This Del Frisco’s Butter Cake copycat features caramelized, crisp edges and a soft, gooey center. Serve warm with butter pecan ice cream, caramel sauce, and whipped cream for the full steakhouse experience. Baked in individual pans, the edges set golden while the center stays tender.
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.
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.