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Jan 26, 2015

Brown-Butter-and-Vanilla-Bean Weekend Cake | Tuesdays with Dorie

Brown-Butter-and-Vanilla-Bean Weekend Cake | Tuesdays with Dorie

This brown butter and vanilla bean weekend cake is so easy to make and really versatile. When it is first made, it can be eaten plain, as you would any cake. When it gets stale, it is excellent toasted and buttered.

Yes, I buttered a butter cake.

The crust has a wonderful crispy sugary texture, even though it is simply a plain cake.

The story behind this cake, and loaf cakes like it, as told by Dorie Greenspan, is that this is a gateaux voyage, or gateaux weekend (according to Dorie, the French do use the American term, "weekend"). It's a simple cake that the French wrap up and take with them on weekends away.

To make this cake, all you need is a couple of bowls, a loaf pan, a whisk, and a rubber spatula. No electric mixer needed.

Oh, and the browned butter! The butter in this cake is boiled until it turns to a deep amber color, adding such a wonderful caramelized flavor. You definitely need to keep a very close eye on the butter, because when it begins to brown, it can burn very quickly. I poured mine out into a heat proof bowl the minute it was the right color so it wouldn't continue to cook in the hot pan.

Brown-Butter-and-Vanilla-Bean Weekend Cake | Tuesdays with Dorie

Suggested ways to eat this cake:
  1. Plain
  2. Toasted with butter
  3. Topped with vanilla ice cream
  4. Spread with jam
  5. Toasted and spread with jam
  6. Topped with chocolate sauce
  7. Spread with Nutella
  8. Toasted and dipped in coffee
  9. Toasted and used as croutons in hot chocolate
  10. Spread with whipped cream
I'm sure you guys have many more suggestions. 

This recipe is from Dorie Greenspan's stunning new book, Baking Chez Moi. The stories behind the recipes are such a fun read. I am a total fangirl. 

The recipe for this cake can be found > here <. 

To see how other bakers fared with this recipe, check out the Tuesdays with Dorie group's site.


Would you like to comment?

  1. Love all of your suggestions for serving this cake. I just served it plain.

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  2. We didn't even get past the plain slice, next time we will have to entertain some of your topping ideas.
    cheers!

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  3. A lovely loaf! And go ahead and butter that butter cake! One can never have too much butter :-)

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  4. Terrific serving ideas! You reminded me of my grandmother who served us toasted angel food cake with butter for breakfast :)

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  5. Buttering a butter cake :-) There never can be too much butter!
    I like your serving suggestions.

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  6. It was wonderful not getting out all the heavy equipment for this cake, wasn't it?? And such results! I was a little worried that my cake was going to be the only one that had a crack in the top but I see you have that as well and so now I am feeling a lot better (although I do know that cracks can be desirable in cakes and breads made in pans like this). Yours looks just wonderful and I think we need to make a lot more of them so we can try out all the options you posted! :-)

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  7. I just enjoyed a toasted piece with my tea this morning! It felt too decadent to add butter…but it sounds so so good! Your cake looks perfectly beautiful, Karen! Happy Tuesday!

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  8. Nice list of suggestions, Karen. Some of them sound decadent with a butter cake (nutella! ) :)

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  9. Lovely cake! I have not had it toasted yet, will try it tomorrow! Butter on butter cake, yes, why not! :)

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  10. I had my last piece with butter this morning and I didn't even toast it. It was still delish at day 3. Love your serving suggestions! They made me smile.

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  11. Your cake looks great and your suggestions for serving it are wonderful!

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  12. I loved all your suggestions! One of my tasters added whipped cream and berries but said the plain piece was better haha! I will have to make sure we have some leftover next time to try it toasted with butter!

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  13. I loved your suggestions! The croutons in hot chocolate would never have occurred to me!

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  14. I had this cake mentally bookmarked to prepare, but you beat me to it...

    I love this book, I think of all the books I own from Dorie, it is my favorite - real nice stuff, and simple.

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  15. I like your "suggested uses"...hot chocolate croutons is one I hadn't thought of, but sounds really great!

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  16. Love your list of ideas for using this cake! But, I'm pretty sure the term weekend originated in England. ;)

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    1. Yes, you are right, I probably should have said "English."

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  17. Finished cake looks lovely. I love how your slices are a nice portion. Our slices were ridiculously large because we like it so much.

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    1. Lol. That just means we all had mutlitple slices each =)

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  18. This would make a great gift for someone - add a sweet little jar of Nutella, jam, etc, to gift with it. Love your servings suggestions.

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    1. Great idea! I'm going to have to remember that!! Thanks Isla!

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