Italian Warm Butter Cake
This Italian style warm butter cake has a luscious, perfectly textured sponge reminiscent of a fluffy pound cake, all soaked with a warm butter sauce. Topped with ice cream or whipped cream and berries, this cake is decadent and far simpler to make than you’d expect!
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Months ago, I tried a warm butter cake that changed my life. Okay, maybe that’s a bit dramatic, but it was ah-mazing, and I knew I needed to find a similar recipe.
Only all the “warm butter cakes” out there were too spongy or too dense.
So, I paved my own way. All I really knew was how the original (from Original Joe’s in San Francisco) tasted and that it used at least part semolina flour. So, I did some research and recipe comparison and then I just…started making little cakes.
The nice thing about this recipe is that it’s 1) easy to make a small batch and 2) easy to make in general. Which made taste-testing easy and delicious.
Why this recipe works
First, the use of part semolina flour creates an entirely new texture. It’s still light and fluffy, yet also has a bit of a pound cake texture to it. Plus, semolina is a classic Italian flour, and creates a more classic Italian texture. I also used oil instead of butter (which I typically use in any yellow cake). It just seemed more Italian, but it also created the texture I was going for. Light yet suuuuuper moist.
Baking it in a muffin pan helped create that unique, restaurant style serving. I was trying to recreate the almost lava-cake look to the original we’d tried, and the muffin pan worked perfectly. I just served the cakes upside down! Plus, it made for a beautiful presentation with a scoop of ice cream on top.
Finally, the butter sauce. I’d first had something like this in a Kentucky butter cake, so I just chose to add a tiny bit of almond for that classic Italian flavor. Pouring this warm sauce over the warm cake right before serving really does make it something extra special. It adds moisture and flavor that make it hard to share this cake!
Key ingredients
Flour. Be sure to spoon then level your flour so you don’t pack it in, and always sift with a fine mesh sieve!
Semolina flour. This is key to creating that unique, pound cake-y crumb.
Baking powder. Be sure it hasn’t been open longer than a few months or it does start to lose its umph, regardless of the indicated expiration date. And be sure it’s been well-sealed! Any moisture getting in will stop it from working properly.
Salt. I highly recommend sea salt, as it helps complement the sweetness better.
Oil. I prefer avocado or grape seed oil, as they are light and tasteless but still heart-healthy. Vegetable or canola oil work, too. You could theoretically use olive oil, but I haven’t tried it and caution that it could have a strong taste.
Sugar. Obviously! You’ll need this in the cake as well as the butter sauce.
Eggs. Use fresh, large eggs and make sure they have reached room temperature.
Vanilla. Always use pure extract in baking, not imitation.
Milk. I suggest whole milk for a richer cake. Be sure it has reached room temperature.
Butter. Only used in the sauce, this is the part that makes the cake decadent, moist, and flavorful.
Water. This is used in the sauce as well, helping it be thin enough to drizzle. You only need a little, but still be sure to use filtered water.
Almond extract. This is optional, but it adds a uniquely Italian flavor that I love.
How to make Italian warm butter cake
Make the cake
1. Sift and whisk dry ingredients. Don’t skip the sifting! It’s key to making this cake nice and fluffy.
2. Whisk eggs, milk, oil, and vanilla. Whisk very well to fully emulsify (blend) it all, especially the eggs and oil.
3. Slowly stir wet ingredients into the dry. Do this on low and immediately stop and scrape the bowl once everything is combined.
4. Beat on medium for exactly 1 minute. Set a timer so you don’t under or over mix.
5. Bake. Bake until a toothpick or cake tester comes out with just some moist crumbs—not fully clean, as this can mean it’s over baked. Remember that it continues to bake a little when you take it out of the oven.
Make the warm butter sauce
6. Cook butter, water, and sugar. Cook over medium until the sugar has fully dissolved.
7. Add vanilla and almond extracts. I prefer adding these after the sauce has cooked, so I can better control the amounts and flavor.
8. Poke holes in warm-ish cakes. If you made the cakes ahead of time, reheat at 350 for 5 minutes. Then, poke holes in each one with a fork or toothpick.
9. Pour sauce over cakes. Pour 2/3 of the sauce over the cakes while still in the pan. Let sit for 5-10 minutes. Turn upside down on serving plates and pour the remaining sauce over the bottoms-turned-tops of the cakes.
10. Top with ice cream or whipped cream. This is technically optional, but it really does make this cake! A simple whipped cream is fine, or you can use vanilla ice cream.
Enjoy!
Tips and FAQ’s for this recipe
Can I make the cake ahead of time?
You can make this the morning you plan to serve it, reheating it briefly for about 5-10 minutes (350 should do just fine). The goal is to serve it warm without over-baking it. It could technically be frozen, defrosted in the fridge, then warmed in the oven, but it will dry out some with this process. Just be sure to pour the warm sauce right before serving.
