Danish Coffee Cake (Brunsviger)

Brunsviger or Danish Coffee Cake is a coffee cake that mixes a brioche style dough with a caramelized top for an ideal weekend breakfast or to serve up as a rustic afternoon tea.

Ingredients and substitutions for Danish Coffee Cake

• Yeast: The yeast is what helps this cake rise and gives it the light crumb within as it is half brioche loaf and half cake thanks to the quantity of flour and the manner in which the butter is added.
• Flour: Plain flour is best here as it results in a nice light crumb.
• Egg: As well as adding structure to the cake, the egg binds everything together so is essential.
• Sugar: Superfine or caster which helps dissolve into the dough. You could half and half the sugar with light brown sugar and caster sugar. The use of light brown sugar in the caramelized topping adds a warmth to the cake, though you could replace with a mixture of half light and dark brown sugar.
• Butter: This is combined into the dough so thoroughly and finely that the end result is similar to brioche. Non dairy butter might work here, though I have not tried this so do not know the results if substituted in equal measure.
• Milk: Whole milk was used here and helps add moisture giving our cake a light result without becoming stodgy. You could substitute with creamy non dairy milk.

See recipe card for quantities.

How to make Danish Coffee Cake:

Step 1: Bloom: The yeast in the warm milk until bubbly.

Step 2: Glossy dough: Add the other dough ingredients and knead until glossy and no longer sticking to the edges of your bowl.

Step 3: Rising time: Transfer the dough to your prepared tin and cover to rise until doubled.

Step 4: Caramel topping: Make the caramel in a saucepan until smooth.

Step 5: Press: Indent the dough with your fingers like focaccia.

Step 6: Top and bake: Pour the caramel over the top evenly and bake until golden and bubbling.

Step 7: Slice and serve: Slice up, plate up and serve alongside a cup of coffee!

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Danish Coffee Cake (Brunsviger)

Sylvie Taylor

With only a few basic ingredients, you can bake this soft and caramelized Danish Coffee Cake that will fill your house with the cozy and comforting scent of homebaked goods.

5 from 1 vote

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Prep Time 1 hour hr 20 minutes mins

Cook Time 20 minutes mins

Total Time 1 hour hr 40 minutes mins

Course Dessert, Snack

Cuisine Danish

Servings 12

Calories 210 kcal

Ingredients

  

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Cake

• 100 grams / ⅓ cup + 1 tablespoon milk lukewarm
• 13 grams / 4 ½ teaspoons active dry yeast
• 210 grams / 1 ¼ cups + 1 tablespoon plain flour
• 55 grams / 1 large egg room temperature
• 40 grams / 3 tablespoons butter softened
• 8 grams / 2 teaspoons superfine/caster sugar
• ¼ teaspoon sea salt

Filling

• 100 grams / 3.5 ounces butter
• 125 grams / ⅔ cup - 1 tablespoon brown sugar

Instructions

 

• Line a baking tin with greaseproof paper and set aside.
• Pour the lukewarm milk into a bowl and stir in the yeast.
• Allow to sit for 5 minutes to ensure the yeast is active.
• Add in the flour, egg, butter and sugar and mix until a dough is formed and no dry portions remain in the edges of your bowl.
• On a low setting with your mixer, beat for a further 8 minutes until the dough looks smooth, slightly glossy and is pulling away at the sides of your bowl.
• Invert the dough into your prepared tin and spread out evenly.
• Cover and allow to rise for 1 hour.
• Preheat your oven to 180C/350F.
• For the filling, place the butter and sugar into a saucepan on low heat, stirring until melted and smooth.
• Press indentations all over your dough and evenly spread the sugar mixture over the dough.
• Bake in the oven until golden, approximately 20 minutes.
• Remove and allow to cool.
• Slice and serve warm with your favorite hot beverage.
• Dig in!

Video

Notes

• Yeast: The yeast is what helps this cake rise and gives it the light crumb within as it is half brioche loaf and half cake thanks to the quantity of flour and the manner in which the butter is added.
• Sugar: Superfine or caster which helps dissolve into the dough. You could half and half the sugar with light brown sugar and caster sugar. The use of light brown sugar in the caramelized topping adds a warmth to the cake, though you could replace with a mixture of half light and dark brown sugar.
• Baking tin: A 18x18 cm or 7x7 inch square baking tin works well here, though a rectangle tin would also work well.

Adapted from Arla.dk

Nutrition

Calories: 210kcal

Keyword bread, breakfast, cake, caramel, fall dish

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