This California Pizza Kitchen Butter Cake (CPK Butter Cake) is rich, moist, and fluffy with a tender crumb and you can make it in 50 minutes. It’s a top-notch CPK copycat recipe, possibly even better than the original. Serve warm with ice cream, and it’s sure to impress.
This is my take on California Pizza Kitchen’s Butter Cake, a must-try dessert from a restaurant famous for its smoky pizzas. As a fan of this cake, I had to recreate it at home. If you’re a regular at CPK, you know just how amazing this cake is.
Table of Contents
Why You'll Love This Recipe
- Make this cake using a few basic ingredients in 50 minutes.
- The buttery flavor of this cake is super rich making it a delectable dessert. The crumb is moist, tender and light.
- This great dessert has a crispy light golden brown crust with golden brown and crunchy sides.
- The best cake for dessert time as you'll fall in love with it at the first bite like my Italian Almond Cake, Victoria Sponge Cake, Chocolate Sour Cream Pound Cake, Peach Cobbler Pound Cake, Pecan Upside Down Cake and Southern Pecan Praline Cake.
Origin of Butter Cake
The origins of this cake trace back to the 1930s in St. Louis, Missouri, where a German American baker accidentally altered the proportions of butter and flour in a regular cake batter. The result was the creation of the ooey gooey butter cake. Over time, this delicious mistake gained popularity across the United States, largely thanks to Paula Deen, which is why it’s often referred to as Paula Deen's Gooey Butter Cake.
Ingredients
- all purpose flour: provides structure to the cake.
- butter: use high-quality unsalted butter for this recipe.
See the recipe card below for a full list of ingredients and quantities.
Baking Pro Tips
1. Unless a recipe says otherwise, always use room-temperature ingredients. This helps them mix together smoothly and evenly, for perfect results every time.
2. Ditch the measuring cups and grab your digital scale. Weighing dry ingredients in grams ensures perfect accuracy and consistent results.
How to Make California Pizza Kitchen Butter Cake
Detailed Instructions Below! See the key steps here, then head to the recipe card below for full instructions.
1. Sift and whisk flour and baking powder. Set aside.
2. Take a large bowl and beat butter and sugar using an electric mixer until creamy and fluffy.
3. Add the flour to the butter and beat until just combined well.
4. Add eggs one by one and beat after each incorporation. Add vanilla and almond extract and mix.
5. In the end add buttermilk to the batter and mix until combined.
6. Pour the batter to the 9-inch cake pan. Place the pan in the middle rack of the preheated oven and bake for 40 – 50 minutes until the cake is golden brown in color.
Serving Suggestions
- Vanilla Ice-Cream: Serve this cake with a scoop of vanilla ice cream to enhance its flavor. Delicious!
- Chocolate Ganache: Drizzle chocolate ganache over the cake to enhance its buttery flavor.
- Berries: Incorporate your favorite berries into the cake batter, such as strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, or blackberries.
- Whipped Cream: Top the cake with a dollop of whipped cream.
Expert Tips
- High-Quality Butter: For the best results with this cake, use high-quality butter. The richness and flavor of the butter play a key role in achieving the cake’s perfect texture and taste, so opting for a premium brand will make a noticeable difference.
- Buttermilk: Don’t omit or substitute the buttermilk in this recipe. It plays a crucial role by reacting with the baking powder to help the cake rise and create a moist, fluffy crumb. Additionally, buttermilk helps to counteract the gluten in the flour, contributing to the cake’s tender texture.
Recipe FAQs
Oven temperatures can vary, so if needed, cover the pan with foil halfway through baking to prevent it from getting too brown. Be sure not to add the foil when first placing the cake in the oven, as it can interfere with the cake’s rise.
The main difference between the two cakes is texture. Butter cake has a lighter texture and rises more, while pound cake traditionally has a denser crumb due to its 1:1:1:1 ratio of flour, butter, sugar, and eggs.
Yes, you can use individual pans or small loaf pans for this cake. Divide the batter among the pans, and be aware that baking times may vary.
How to Store
Room Temperature
This Butter Cake will remain fresh for up to 2 days when stored in an airtight container at room temperature. For best results, keep it in a cool, dry place to maintain its moisture and flavor. The airtight container helps prevent the cake from drying out and protects it from absorbing any odors.
Refrigerator
Store this cake in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Keeping it in an airtight container will help maintain its freshness and prevent it from drying out. Refrigeration will also help preserve the cake’s texture and flavor.
Freezing Instructions
First, freeze the entire cake on the tray until solid. Once frozen, remove the pieces and wrap each one individually in plastic wrap, then add a layer of foil for extra protection. Place the wrapped pieces in a Zip-loc bag and store them in the freezer. This method will keep the cake fresh for up to 3 months. Proper wrapping and freezing help prevent freezer burn and maintain the cake’s flavor and texture.
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Related Cake Recipes
Recipe
California Pizza Kitchen Butter Cake (Copycat Recipe)
Ingredients
- 1 cup unsalted butter (227 g) room temperature
- 1 ½ cup all-purpose flour (180 g)
- 1 cup castor sugar (200 g)
- 3 eggs room temperature
- 1 teaspoon baking powder (4 g)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract (5 g)
- 1 teaspoon almond extract (5 g)
- 1 cup buttermilk (225 g) room temperature
Instructions
- Preheat oven at 375F.
- Take a 9-inch baking cake pan and spray it with a baking spray or apply butter on the bottom and sides of the pan. Place the liner in the bottom of the pan. Sprinkle granulated sugar on the sides and bottom of the pan.
- Sift and whisk flour and baking powder. Set aside.
- Take a large bowl and beat butter and sugar until creamy and fluffy.
- Add the flour to the butter and beat until just combined well.
- Add eggs one by one and continue beating. Add vanilla, among extract and buttermilk to the cake batter and mix until the batter is light in color.
- Pour the batter to the greased pan.
- Place the cake pan in the middle-rack of the oven and bake for 40 – 50 minutes until the cake is golden brown in color. Insert a toothpick in the center to check if the cake is done. If the toothpick comes out clean or with a few crumbs, the cake is ready.
Notes
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- High-Quality Butter: For the best results with this cake, use high-quality butter. The richness and flavor of the butter play a key role in achieving the cake’s perfect texture and taste, so opting for a premium brand will make a noticeable difference.
- Buttermilk: Do not omit or substitute the buttermilk in this recipe. It plays a crucial role by reacting with the baking powder to help the cake rise and create a moist, fluffy crumb. Additionally, buttermilk helps to counteract the gluten in the flour, contributing to the cake’s tender texture.
Madeeha Anwar
Yes - I will be updating with new recipes frequently (hopefully) 🙂