This recipe is traditionally made with Danish “brun farin” sugar, a special type of dark brown sugar. If you don’t have access to it, the best substitute is dark muscovado sugar for its deep flavor and high molasses content. Dark brown sugar also works well, or you can mix light brown sugar with a tablespoon of molasses.
Brunsviger – Danish Coffee Cake
Servings: 8 servings
Ingredients
For the yeast dough:
- ½ cup (120ml) milk
- 1 package (2 ¼ teaspoons or 7g) instant yeast
- 2 ¼ cups (280g) flour
- 3/4 teaspoon ground cardamom
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 3 tablespoons sugar
- 1 large egg lightly beaten
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¼ cup (60g) butter melted and slightly cooled
For the topping:
- ½ cup (115g) butter
- ¾ cup 150g dark brown sugar or dark muscovado sugar or Danish “brun farin” sugar if you have access to it, or light brown sugar + 1 tablespoon molasses
- 2 tablespoons maple syrup
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Small pinch of salt
Instructions
Make the dough:
- Warm up the milk until it reaches the temperature of 100–110°F (38–43°C) or feels pleasantly warm to the touch. Stir in the yeast until dissolved.½ cup (120ml) milk, 1 package (2 ¼ teaspoons or 7g) instant yeast
- In a large mixing bowl, stir together flour, cardamom, salt, and sugar. Add the lightly beaten egg and vanilla, then pour in the milk-yeast mixture.2 ¼ cups (280g) flour, 3/4 teaspoon ground cardamom, ¼ teaspoon salt, 3 tablespoons sugar, 1 large egg, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Knead the ingredients until just combined, then gradually add the melted, slightly cooled butter and mix until incorporated.¼ cup (60g) butter
- Knead the dough by hand for 10-15 minutes or with a hand mixer fitted with a dough hook for about 5-10 minutes, until a smooth dough forms. If using a mixer, the dough will still be quite sticky—when it’s nearly ready, transfer it to the counter and knead by hand, preferably stretching and folding it until a smooth ball forms. If it remains a little sticky, that’s fine—just return it to the bowl.
- Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let rise in a warm place until doubled in size, about 1 hour. I usually place it in a turned-off oven with the light on.
Meanwhile, make the topping:
- When the dough is nearly done rising, prepare the topping. In a small pot, combine all the topping ingredients and cook over medium heat until the butter is melted and the mixture is very hot. Once you see the first bubble, remove the pot from the heat and set aside to cool slightly.½ cup (115g) butter, ¾ cup 150g dark brown sugar or dark muscovado sugar, 2 tablespoons maple syrup, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, Small pinch of salt
- Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C).
- Line a 9x13 inch (23x33 cm) baking pan with parchment paper.
Assemble the cake:
- Transfer the risen dough to the prepared pan and stretch it gently to cover the bottom of the baking pan. Cover with a kitchen towel and let rise again for 15 minutes while the oven preheats and the topping continues to cool.
- After 15 minutes, use your fingers to make many deep indentations in the dough, similar to focaccia.
- Whisk the warm topping very thoroughly and pour it evenly over the dough.
Bake the cake:
- Place the baking pan in the oven and bake for about 15 minutes, or until golden and puffed.
- Some parts of the cake rise more than others, so the topping can slide off and collect in the lower spots. If that happens, you can spoon some of the hot topping over the areas that don’t have enough—just do it right after baking while the topping is still hot.
- Let cool slightly and enjoy while still warm.
Notes
Nutrition
Calories: 408kcal