butter cake that helps those flavors and textures shine through as well. It’s a snack cake that is usually served with tea or coffee, so it’s not meant to be too sweet or indulgent.

BUT if your renegade self is so inclined, you can dust some confectioner’s sugar on top.

My sister used to eat this cake with a drizzle of condensed milk and melted chocolate. I know! She got me hooked on it too for awhile, until we both outgrew that sickeningly sweet tooth. Or maybe the sweet tooth outgrew us.

You could also serve it with some berries and a little whipped cream. A dark chocolate sauce is also a great choice.

If you’d like to make a birthday cake out of this butter cake, then you can simply make two layers, and sandwich the two layers with my classic vanilla buttercream!

You can even color the batter to make a classic Sri Lankan ribbon cake like this!

Two pieces of Sri Lankan butter cake served on a plate, with more pieces in the background and a cup of tea

 

Looking for more recipes?Sign up for my free recipe newsletter to get new recipes in your inbox each week! Find me sharing more inspiration on Pinterest and Instagram.

5 from 24 votes

Sri Lankan Butter Cake

Author: Dini K.
Yield: 28 - 32 pieces (approximately 1" x 2" pieces)
Cuisine: European, Sri Lankan
Authentic Sri Lankan Butter Cake that's light, buttery and moist, with a beautiful crumb, perfect sweetness, and a hint of vanilla flavor! Follow this step by step recipe for perfect results!
EASY - This recipe is easy to make even for beginners. A great basic cake recipe that can be served as a birthday cake as well.
US based cup, teaspoon, tablespoon measurements. Common Measurement Conversions. Weight measurements are recommended for accurate results.
Prep: 30 minutes minutes
Cooling time: 1 hour hour
Cook: 30 minutes minutes
Total Time: 1 hour hour
Difficulty: Easy
Servings: 28 pieces
Print Rate

Ingredients:

  • 250 g unsalted butter (1 ⅛ cup) softened to 73°F
  • ¼ tsp sea salt use a generous ¼ tsp
  • 250 g white sugar (1¼ cup) caster sugar is better, but not required
  • 250 g eggs 4 - 5 eggs, weighed with the shell, at room temperature
  • 2 tsp vanilla extract use less if using vanilla essence
  • 250 g all purpose flour 2 cups, measured by spoon and level method
  • 2 tsp baking powder
  • 79 mL milk (⅓ cup) at room temperature

Instructions:

  • Butter and line the bottom of a 8 or 9 inch square pan with parchment paper. You could also line the sides of the pan with parchment paper, or simply butter and flour the sides. Set aside.
  • Preheat oven to 325°F / 165°C.
  • Place the butter and salt in a large bowl. With a hand mixer, or the paddle attachment on your stand mixer, beat the butter until light and creamy.
  • Then add the sugar, and cream the butter and sugar mixture for about 5 - 7 minutes on medium high speed. Scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl to make sure all the butter and sugar are well-mixed.
  • The mixture should be pale in color, light and very fluffy. This step is important, so make sure it has the right texture. Add the vanilla and continue to mix.
  • While you cream the butter and sugar mixture, prepare the eggs. Break the eggs open into a bowl (make sure there are no shells).
  • Add the eggs, one at a time, into the creamed butter-sugar mix. Make sure each egg addition is mixed in well before adding the next one. Scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl in between additions so that the eggs are mixed in well.
  • Once the eggs are mixed through, the batter is ready for the dry ingredients.
  • Sift the flour and baking powder together. Place the room temperature milk in a small jug/container.
  • Add the sifted dry ingredients in 3 - 4 additions, alternating with the milk, and ending with the dry ingredients. (Once you add the first portion of dry ingredients, FOLD it in with a spatula. Then add half of the milk and fold that into the mixture as well. Repeat with another portion of dry ingredients and the rest of the milk, then end with the final portion of dry ingredients.)
  • Make sure there are no flour lumps in the mixture at this point, but also be careful not to overmix the flour in the batter.
  • Scrape the batter into the prepared baking pan. Using an offset spatula, spread the batter evenly in the pan. Knock the pan against your kitchen counter 2 - 3 times to remove any trapped air bubbles and to evenly spread the batter in the pan.
  • Place the baking pan in the preheated oven, and bake for 35 - 40 minutes, until the cake is baked through. Rotate the pan once (carefully) halfway through the baking time. The cake is done when a toothpick inserted into the middle of the cake comes out clean, and the surface of the cake is slightly springy to the touch.
  • Remove the pan from the oven and let it cool down for 5 - 10 minutes. Carefully flip the cake out onto a cooling wire rack. Peel off the parchment paper, and then flip the cake over again (so that it's right side up). Use a cake lifter or a cutting board to help with this, because the cake is soft at this point and could break.
  • Let the cake cool completely. Store the cake in an air-tight container for up to 3 days, or in the fridge for up to 5 days. This cake (wrapped and stored in a container) will freeze very well, and can be stored in the freezer for up to 3 months.
  • Slice the cake into any size pieces. I have sliced them into 1” x 2” sized pieces in these photos (28 - 32 pieces). Serve immediately.

