This Del Frisco's Butter Cake copycat is a steakhouse-style dessert made as individual mini cakes with crisp, caramelized edges and a soft, gooey center. Serve it warm with ice cream, whipped cream, and caramel sauce for that classic hot-and-cold finish.
Why You'll Love This Del Frisco Butter Cake Recipe
This recipe is all about texture: a thin, crisp outside edge and a center that stays soft and gooey when served warm. The batter is thick (more like blondie batter than cake batter), and that is what helps you get the signature center.
- Steakhouse texture: Crisp edges with a soft center that sets as it cools.
- Simple ingredients: No specialty items needed, and the method is straightforward.
- Easy to serve: Make the cakes ahead, then warm and top right before serving.
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What Is Del Frisco's Butter Cake?
Del Frisco's butter cake is served as an individual warm cake with a crisp outside edge and a soft center, typically topped with ice cream and a sauce drizzle. It is not a fluffy layer cake and it is not a pound cake. The batter is thick, and the doneness cue is different: the edges should be set and golden while the center stays soft.
Ingredients Overview
You'll use basic baking ingredients: flour, sugar, butter, egg, milk, vanilla, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. To serve, plan on ice cream, whipped cream, and caramel sauce (or your favorite topping).
Full ingredient amounts and preparation instructions are in the printable recipe card at the bottom of this post.
Pan Size and Equipment Notes
- Best pan choice: 4-inch mini springform pans make the easiest release and give the right edge-to-center ratio.
- Why the coarse sugar: Coating the buttered pan with coarse sugar helps build the crisp, caramelized outside edge.
- Use a sheet pan: Set the mini pans on a rimmed baking sheet for easy handling and even baking.
How To Make Del Frisco's Butter Cake
Important: These cakes are done when the edges are set and golden and the centers still look soft. If you bake until the center looks fully set, you'll lose the gooey middle.
- Preheat the oven to 350℉. Butter six 4-inch mini springform pans. Place a parchment (or wax paper) circle in the bottom of each pan. Set the pans on a rimmed baking sheet.
- Add about 1 ½ teaspoons coarse sugar to each pan. Tilt and rotate to coat the sides. Tap out any extra sugar.
- In one bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. In a second bowl, mix the sugar, egg, milk, and vanilla until just blended.
The batter will be more like thick blondie batter than cake batter. A hand mixer makes it easier to get a smooth batter, but do not mix forever. Once it is smooth, stop.
- Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients in 2 to 3 additions. Mix until smooth, scraping the bowl as needed. The batter will be quite thick.
- Divide the batter evenly between the six pans and smooth the tops. Tap each pan lightly on the counter to settle the batter.
- Bake 25 to 30 minutes. The edges should be golden and starting to pull away from the pan. The centers should still look soft.
Gooey Butter Cake Centers
The centers will dip while cooling. That dip is normal and is part of the soft, gooey center texture. If your centers stay tall and firm, the cakes were likely baked too long.
- Cool the cakes in the pans for 10 minutes. Unfasten the springform rings and remove them. Let the cakes cool another 10 to 15 minutes.
- Serve warm. Place one cake on a plate, add a scoop of ice cream, drizzle with caramel sauce, and add a spoonful of whipped cream.
Del Frisco Butter Cake Serving Suggestions
Butter pecan ice cream is a classic choice, but vanilla bean works well too. For a different sauce, try a drizzle of Baileys Chocolate Ganache or serve with fresh berries to cut the richness.
Substitutions and Variations
Some useful substitutions and variations when making this recipe:
- Ice cream swaps: Vanilla bean, coffee, or salted caramel all work well.
- Sauce swaps: Caramel is classic, but chocolate ganache or a berry sauce works too.
- Berries: Raspberries or strawberries add contrast and look great on the plate.
Tips for Success
Helpful tips to help you when making this recipe:
- Coat the pans well: Butter + coarse sugar is what helps create the crusty outside edge.
- Do not chase a "clean toothpick" center: A clean toothpick usually means overbaked for this style. Aim for set edges and a soft center.
- Watch the last 5 minutes: Mini cakes go from perfect to overbaked quickly.
- Serve warm: Warm cake + cold ice cream is the whole point. Rewarm if needed (see storage section).
Storage Options
Here is how I store leftovers when making this recipe:
- Refrigeration: Store tightly covered for 3 to 4 days. Rewarm before serving.
- Freezing: Wrap each cake tightly and freeze up to 2 to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge.
- How to rewarm: Microwave 10 to 15 seconds, or warm in a 300℉ oven until heated through.
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Frequently Asked Questions
No. The texture is different. Del Frisco's style has a crisp outside edge with a soft center. Maestro's is typically lighter and more cake-like, with different toppings.
Yes. The center dips as the cakes cool. That dip is part of the soft, gooey middle.
