Ontbijtkoek (Dutch Breakfast Cake)

If you're craving gingerbread, but you're in a hurry, this ontbeijtkoek is just what you're looking for.  It's a Dutch spice cake that tastes similar to gingerbread, but even better!  You might have a hard time eating only one piece.

If you love desserts for coffee time, you'll want to check out these recipes for Finnish pulla bread and Cornish saffron buns.

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Ingredients

Curious what you need to make ontbijtkoek? Let's talk about the key ingredients.

• Rye Flour: This flavorful grain has a distinctive taste, which is the most important element of this cake.
• Honey: This adds moisture and sweetness.
• Spices: A mixture of cinnamon, cardamom, coriander, ginger, and cloves gives the cake a lot of flavor and aroma.

How to Make

Gather the ingredients for ontbijtkoek.  You'll need rye flour, all-purpose flour, baking powder, molasses, honey, and brown sugar.  You'll also need several spices: cinnamon, cardamom, ginger, cloves, coriander, and salt.

1. Whisk together the flours, baking powder, and spices.
2. Pour in the milk, honey, molasses, and brown sugar.

3. Whisk until combined.

4. Pour the mixture into a buttered 9x5-inch loaf pan.

5. Bake the ontbijtkoek at 300 F for 55 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.  Let it cool for 1 hour.

6. Slice the ontbijtkoek and serve with lots of butter and hot coffee.

Recipe FAQs

Serve

Ontbijtkoek is traditionally served at breakfast in Dutch homes where it is spread generously with butter and enjoyed in place of regular bread. However, it can be enjoyed at any time throughout the day--especially with a cup of coffee.

A unique way to serve ontbijtkoek is in the children's game koekhappen. This old Dutch game is popular at children's birthday parties and at Koningsdag, the annual celebration of King Willem-Alexander's birthday (April 27).

In the game, children try to eat slices of ontbijtkoek hung from a string overhead without using their hands. Sometimes, they are even blindfolded to make it more challenging.

Store

Leftover Ontbjitkoek: It will keep at room temperature for up to 1 week as well, as long as it is well wrapped in plastic wrap. This also gives it a sticky exterior, which is quite desirable in Dutch households.

Freezing: Ontbijtkoek freezes exceptionally well.  Just seal it inside of a zip-top freezer bag and freeze for up to 1 month.  Defrost slices in the toaster, microwave, or at room temperature.

Variations

There are lots of delicious variations of this Dutch cake.  If you try one of these, please let me know in the comments!

• Peperkoek (Pepper Cake): Add ¼-1/2 teaspoon of white pepper to the batter.
• Oudewijvenkoek (Old Wives' Cake): Add 2 teaspoons of aniseed.
• Honingkoek (Honey Cake): Omit the molasses.
• Gemberkoek (Ginger Cake): Add ¼-1/2 cup of chopped candied ginger.
• Kandijkoek (Candy Cake): Top the baked loaf with candy pearls.

Expert Tips

• Use a 9x5-inch loaf pan.  If your pan is bigger, reduce the baking time; if it's smaller, increase it.
• Put the ontbijtkoek in the oven as soon as it is made to reduce the chances of sinking.
• Don't open the oven door while the ontbijtkoek is baking, or it may sink.

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Recipe

Ontbijtkoek (Dutch Breakfast Cake)

This Dutch spice cake, called ontbijtkoek, might be your family’s new favorite dessert! Have a taste of Holland with this rye loaf cake that tastes like gingerbread. This recipe is quick and easy to make.

4.8 from 6 votes

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Course: Cake

Cuisine: Dutch

Keyword: dutch cake, dutch spice cake, spice cake

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 55 minutes

Total Time: 1 hour 10 minutes

Servings: 13 slices

Calories: 167kcal

Author: Emma

Ingredients

 

0.5x1x2x

US ImperialMetric

• ▢ 1 cup rye flour
• ▢ 1 cup all-purpose flour
• ▢ 2 ½ teaspoons baking powder
• ▢ 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• ▢ 1 teaspoon ground cardamom
• ▢ 1 teaspoon ground ginger
• ▢ ½ teaspoon ground coriander
• ▢ ½ teaspoon ground cloves
• ▢ ¼ teaspoon salt
• ▢ ½ cup dark brown sugar
• ▢ ¼ cup molasses
• ▢ ½ cup honey
• ▢ 1 cup whole milk

Equipment

• whisk
• 9x5-inch loaf pan
• cooling racks

Instructions

• Preheat the oven to 300°F and butter a 9x5-inch loaf pan.
• Whisk together the flours, baking powder, spices, and salt until combined.
• Add the sugar, molasses, honey, and milk and whisk the batter until it's well blended.
• Immediately pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan and bake at 300°F for 55 minutes.  The ontbijtkoek is done when a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
• Let it cool for 10 minutes in the pan, then run a knife around the edge and flip it onto a wire cooling rack.  Turn the ontbijtkoek right side up and let it cool for another 50 minutes.
• Slice and serve with butter and a cup of hot coffee.

Notes

• Use a 9x5-inch loaf pan.  If your pan is bigger, reduce the baking time; if it's smaller, increase it.
• Put the batter in the oven as soon as it is made to reduce the chances of sinking.
• Don't open the oven door while the ontbijtkoek is baking, or it may sink.

Nutrition

Calories: 167kcal (8%)Carbohydrates: 39g (13%)Protein: 3g (6%)Fat: 1g (2%)Saturated Fat: 1g (6%)Polyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 1gCholesterol: 2mg (1%)Sodium: 142mg (6%)Potassium: 184mg (5%)Fiber: 2g (8%)Sugar: 25g (28%)Vitamin A: 31IU (1%)Vitamin C: 1mg (1%)Calcium: 96mg (10%)Iron: 1mg (6%)

This post was originally published on July 31, 2020, and was updated with resized images and refreshed content on August 5, 2022.