Nutrition Information:

Serving: 1pieceCalories: 143kcal (7%)Carbohydrates: 16g (5%)Protein: 2g (4%)Fat: 8g (12%)Saturated Fat: 5g (31%)Cholesterol: 43mg (14%)Sodium: 33mg (1%)Potassium: 60mg (2%)Fiber: 1g (4%)Sugar: 9g (10%)Vitamin A: 262IU (5%)Calcium: 26mg (3%)Iron: 1mg (6%)

“This website provides approximate nutrition information for convenience and as a courtesy only. Nutrition data is gathered primarily from the USDA Food Composition Database, whenever available, or otherwise other online calculators.”

Course:Cakes, Desserts, Snacks, Tea / coffee break
Cuisine:European, Sri Lankan
Keyword:Butter Cake, Cakes, Classic Pound Cake, Easy Cakes, Sri Lankan, Sri Lankan Butter Cake
Did you make this?Tag me on Instagram!I love seeing what you’ve made! Tag me on Instagram at @TheFlavorBender or leave me a comment & rating below.

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  1. Hudha says

    August 3, 2023 at 12:02

    Hi dini.
    I tried this take, it was delicious. But was dry. Do you have any clue why it turned out to b dry?

    Reply
    • Dini says

      August 3, 2023 at 22:46

      Hi Hudha
      If the cake was dry it usually is because the cake was overbaked. This can happen if the cake was baked too long or baked in an oven that was too hot, or the wrong sized pan.
      Once you have an idea which one of these reasons caused the cake to be dry, you can easily adjust the bake time or lower the oven temperature to fix it.

      I hope that helps!

      Reply
  2. Sharon says

    June 16, 2023 at 09:30

    5 stars
    Great recipe! Apparently the older recipes had condensed milk in them. My mum noticed that flavour missing from this – have you heard this? And if so, how would you add it to this recipe?

    Reply
    • Dini says

      June 16, 2023 at 12:40

      Hi Sharon!
      That’s so interesting! This is how my grandmother also made butter cake, so I’m not sure how condensed milk is added to the recipe. Unless some condensed milk is mixed with the milk? I wouldn’t substitute all the milk with condensed milk because the cake will be too sweet and the heavy condensed milk might make the final cake texture too dense as well.
      We used to love eating this cake WITH condensed milk (when we were kids) though!
      I hope that helps!

      Reply
  3. Ambika Namasivayam says

    May 24, 2023 at 09:24

    5 stars
    Hi Dini.

    Thanks for this recipe.
    I remember you had a butter cake recipe with half butter half oil.

    I wonder if you can post that recipe here on your website.
    Thank you so much

    Reply
    • Dini says

      May 24, 2023 at 10:59

      Hi Ambika
      The recipe where I use half butter and half oil is for my Vanilla Cake recipe! It has been on the blog since 2018. I hope that helps!

      Reply
  4. Cate says

    May 3, 2023 at 03:07

    This is just a Victoria Sponge cake in the UK. Officially the sponge is 2oz of sugar/butter/flour per egg, but many people weigh the eggs (average egg weighs 2oz, but allows for variations in size)

    It’s Sri-Lanka day at school and I was after a unique traditional recipe, but unfortunately this is also a classic British cake recipe that why eat all the time. We usually serve as 2 layers sandwiched with jam and cream.

