Dream Cake from Brovst is such a classic from my childhood in Denmark. Originally invented by the Danish woman, Jytte Andersen, who took part in a baking competition in 1960 in the Danish town Brovst, Jutland (See Droemmekage on Wikipedia). This woman would be a millionaire if she had got the copyrights for the recipe because it is a favorite everywhere in Denmark. So much so that it was voted the fourth most popular cake in Denmark in a cake research/questionnaire conducted by the newspaper Metroexpress. I have already received feedback from enough Americas to know that this cake will become a classic over here as well.

It is similar to a pound cake – heavy and moist with lots of eggs and butter. But it is the topping with coconut and brown sugar that makes it. It is pretty simple to make and will be a hit at any social get-together.

 

Droemmekage fra Brovst / Dream Cake from Brovst Recipe

Ingredients:

250 gram / 9 ounces all-purpose flour

3 tsp baking powder

50 gram / 2 ounces softened butter

250 / 9 ounces gram sugar

1/8 tsp salt

1 tsp vanilla extract

4 eggs

2 deciliter whole milk

For the topping:

130 gram / 4.6 ounces butter

260 gram / 9.2 ounces brown sugar

125 gram / 4.5 ounces shredded coconut

3/4 deciliter milk

A large rectangular metal baking pan with tall sides (38 x 24 centimeter or 15 x 9 inches).

 

How you make it:

Mix flour and baking powder in a medium bowl.

Beat butter, sugar, salt, vanilla in a mixing bowl until creamy and soft. You have to beat for a long time. Beat in the eggs, one at a time and for a long time. Add some of the flour.  Stir in the milk and the remaining flour.

Then you cover the baking pan with parchment paper so it is covered all the way up on the sides and bottom. Pour the batter into the pan and bake it on 390 degrees fahrenheit in the middle of the oven. Bake for 20 minutes. When a chopstick or another stick comes out clean it is done.

While the cake bakes you boil butter, coconut and brown sugar in a medium pot while constantly stirring.

When you take the cake out of the oven, you spread the brown sugar and coconut topping evenly on it right away and put it back in the oven to bake for another 6 minutes on 440 degrees fahrenheit.

The cake can be served when it has cooled off. You can can simply cut the pieces out in the baking pan and serve as is. And don’t forget the coffee!