Brunsviger
I was once invited to a birthday celebration for a Danish friend, and instead of the usual frosted cake with candles, there was something else on the table. A Danish coffee cake. No decoration, no drama — just a warm, yeasted cake meant to be eaten slowly.
It was topped with a deep brown sugar sauce, almost like caramel, pooling into every corner. Soft, sweet, and made to sit beside a cup of coffee. The first bite surprised me — it tasted almost like a lazy version of a cinnamon roll, but with even more caramel and none of the fuss.
Of course, I asked about it. My friend smiled and told me it’s called brunsvigar — a cake they grow up with, often eaten in the morning, usually with coffee. Simple. Comforting. No need for celebration, even though it was one.
I went home with the recipe, curious and a little excited. Mixing the dough, cooking the sugar and butter, waiting for the oven to do its thing — it all felt quietly special. When the cake finally came out, warm and fragrant, I understood why it meant so much.
Some recipes stay with you not because they’re elaborate, but because they carry people with them. This one does exactly that.
serves 12-14 maybe more
Ingredients
Dough
1 cup (250 ml) whole milk, warmed (37–43°C / 98–110°F)
2½ teaspoons active dry yeast
6 tablespoons (75 g) butter, melted
2 large eggs
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
¼ teaspoon kosher salt
3½ cups (440 g) all-purpose flour
Caramel Topping
¾ cup (165 g) brown sugar or dark brown sugar
3 tablespoons date molasses or maple syrup
⅔ cup (160 g) unsalted butter
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
½ teaspoon sea salt
Nuts for topping (optional)
Method
Activate the yeast
In a medium bowl, combine the warm milk and active dry yeast. Stir gently and let sit for about 10 minutes, until foamy.
Mix the wet ingredients
Add the eggs, sugar, salt, and melted butter to the yeast mixture. Stir until well combined.
Make the dough
Transfer the mixture to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook.
Mix on medium-low speed while gradually adding the flour.
Once the dough comes together, increase the speed to medium-high and knead for about 6 minutes, until smooth, elastic, and slightly sticky.
Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed.
First rise
Place the dough in a lightly greased bowl (use vegetable oil). Cover with a clean, dry tea towel and let rise for 30 minutes.
Prepare the pan
Lightly grease a 9 × 13-inch (23 × 33 cm) baking pan with vegetable oil.
Shape and second rise
Gently deflate the dough and transfer it to the prepared pan.
If the dough feels sticky, lightly flour your fingers and press it evenly into the corners.
Cover again with the tea towel and let rise for another 20 minutes.
Preheat the oven
Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C).
Make the caramel topping
In a saucepan over low heat, melt the butter with the brown sugar, date molasses (or maple syrup), vanilla, cinnamon, and sea salt.
Stir frequently until the sugar dissolves and the mixture is smooth.
Do not boil. Remove from heat and let cool slightly.
Assemble
Use your fingers to press deep dimples all over the risen dough.
Pour the warm caramel topping evenly over the surface.
Bake
Bake for 25–30 minutes, until the dough is puffed and the topping is bubbly and gooey.
Serve
Let cool slightly before serving. Enjoy warm.
In a medium bowl mix together active dry yeast and milk, stir and let sit for 10 minutes until it starts foaming.
Add eggs, sugar, salt and melted butter, stir to combine.
Pour milk mixture into the bowl of a stand mixer using the dough hook attachment.
turn it on medium-low speed and add the flour, once the dough starts to form increase the speed to medium high and keep beating for 6 minutes or so until you get nice elastic and slightly sticky dough.
Scrape down the sides of bowl with a rubber spatula as needed.
place dough in a lightly greased bowl with vegetable oil, cover with a clean dry tea towel and let rise for 30 minutes.
Grease a 9 x 13 inch baking pan lightly with vegetable oil.
Deflate the dough and pour into baking pan. If dough is a little too sticky cover your fingers in a light dusting of flour. Press dough evenly out into the corners of the baking pan.
Cover pan with the tea towel and let rise for another 20 minutes.
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).
To make the Topping: Over low heat melt butter with the brown sugar, maple syrup, vanilla, cinnamon & sea salt.
Stir frequently to ensure sugar is completely melted and butter in fully incorporated. Do not boil! Remove from heat and let it cool slightly.
Press your finger into the dough to form deep dimples.
Pour the topping over dough and spread evenly. bake for 25-30 minutes until the dough is puffed and the topping is gooey and bubbly.
Enjoy