    Reply
    • Dini says

      May 3, 2023 at 08:31

      Hi Cate
      That’s disappointing! This is actually a classic Sri Lankan cake that is served during so many occasions and loved by many.
      As you know, Sri Lanka was colonized by the British, so was probably introduced to this cake during that era. Also, this is a cake. Cakes are made with very similar ingredients all over the world with varying ratios, so I’m not quite sure what you expected from a cake recipe.
      This cake is served as is, without any buttercream, with a cup of tea which makes this an undoubtedly Sri Lankan classic, so it’s different from the filled version that you mentioned.

      Reply
  5. Shani says

    April 7, 2023 at 05:39

    Thanks for the recipe. Can I substitute with self raising flour? What’s the difference?

    Reply
    • Dini says

      April 7, 2023 at 06:45

      Hi Shani
      Self raising flour already has baking powder added. I do not recommend using it because I cannot guarantee how much baking powder is in the flour and if it will be sufficient for the same rise.
      You are welcome to try it, but if the cake is dense at the end that means it needed more baking powder.
      Hope that helps

      Reply
  6. Inoka kodikara says

    March 18, 2023 at 07:19

    5 stars
    I loved this butter cake receipe thank you………

    Reply
  7. Bo says

    March 10, 2023 at 21:45

    5 stars
    Perfect recipe!!!

    Reply
  8. Lizz says

    February 20, 2023 at 04:43

    5 stars
    Hi..i loved the recipe so much..i already tried the cake n all my family love that cake so much..tq ya

    Reply
  9. Nitika says

    February 5, 2023 at 03:08

    5 stars
    Great recipe! Thank you. Instructions were clear and so informative. Cake came out perfect thank you.

    Reply
  10. Judith says

    December 16, 2022 at 18:12

    5 stars
    The cake came out so good. Thank you for giving clear instructions.

    Reply
    • Dini says

      December 16, 2022 at 18:20

      Thank you Judith, I’m so glad the instructions were helpful! 🙂

      Reply
  11. Sofie says

    April 19, 2022 at 21:04

    Hi,

    If i wanted to make this cake with two layers (pink and green coloured layers), do I mix the ingredients as one whole cake but then split the batter into two pans when it comes to baking?

    Reply
    • Dini says

      April 20, 2022 at 10:09

      Hi Sofie
      You would split the batter into two bowls and color each the colors you want.
      To get two neat, even and clean layers, you should bake them in separate pans as well.
      I hope that helps!

      Reply
      • Sofie says

        April 20, 2022 at 18:21

        Thank you!

        Reply
        • Craig G says

          April 21, 2022 at 08:47

          Hi Sofie! Would love for you to send a pic of your progress!

          Reply
  12. Anna Xavier says

    April 3, 2022 at 08:52

    What a great recipe! The perfect butter cake! Thank you for sharing such a detailed recipe with all the notes too!

    Reply
  13. Amila D says

    February 12, 2022 at 10:50

    5 stars
    The best butter cake i’ve made to date! Got rave reviews

    Reply
  14. Nisha Silva says

    January 28, 2022 at 03:55

    Dear Dini,

    Hi! I will be making an attempt to make butter cake some time next week.

    My oven is a gas oven and starts at 180 degrees. Is that alright? I see you have mentioned 165 degrees.

    Please let me know. Thank you so much.

    Reply
    • Dini says

      January 28, 2022 at 09:56

      Hi Nisha
      It’s hard for me to be 100% sure how your gas oven works. Some gas oven have a fan to circulate the air, and some may not have this. Depending on this the temperature inside the oven will change and the only way to know for sure is to use an oven thermometer.
      You can bake at 180C and see if it will bake the cake. At 165, the lower heat helps with even heating, but the cake can be baked at 180 as well. However, you will need to keep an eye on the cake to make sure it bakes through. If the top of the cake browns too much, you can use a foil to tent the cake pan.
      Hope that helps.

      Reply
      • Nisha Silva says

        January 31, 2022 at 00:43

        Dear Dini,
        Hi and thank you so much for replying. Apologies for my late acknowledgement;.

        I understand what you’re saying Dini. Fingers crossed on this one! I will let you know how it goes!