Can I make this in a different pan?
Yes! You can use ramekins or small springform pans (like for making mini cheesecakes). You could also use a bundt pan, but the bake time will take longer, and it may turn out more dense or dry due to the longer baking time. Still, it should turn out decently well, because warm Kentucky butter cakes—this cake’s American cousin—are often made in bundt pans.
If you want to make a stacked cake, I suggest using a more classic sponge, such as this vanilla butter cake. They are more suited to frosting and stacking.
What do I serve this with?
More cake? Haha, in all honesty, you can serve this on its own or with some ice cream or whipped cream. Vanilla ice cream is pretty classic, as is plain whipped cream. You could also try some fun ice cream flavors, like fresh strawberry, cinnamon brown sugar, classic chocolate, razzleberry swirl, or even chocolate orange. Alternatively, you can easily serve this with a sprinkling of powdered sugar and some fresh berries!
Where do I find semolina flour?
I’ve never had trouble finding semolina flour at my local grocery store. It’s with the alternative flours, which is usually in the baking aisle. Try to use fine semolina, which is usually what stores carry. If your store doesn’t have it, you can order it online or try a more custom store like Whole Foods or an Italian store. Our local Italian deli has a small shopping section that has a variety of semolina options.
Do I have to sift?
Yes! Sifting is important for baking, and especially so with baking cakes. You want a soft, tender cake, and this can’t be achieved if the flour is still lumpy. So, do yourself (and your tastebuds) a favor and always sift the dry ingredients!
Use room temperature ingredients
This is another baking must. Room temperature ingredients (when called for) are non-negotiable. I have seen the difference in cakes that are tough and don’t rise. Plan ahead and make sure your ingredients have had time to sit out.
My tools
Here are my must-have tools I use for making this cake. Affiliate links provided.
Mesh sieve (because sifting is KEY for a fluffy cake)
All-rubber spatula (this makes scraping the bowl easier so the batter doesn’t get all over a wooden handle!)
Cupcake pans (or you can use ramekins or mini springform pans)
Italian Warm Butter Cake
- prep time: 10-15 minutes
- bake time: 15-20 minutes
- total time: 35 minutes
servings: 12-16
Ingredients:
for the cake
- 1 cup (136g) flour, spooned then leveled
- ½ cup (88g) fine semolina flour
- ½ teaspoons (2g) baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon (2g) sea salt
- ½ cup (112g) light oil (avocado, grape seed, canola, etc.)
- 2 large eggs, room temperature
- ½ tablespoon (7g) pure vanilla extract
- ½ cup (120g) whole milk, room temperature
- 1 cup (200g) granulated sugar
for the warm butter soak
- 1 cup (200g) granulated sugar
- ½ cup (113g) salted butter
- ⅓ cup (80g) water
- ½ teaspoon (2g) almond extract (optional)
- 1 teaspoon (4g) pure vanilla extract
Instructions:
- Preheat oven to 350F/175C. Lightly butter and flour (or spray with baking spray) the wells of a regular cupcake pan. You may need to use a few wells of a second pan, depending on the size. Alternatively, you can use about 12 small ramekins or mini springform pans.
- In a medium mixing bowl, use a large fine mesh sieve to sift then whisk together flour, semolina flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
- In another medium to large bowl, whisk together the oil, eggs, vanilla, milk, and sugar. Whisk well for about one minute, until well blended and the sugar is mostly dissolved.
- Gently whisk in the flour mixture until combined and no streaks of flour remain (some lumps are okay).
- Pour into your prepared cupcake pan(s), filling about ⅔ full. Bake for 15-20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the middle cupcake comes out clean. Check early, as climate, elevation, and individual ovens can cause the bake time to vary.
- Let cakes cool in the pan 5-10 minutes while you make the warm butter sauce. If not serving right away, let cakes cool in the pan then reheat for 5-10 minutes while you make the sauce immediately before serving.
- For the sauce, combine the sugar, butter, and water in a medium saucepan. Cook over medium heat until the sugar is fully dissolved, stirring frequently.
- Add the almond and vanilla extracts.
- Using a fork, toothpick, kebab stick, or something similar, poke holes all over the cakes (still in the warm pan). Pour or brush about ⅔ of the sauce over the cakes and let soak in. Brushing is ideal because you can layer on the sauce.
- Carefully remove each cake to its serving plate, turning it upside down. Brush with remaining sauce. Serve with whipped cream or vanilla ice cream.
Enjoy!
Sauce should only be poured/brushed on a warm cake right before serving. If needed, you can make the cake up to one day ahead and store in an airtight container. Reheat for 5-10 minutes while you make the sauce, immediately before serving.