Sri Lankan butter cake is easy to make, ultra buttery, soft, moist and in my opinion the best cake for any time of the day. This is also very similar to a vanilla cake as most living abroad might have come across, but Sri Lankan butter cake is definitely more buttery than vanilla cake.
As a child growing up in Sri Lanka. Buttercake used to be served in any festival or occasion. if you visit friends and relatives you would buy a butter cake from stores as a gift. definitely, this cake was considered gift-worthy but also available in any bakery and patisserie in Sri Lanka.
We do have Sri Lankan new year that falls in April every year, even though we make traditional Sri Lankan sweets such as oil cakes, kokis etc… we also don’t forget to add pieces of butter cakes.
Authentic Sri Lankan butter cake
it is sooo easy to make a butter cake and so easy to remember it because it’s 250g of everything ( sugar, flour, eggs, butter) but the process of making the butter cake that makes it a good cake or a bad cake.
What’s the secret to a moist and soft butter cake?
Butter, Butter, Butter!!!! the butter needs to be the correct softness in order to get the softest cake. I cannot emphasise this enough!!!
Oven temperature, we need this cake to be cooked at a low temperature for a longer time, so follow my oven instructions.
Oven tray used
It is very important to use the correct tray to bake the cake, the correct height and width are very necessary, if you bake this cake in a very large tray, then the butter cake will be flat and will not be soft and spongy, so make sure the correct tray dimensions are used for this recipe.
Why Butter cake turns dense and dry
There is a few reasons as to why Butter cake turn dense and dry, read below to find out how to avoid it.
How to get the butter to room temperature?
Now, most people fail to make this recipe perfect, as butter plays a huge role. The butter needs to be at room temperature. don’t ever microwave it to soften it, as this will make the cake oily. The best is to cut the butter into small cubes and keep it at room temperature until it’s soft. But if you are in a country where it is cold and it’s winter then there is spreadable butter in supermarkets and I use that, I don’t keep it at room temperature, I use it straight from the fridge because it’s already softened.
You can also mix it in a stand mixer to get it to soften.
What to serve with Sri Lankan butter cake
Absolutely nothing, just a nice cup of Ceylon tea would perfectly go well with Sri Lankan butter cake.
If anyone in Sri Lanka has a tea party or a kiddies afternoon party, butter cake will definitely make its appearance along with all other Sri Lankan snacks; Chinese rolls, Patties, cutlets
The best occasion to make butter cake
We eat butter cake as a morning snack or evening tea. But if you are looking for a cake for a special occasion cake or an indulgent birthday, anniversary cake option, then try my secret ribbon cake recipe, warning!!! this ribbon cake recipe has already gone viral and it is my most viewed and trialled recipe by many followers and readers.
Is ribbon cake and butter cake the same thing
The base of the cake is exactly the same, the way ribbon cake is differentiated is by adding colour and icing to it. But my ribbon cake recipe, I have minor tweaks than a butter cake recipe.
Butter cake icing
So normally butter cake is not eaten with any icing, but if you really want to add icing then try my vanilla buttercream icing
How to store butter cake
Buttercake can be kept for 4 days and it will not dry out, I am using a small trick to make this recipe soft and moist, that is adding oil. I have always mentioned that oil makes a cake softer and allows it to be kept for a longer time. But the cake needs to be tightly wrapped.
You can also check my other dessert recipes.
Watch how to make Sri Lankan butter cake
Step by step recipe how to make Sri Lankan butter cake
Equipment
- Oven
Ingredients
- 250 g Butter
- 250 g White sugar
- 4 Eggs
- 2 tsp Vanilla essence
- 250 g All-purpose flour
- 2 tsp Baking powder
- 70 g Milk Fresh
- 3 Tbsp Oil Canola, Vegetable
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 170C ( Conventional oven). line two 25 x 25 cm square pan with baking paper.
- In a cake mixer (stand or handheld mixer) Place the soften butter and sugar in the mixing bowl and mix well on high speed until creamy
- Add in the eggs one by one until fully incorporated
- Add vanilla, oil and mix well
- Reduce the speed and fold in the sifted flour and baking powder
- Finally, add milk and mix until fully incorporated
- Add batter to the prepared tray and bake in the oven for 35-40 minutes
- Take it out of the cake pans and let it cool on a wire rack
- Once cool down, cut into square pieces and enjoy.
23 thoughts on “Sri Lankan Butter Cake”
Omg this is so good, the best butter cake, thanks for the recipe,
Thank You
This cake looks SO light, moist and fluffy – the perfect cake crumb!! You can’t beat the flavours of a good butter cake!
I couldn’t have said it any better. Thank you 🙂
This looks such a delicious and light cake, perfect for afternoon tea!
Absolutely, with a nice cup of tea
Made this cake twice now and it was the best I have made & had thus far. Thank you so much for sharing this recipe.
Your cake is absolutely FAB! Thank you so much for sharing. I actually live in France, and everyone said it was really good, not just my family 🙂
Lovely to hear that. Merci beaucoup
Hi, sounds great thanks. Should salted or unsalted butter be used?
unsalted butter
amazing cake recipe
Thank you
170C in fan forced or conventional?
how much time should I preheat the oven?
Hi, It’s conventional oven. The oven needs to be preheated as per individual oven timings. Everyone’s ovens are different, usually, once the oven is preheated it will start beeping or the temperature probe will stabilize which indicates that the oven is preheated. This will usually be indicated In the oven manual. Everyone ovens take different times to preheat. Hope this helps. If your oven doesn’t have a preheat function (normally all ovens do have) then preheat at least 15- 20 minutes just to be on the safe side.
Love this recipe thank you. What size eggs do you use? Medium or large? Or can you tell me what they weigh? Thanks!
Hi, Medium eggs are fine. Hope this helps.
Made this cake today. It’s a perfect recipe. Lightest, fluffiest cake ever. Thank you.
Thank you so much. This recipe surely is one of the best 🙂
Hi
Thanks so much for the recipe. Just wanting to know when you add flour to the cake do you fold it with a spatula?( if you are using only a hand-held mixer) or can you beat it at a lower speed ?
Thanks so mucn
Hey Shana, You can use a lower speed, when using a machine.
Thanks so much Rachi. It came out so well !!! Hands down the Best-est butter cake recipe!!
Thank you, It is the best indeed.