        Reply
  15. Anila says

    December 18, 2021 at 18:27

    Hi,
    Can I use almond flour instead of AP Flour?

    Reply
    • Dini says

      December 21, 2021 at 11:55

      Hi Anila
      Almond flour is entirely different from AP flour, and isn’t a good replacement in this recipe. Almond flour has no gluten and the texture is different, unlike AP flour.
      The resulting cake will be dense, too moist and flat.
      I recommend using AP Flour to get the best results.
      Hope that helps

      Reply
  16. Nethul Sasnith says

    November 22, 2021 at 23:26

    Hi Dini,
    I have a small question. Is it possible to bake a cake in convention microwave?

    Reply
    • Dini says

      November 24, 2021 at 16:08

      Hi Nethul
      I haven’t made cake in the microwave unfortunately. Making a cake in the microwave will require a separate recipe too. The cake may have to be smaller, and you will need a microwave safe container. The batter ratios may also be different to ensure a cake that is cooked through AND evenly cooked as well.
      Hope that helps.

      Reply
  17. Kumudini Bandara says

    November 18, 2021 at 19:38

    I used this recipe and hints. The cake came out amazing. I made my own variation with 100-125g chocolate chunks to make a chocolate chunk cake.

    Reply
  18. Aynah says

    November 10, 2021 at 00:25

    Hi Dini,
    Is this recipe for two 8/9 inch cakes or one cake ?

    Reply
    • Dini says

      November 10, 2021 at 13:14

      Hi Aynah
      As stated in the recipe it’s for 1 cake (either 8 or 9 inch square cake)

      Reply
      • Amanda Jes says

        March 16, 2023 at 05:13

        Cake looks great and I am sure it tastes great. Can it be frozen?

        Reply
        • Dini says

          March 16, 2023 at 13:02

          Hi Amanda
          Yes you can freeze this cake. However make sure to wrap it really well with plastic wrap and foil to prevent freezer burn and to prevent the cake from picking up smells from the other food in the freezer too.
          To avoid refreezing, you can cut the cake into slices first, and only defrost what you need. Avoid defrosting and re-freezing.
          I hope that helps

          Reply
  19. Sonia says

    October 24, 2021 at 05:54

    5 stars
    1st time baking and it turned out great!! All thanks to you and your detailed instructions. It’s a perfect recipe for beginners and my family(and myself hehe) absolutely loved the cake!

    Reply
  20. V says

    September 18, 2021 at 01:35

    5 stars
    Hi, how can make this cake in a 8 inch round pan? What about the measurements?

    Reply
    • Dini says

      September 18, 2021 at 14:27

      Hi V
      If you want a taller cake, then you need to multiply the ingredients by a factor of 0.8, or if you want a shorter cake, multiply by a factor of 0.6. But this is on the assumption that the cake pan is about 3 inches in height.
      You can also make the recipe as it is, and fill the cake pan about 2/3 of the way, and make cupcakes or smaller cakes with the remaining batter.
      Hope that helps

      Reply
      • V says

        September 18, 2021 at 14:34

        Thank you sm. This helped a lot.

        Reply
    • Sandy Dass says

      March 4, 2023 at 07:43

      Can I add mixed fruits or raisin to this receipe please?
      If yes, how much n do I need to make any adjustments to the receipe please

      Reply
  21. E G says

    August 26, 2021 at 06:55

    Well, its in the oven! Perhaps I should have waited until I tasted it to comment

    Reply
  22. Das says

    August 12, 2021 at 20:12

    Hi, what’s the best method to cream butter during winter, as it stays frozen even in room temperature

    Reply
    • Dini says

      August 15, 2021 at 20:07

      Hi Das
      In winter, I cut the butter into cubes and place it on a plate. Then I microwave a glass bowl and when it’s hot, I keep it over the cubed butter (turned over to cover the plate, with the butter under the bowl). The heat radiated will soften the butter in a few minutes.
      You can also microwave the butter, in very small increments until it’s softened slightly. For me, this means microwaving the butter in 10 second intervals.

      Reply
  23. Patricia Mullen says

    August 8, 2021 at 13:09

    5 stars
    It’s absolutely amazing I made it for my Sri Lankan friend as a taste of a wee piece of home after her mother died she was soo touched and her family loved it.

