This shortbread cake quite literally melts in your mouth. This is my take on the classic shortbread cookies, but transformed into a hybrid soft and moist cake form. Forgot dry boring biscuits, these are an amazing baking treat. It’s super easy and a great snack to whip up for dessert or morning/afternoon teas throughout the week.
This shortbread cake recipe was actually inspired by a coworker at a temp job I was working. Now, in the past I have not been a shortbread fan, I’ve found it dry and just overall not an enjoyable treat. However, around Christmas time at work, we decided to have a shared lunch, and she brought in some homemade Dutch shortbread cookies. I wasn’t going to have any, but everyone was raving about them. They were delicious, and inspired me to develop my own version.
Be warned, this is a very indulgent treat! If you’re looking for a healthier dessert, you are in the wrong place. There’s lots of butter, lots of sugar, and a whole lot of cake! It is really so good though, definitely a recipe that is worth it.
Key Ingredients
- Plain flour is used for this shortbread cake recipe. We do not want this to rise like a regular cake, so there is no need for baking powder or self raising flour.
- Sugar brings the sweetness to the shortbread cake. There is a fair amount of sugar in this recipe, but don’t worry there is also a lot of flour and quantity of the other ingredients so it is not too sweet.
- Butter helps to trap the moisture into the cake. By using (a lot of) softened – not melted – butter it allows little pockets to melt during the baking process, retaining the moisture. It plays a key role in the tenderness of the shortbread cake.
- Eggs play two roles in this shortbread cake recipe. They are mixed with the almond essence and used as a binding ingredient for the cake, and is also used as an egg wash in the final stages of baking.
- Almond essence brings a subtle bit of oomph in flavour. I use just a small amount, as I am not a fan of a strong almond essence taste. However, if you like the almond essence flavour then you are welcome to add a little more.
- Vanilla paste is one of my favourite ingredients in baking. It’s not as intense as vanilla essence or extract, and has the beans in it. Adding it to this shortbread cake brings another level of depth to the flavour. It’s subtle, but makes an impact.
- Salt is my secret ingredient. I love love love adding a dash of salt to some of my sweeter recipes. It creates balance in flavour, sweet and salty are the classic combination. Do not skip this, it really elevates the baking.
How to make this divine shortbread cake
Preparation.
Preheat your oven to 180℃. If you are using a regular cake tin, grease with butter or spray oil and line with baking paper.
Create the egg mix.
Start by whisking together the eggs and almond essence in a large bowl. Keep ⅔ of the egg mix in the large bowl, and pour ⅓ into a smaller bowl – keep this aside.
Form the shortbread cake batter.
To the large bowl with egg add the flour, sugar, butter, vanilla paste, and salt. Give this a good mix until it is all combined and forms a batter. It may be a bit wet and sticky, but that is ok.
Bake the cake.
Pour the batter into a non-stick rectangular cake tin, or a greased and lined regular cake tin. Place and bake in the oven for 45 minutes.
Egg wash and final baking.
Now use the remaining ⅓ egg mix as an egg wash. Poke a few holes in the cake as well, to ensure it cooks all the way through. Bake for a further 15 minutes.
Cool and enjoy.
Let the shortbread cake cool, then cut into squares. Enjoy!
Shortbread vs Shortcake
You may be wondering what the difference between shortbread and shortcake is, and why is this not just a short cake recipe? Well, that’s a great question! The difference between the two is that shortcake has baking powder in the recipe, whereas shortbread does not and it is more dense.
Storage
Once you have cut up the shortbread cake and it has fully cooled, place into an airtight container. If you want to keep it a bit tidier, you can use paper towels in between the layers. Keep out of the fridge at room temperature, and out of direct sunlight. The shortbread cake should keep fresh for up to 4 days.
A couple notes
- This shortbread cake is very tender, so I would handle it gently when packing it away and serving – that’s part of its charm and why it melts in your mouth though!
- If you want to make this gluten free, replace the flour with gluten free flour and add 2 tsp cornflour – this will help maintain the structure.
More for your sweet tooth:
- White Choc Raspberry Muffins (GF)
- Apple Pie
- Panna Cotta
- Pumpkin Coffee Cake
- Blondies
- Portokalopita (Greek Orange Cake)
Alrighty, are you ready to bake this delicious shortbread cake? Embark on a melt in your mouth journey, a shortbread experience like you’ve never had before. Come on, grab those ingredients and let’s get to baking!
Shortbread Cake
Ingredients
- 3 ½ cups plain flour
- 1 ½ cups sugar
- 500 g butter softened
- 2 eggs
- 1 tsp almond essence
- 2 tsp vanilla paste
- 1 tsp salt
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 180℃.
- Start by whisking together the eggs and almond essence in a large bowl. Keep ⅔ of the egg mix in the large bowl, and pour ⅓ into a smaller bowl – keep this aside.
- To the large bowl with egg add the flour, sugar, butter, vanilla paste, and salt. Give this a good mix until it is all combined and forms a batter. It may be a bit wet and sticky, but that is ok.
- Pour the batter into a non-stick rectangular cake tin, or a greased and lined regular cake tin.
- Place and bake in the oven for 45 minutes. Then use the remaining ⅓ egg mix as an egg wash. Poke a few holes in the cake as well, to ensure it cooks all the way through.
- Bake for a further 15 minutes.
- Let the shortbread cake cool, then cut into squares. Enjoy!
