German Buttercake, Still a Philly Thang?

[CoolPapaBell]

When I was young, ah which was a long time ago, I remember my grandmother would always bring German buttercake I guess from Fishtown. It seems back in the early 70s and late 60s (told you I was old) it was commonplace in bakeries around the Cradle of Liberty. My parents still live across the river and my mom says she rarely sees it anymore. What happened Katie to this once popular in the Quaker City food item?

[Rich Pawlak]

It is quite alive and well at Stock's Bakery in Fishtown/Port Richmond.

[KatieLoeb]

CoolPapa:

I'm not acquainted with this wondrous and delicious baked good you describe. I moved to Philly in 1979 so maybe I missed it, or wasn't hanging with the right crowd. Sounds good though.

I'll keep my eyes open for another source besides the one that Rich recommended and report back if I find anything. From what the two of you are implying maybe it's a uniquely Fishtown thing??

[mrbigjas]

I'll keep my eyes open for another source besides the one that Rich recommended and report back if I find anything.  From what the two of you are implying maybe it's a uniquely Fishtown thing?? 

i'm not a big cake purchaser and don't spend much time in bakeries, so my memory may be faulty but this is kind of ringing a bell--wasn't rindelaub's noted for it?

[CoolPapaBell]

Katie, no, no. It was my grandmom who did love it, but I lived in Camden until 1975 and I know a lot of places there had it. Also we moved to Marlton in said year and we could still get it a lot of places. I was only a little kid then but I kind of associated it as a Philly thang, but I’d say it’s widespread availability decreased in the 70s sometime and seem to really fade out about the same time the Rubix’s Cube ™ did. Though most people older than me are already dead, perhaps a lifelong Debellaware Valley old-timer can verify that it wasn’t just the maternal side of my family that loved it. FWIW, grandmom was not German if that’s germane.

How could you beat a breakfast of scrapple and German buttercake? I swear it USED to be very popular Philly way a few decades ago.

[elicious]

Is it that super sweet stuff that tasted like it was just made with butter and sugar but is oh-so-delicious? If so, I had one a few years ago, given to me by a guy in Philly so they definitely exist. I just couldn't tell you where. But yum!

[monavano]

Both my husband and I have fond memories of butter cake. He grew up with German mom and grand parents in N. Jersey.

I grew up in NE philly and remember getting it ALL THE TIME, along with babka, from a German bakery in the NE called Bauers Bakery. It was on Bustleton Ave near Haldeman. Always a line out the door, always the same BIG German women packing cardboard boxes and wrapping them up with string hung from the ceiling.

It burned down several years ago, and now is STILL a hole in the shopping strip, as they just knocked it down and never rebuilt. Hmmm?? and Hmph!!!

I held out hopes that it would rise from the ashes, but alas, no. Now, I get bread and danish etc from Steve Steins in Krewstown, and believe from posts here and on other sites, that Stocks is the go-to place for such caloric and cholesterol filled wonders as babka, pound cake and butter cake.

Edited January 6, 2006 by monavano (log)

[KatieLoeb]

A bit of Googling has revealed This Recipe for Philadelphia German Butter Cake that says it's the same recipe found in a dozen different places. Must be the real deal.

Hope that helps satisfy the jones for now...

[monavano]

Thanks so much Katie. From the pics it would appear to be the ooey, gooey pan of love I remember.

Yup, know what I'm gonna make this weekend.

Will post pics (unless it's a disater, wish me luck )

[dknywbg]

Monavano, that link is to my blog--my husband grew up in south Jersey & adores this stuff so I made it for him, exactly twice since it's so deadly unhealthy (he's got cholesterol issues, so something with "butter" in the name isn't exactly recommended eating). Let me know how it turns out!

Edited January 6, 2006 by dknywbg (log)

[KatieLoeb]

Thanks so much Katie. From the pics it would appear to be the ooey, gooey pan of love I remember.

Yup, know what I'm gonna make this weekend.

Will post pics (unless it's a disater, wish me luck )

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Definitely want to see the pics! No one mentioned anything about pure butter oozing out of the cake when cut so I wasn't sure I had the right thing when I found that recipe. I guess I did. Damn that looks good! I can hear my arteries snapping shut already...

Good luck baking and we'll look forward to your photos and essay on the finer points of Philadelphia German Butter Cake very soon.

[monavano]

Monavano, that link is to my blog--my husband grew up in south Jersey & adores this stuff so I made it for him, exactly twice since it's so deadly unhealthy (he's got cholesterol issues, so something with "butter" in the name isn't exactly recommended eating). Let me know how it turns out!

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He's probably on one of the "statins' like my husband.