    Reply
  24. RX says

    July 10, 2021 at 10:44

    Great instructions and recipe. Followed faithfully, But the middle had sunk a bit, but everyone said it was delicious. Hadn’t made a cake in several years.

    Reply
    • Dulini Perera says

      September 21, 2021 at 10:31

      Gracias for this super recipe !!

      මම හදපු හොදම Butter කේක් එක.

      All because I found your recipe. All the best!

      Reply
  25. SJ says

    June 19, 2021 at 15:37

    5 stars
    baked this cake twice and love the recipe. it’s really easy to make because of your detailed instructions and pictures. thank you very much.

    Reply
    • Dini says

      June 19, 2021 at 15:46

      I’m so glad you enjoyed the recipe SJ, thank you so much for letting me know! 🙂

      Reply
  26. Sulochana says

    May 26, 2021 at 04:13

    5 stars
    Came out really nice, moist and soft

    Reply
  27. Shashika Perera says

    May 20, 2021 at 17:54

    5 stars
    I made this recipe 3 times and I love this!!! Thanks so much for this easy recipe! Love love love

    Reply
  28. JS says

    May 10, 2021 at 18:15

    5 stars
    Thanks. Baked this cake today halving all the ingredients and it came out nicely. Added some grated orange zests.

    Reply
  29. Savithmi Jayasuriya says

    April 29, 2021 at 22:48

    5 stars
    Perfect recipe! Finally got it the way I wanted. My family loved it! Well done.

    Reply
  30. Pravii says

    April 12, 2021 at 10:29

    Hi… I’ve tried this recipe just now from Jaffna Sri Lanka. As I didn’t have measuring utensils I’ve gestimated to accuracy as much as possible. Fingers-crossed

    Reply
  31. Achu says

    March 16, 2021 at 11:18

    Hi… So I tried this recipe twice… And the cake tastes amazing… The only issue was the cake was under baked.. the oven is new and I’ve made brownies in this oven and they turned out just perfectly fine.. but everytime I try a classic butter cake, the bottom part is always wet, and I’ve actually tried the butter cake recipes from three different websites including yours, and I’ve made sure to follow the instructions to a T, including the temperature settings and everything else about the oven… So do u have any advice for my problem? I really don’t know why this happens or what to do about it… Should I maybe avoid the milk? I’ve made sure to get the batter ready quickly so as to avoid the melting of butter, I’ve measured the weight of the eggs, I even made sure to set the timer on my oven and my phone too,,, and the final result is always underbaked. It makes me really sad that every other recipe turns out fine, but when it comes to butter cakes, it’s just like this……… Please do give me a list of suggestions… I’d really like to get this right.

    Reply
    • Dini says

      March 16, 2021 at 12:31

      Hi Achu
      It’s hard for me to be 100% sure of what might be happening, but it sounds like the oven you’re using might not be heating the cake from the bottom properly. With brownies, usually a little fudginess is desired, so this won’t be an issue. It could be other issues too, so I recommend trying a few things.
      Check if your oven is calibrated. You can purchase an oven thermometer that can be kept inside the oven and see if the oven temperature is accurate when you set it to 350 F (or any other temperature). If not, you can adjust the temperature accordingly.
      If you’re using a glass cake pan, this can heat the batter unevenly as well. Use a light colored metal pan.
      If the cake is not coloring at the bottom and is always wet (gummy?), then the heat from the bottom might not be even. Bake the cake a little lower in the oven (closer to the bottom element).
      You can leave out the milk if you like, the result will be a denser cake like the pound cake I made here. But if it’s your oven, then you will still get that wet or gummy bottom.
      Hope that helps!

      Reply
  32. Asma Khairuddin says

    February 21, 2021 at 04:14

    5 stars
    Baked this today and they were moist and delicious. I followed your tips and steps and they rise up nicely in the oven. Only the middle part seem to be more moist than the other, could be my oven. I will bake them in the microwave when its time to eat those part (about a slice or two). Thanks for the recipe, will browse through your website for other ideas.