Bake until the edges are set and golden and the center still looks soft. The center will continue to set as it cools. Overbaking is the most common reason the middle turns dense.
Butter the pans well, then coat the inside with coarse sugar before adding the batter. The sugar caramelizes as the cakes bake.
This recipe was tested in 4-inch (and similar small) pans to get the right edge-to-center ratio. If you use a larger pan, the baking time changes and the center texture may not be the same.
Warm each cake briefly so the center softens again. Microwave 10 to 15 seconds, or warm in a 300°F oven until heated through.
Easy Dessert Recipes
Get The Recipe!
Del Frisco's Butter Cake (Copycat Recipe)
Equipment
- 6 4" Springform cake pans
- 6 4" Parchment paper circles
Ingredients
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- ⅔ cup butter softened to room temperature
- 2 cups sugar (white granulated)
- 2 large eggs
- 2 tablespoon milk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 3 tablespoon coarse demerara sugar (or or turbinado sugar)
For the Cake Garnish
- 1½ cups Butter Pecan Ice cream (¼ cup scoop per cake)
- 12 tablespoon Caramel sauce (2 tablespoons per cake as topping)
- 1 cup Whipped Cream (to dollop on top of each cake)
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350° F. Butter each 4" springform pan. Place a parchment paper circle on the bottom of each. Then, place 1 ½ teaspoons of Demerara sugar in each pan. Tip the pan so the sugar coats the sides of the pan. Tip out any excess. Set the pans aside on a baking sheet.3 tablespoon coarse demerara sugar
- Measure the flour, salt, baking powder, and baking soda into a medium size mixing bowl. Mix to distribute evenly.2 cups all-purpose flour, 1 teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon baking powder, ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the softened butter and sugar until just blended. Add the eggs, milk, and vanilla and mix until evenly incorporated. Do not whip or overmix.⅔ cup butter, 2 cups sugar , 2 large eggs, 2 tablespoon milk, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Add the flour mixture in two to three portions as you mix with a hand mixer. If using a spatula make sure everything is scraped from the sides and mixed in.
- Divide batter among the six pans and smooth out evenly. Tap each pan on the counter to settle out air pockets.
- Bake 25-30 minutes, until the edges are golden and beginning to pull from the sides. The centers should still look slightly soft. Do not bake until the center is fully firm.
- Remove from the oven and set on a rack to cool for 10 minutes, then remove from the springform pans to cool another 15 minutes.
- Serve with the Pecan Ice Cream, Caramel Sauce, and Whipped Cream using the assembly instructions below.
Assembling the Del Frisco Cakes
- Take each slightly warm cake and put a ¼ cup scoop of Butter Pecan Ice Cream.1½ cups Butter Pecan Ice cream
- Then, drizzle 2 tablespoons of cold caramel sauce on each scoop of ice cream.12 tablespoon Caramel sauce
- Last, spritz or dollop some whipped cream next to each scoop of ice cream. Serve immediately.1 cup Whipped Cream
Notes
- Butter and sugar the pans well: Coat each pan generously with butter, then add coarse sugar to create the signature crisp, caramelized edge.
- Do not chase a clean toothpick: The center should look slightly soft when removed from the oven. Overbaking is what turns the middle dense instead of gooey.
- Watch the last 5 minutes closely: Mini cakes can go from perfect to overbaked quickly, so start checking early.
- Serve warm for best texture: Warm cakes give you that classic steakhouse contrast of crisp edges and a soft, gooey center.
Nutrition
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Lori Kaye says
Can you make one big one in a larger springform pan?
Kelly Bloom says
I've never tested it that way, so can't offer time for baking, or even if there is enough or too much batter. I would make it as the recipe is developed first so that you can see the texture of the center and the crust on the outside perimeter first before attempting to alter the recipe in a way it was not intended to be baked. I just can not guarantee your success if you change the bake.
Kelly Bloom says
I made this again after 4 years of blogging to share with parents. It turned out as awesome, delicious as when I first made this.
Naomi Lile says
What kind of milk did you use? Did you use buttermilk?
Kelly Bloom says
I used ordinary cow milk. I don't recommend buttermilk because it affects the baking soda and baking powder. I've never tested it with buttermilk to know what the leavening adjustments might need to be.
Joan says
Can this be made as 1 large springform pan!
Teresa says
First time trying this. In the interest of savings, can I use large muffin tins? I realize cakes will be smaller..should I adjust cooking time/ temp?
Excited to try !!
Kelly Bloom says
Absolutely! I've not, so not exactly sure how much you may need to adjust your cook time. Start with a typical muffin baking time, but keep and eye on them during that last 10 minutes of bake.
Rosalyn says
What if you only had 4 mini spring form pans?
Kelly Bloom says
I would fill the four mini spring form pans, but then would put the remaining batter in a small 6" cake pan. The bake time would be almost the same. You may need to leave the 6" cake in a few minutes longer after removing the four mini spring form pans.