I have been trying to improve my baking skills as I'm more inclined to cook. So, with more sweets being produced in my kitchen, my husband's office has probably had to loosen at least one belt notch!

That is to say, we enjoy it for one MAYBE two days, then it's off to the office for devouring.

Share the love, and calories, I say

[JanMcBaker]

A bit of Googling has revealed This Recipe for Philadelphia German Butter Cake that says it's the same recipe found in a dozen different places.  Must be the real deal.

Hope that helps satisfy the jones for now...

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Yep! That picture looks like a hunk of proper, gooey butter cake. And ooooohhhh--- those browned, yummy bits around the edges!

And might I add, for those who are new to butter cake and are checking out bakeries for this delicacy, don't trust any who will sell you HALF a butter cake! Ain't no such thing as far as I'm concerned--- a decent butter cake would be impossible to cut in half without all the goo running out!

[Josephjdefelice]

If you are in the NE Geiger's and Holmesburg Bakery.

[Nancy HM]

I had German butter cake for the first time this weekend. Understand, I have absolutely NO sweet tooth - I'd rather have another drumstick than some cake.

This cake was a revelation. I ate two huge pieces, and wanted more. Absolutely delicious. My MIL bought it at the Danish Bakery in Rocklege.

[jaredrakes]

I tried the recipe Katie cited above a few months ago--fed it to my buttercake-wistful family at a get together. It was a hit, absolutely delicious, and those who remembered "the real thing" said it was right on.

[brucedelta]

If you are still in Marlton I would visit Randolphs Bakery at Meetinghouse Square. I forgot the cross street but it is near the Church St & Church Rd. intersection, behind Traino's liquor, diagonally accross from the Commerce bank. They have a Butter cake that has the soft sweet center. I did not like their crust much, so I can not give the product a wholeharted endorsment, but it is definatly worth a try.

Basically I think Randolphs has some of the best cakes & danish anywhere (especially almond and walnut), but I find I do not like things they make where I can taste the shortning they use, such as donuts and pie crusts. (Keep in mind I do not like lard based potato chips either, so I may be considered finicky.)

I also believe I have seen Butter cake at McMillans in collingswood, but never had it there as it is hard to order anything besides donuts (the worlds most expensive at a buck ea.) and strawberry shortcake.

When I was young, ah which was a long time ago, I remember my grandmother would always bring German buttercake I guess from Fishtown.  It seems back in the early 70s and late 60s (told you I was old) it was commonplace in bakeries around the Cradle of Liberty. My parents still live across the river and my mom says she rarely sees it anymore.  What happened Katie to this once popular in the Quaker City food item?

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[Natasha]

Wow, that looks good. Count me among those who grew up with a Butter cake coming home from the bakery every Sunday morning after Mass. My Mom who is 84 now and has lived in Florida for over 30 years still speaks wistfully of how much she misses German Butter cake.

I found a pretty good version a few years ago at the Swedish Bakery in the shopping center at Route 3 and 352 outside of West Chester.

[ludja]

Thanks all, for this interesting thread rescuing this historical dish and the linked recipe! I have never heard of this cake but want to try it now.

After having my interest piqued, I googled around a bit and also found out that a very similar cake was and is also apparently traditional in the St Louis area from the beginning of the century. It's roots there are also attributed to German immigrants and/or German bakeries but there it is call "Gooey Butter Cake". Some articles mention that they think the cake came from Philly, others maintain that it originated in St. Louis. Fascinating history. I think it might be fun to start a thread involving the St. Louis crowd to also see what they come up with in terms of memories.

As far as I can tell, originally the St. Louis cake started out like this recipe--i.e. a yeast cake base and butter-sugar topping. There are some more modern ersatz recipes made 'easier' for the home cook that use a yellow cake mix layer on the bottom and a similar or even pudding like topping...

And here is yet another angle. Apparently Paula Deen has popularized various flavored 'gooey butter cake" like pumpkin or chocolate. I've heard Paula Deen mentioned on eGullet but don't know anything about her. I didn't look at any of those recipes but they are online.

[CoolPapaBell]

Well FWIW, did have some good buttercake for the first time in years and years at Randolph's Bakery on the Marlton/Mt. Laural border.

[LindaK]

A St. Louis thing, too. Until I lived there, I'd never heard of Gooey Butter Cake but it can be found across the city. Delicious so long as you're not worried about calories or cholesterol. I still make it from time to time, it's always a hit.

NYT recipe: Having my Cake and Eating it too, Melissa Clark

[rlibkind]

Haegele's in Mayfair/Tacony has it. Not quite the same as St. Louis Gooey Butter Cake, which has lots more sugar-inflections atop the cake. Haegele's version is closer to original German version.