    Reply
  33. Huda says

    February 11, 2021 at 08:01

    5 stars
    Hello from Malaysia! I made this today and it turned out really nice. I’ve tried other recipes but the cake always turns out dry. This recipe however is a keeper! I love how fluffy and moist it is, and it is not too sweet. Thank you for sharing this!

    Reply
  34. Adeline says

    February 7, 2021 at 06:40

    5 stars
    This was so delicious! Reminded of the cake which my mum made by hand. Instead of butter, I used Stork vegetable shortening, which is available in the UK. The cake was fluffy, moist and perfect.

    Reply
    • Dini says

      February 7, 2021 at 07:47

      I’m so glad you enjoyed the recipe Adeline, thanks so much for letting me know! 🙂

      Reply
  35. Devangi says

    January 14, 2021 at 05:55

    Would love to try this recipe ❤️,may I know whether the butter cake is a 500g cake?

    Reply
    • Dini says

      January 14, 2021 at 07:12

      Hi Devangi
      This recipe uses 250 g of butter, sugar, eggs and flour. So the weight of the cake will be at least 1 kg. You would have to make half of this cake to get a 500 g cake.
      Hope that helps.

      Reply
  36. Susan says

    January 6, 2021 at 02:27

    5 stars
    I made this cake and it came out moist and buttery. I was wondering if it would be possible to reduce the sugar a little.? Would it affect the texture and taste? My husband loved it but said it was a just a tad sweet.

    Reply
    • Dini says

      January 6, 2021 at 09:46

      Hi Susan
      Thank you!
      You can try to reduce the sugar if you like. Usually a cake should have at least the same amount of sugar as butter and/or flour to keep the cake soft. However, there is a possibility that the cake won’t be as soft, the more you reduce the sugar. If you don’t mind the changes in the cake texture then you can reduce the sugar.
      I hope that helps! 🙂

      Reply
  37. Ayesha says

    December 13, 2020 at 23:36

    5 stars
    This recipe was perfect! Everything a butter cake should be. Thank you so much Dini.

    Reply
    • Dini says

      December 14, 2020 at 06:11

      I’m so glad you enjoyed the recipe Ayesha, thank you for letting me know! 🙂

      Reply
  38. Wilma says

    November 9, 2020 at 05:48

    I made the cake and put in pan and realized the recipe never tells you to add the vanilla, therefore no vanilla in cake. This should be in your step by step instructions

    Reply
    • Dini says

      November 9, 2020 at 06:11

      Hi Wilma,
      I think you may have missed it. The recipe does state to add the vanilla in step 5. I hope that helps!

      Reply
  39. Marie says

    September 25, 2020 at 01:42

    5 stars
    Great recipe with loads of tips! Big thank for the time taken for the step by step full guidance written with lot of patience And love

    Reply
    • Dini says

      September 25, 2020 at 10:12

      Thank you so much Marie, I’m so glad you liked the recipe and tips! 🙂

      Reply
  40. Ruwan Ratnayake says

    September 12, 2020 at 14:56

    5 stars
    I baked this cake following all the steps. And mind you the last cake I baked was in 1987 as a teenager. This recipe is absolutely perfect. This is exactly the “Butter cake” we used to enjoy back in the day. I wander, if this could be baked to higher thicknesses – The classic 4″ round cake that you cut thin pie pieces out of. It quavers, still holds upright. I am printing the recipe and the instructions for keeping. Would have loved to attach a pic., but Im afraid it isn’t allowed. Thank you for this great recipe.

    Reply
    • Dini says

      September 16, 2020 at 08:12

      Hi Ruwan
      I’m so glad that you liked this recipe 🙂 Thank you for letting me know!
      You could make it in a 4 inch round pan, but the amount of batter you add to a 4 inch pan will be less. Plus if it’s a tall cake, you will have to reduce the oven temperature and bake it for longer to make sure the cake bakes evenly. You could also use a water bath to help with the baking process.
      You can also send us pictures to our email address – theflavorbender (at)gmail.com or even upload it onto instagram and tag us @theflavorbender 🙂
      I hope that helps!

      Reply
      • Chamini Jayasekara says

        August 25, 2023 at 06:04

        5 stars
        Hi… Love this recipe. My whole family love it and specially my daughter. Thank you Dini

        Reply

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