Butterkuchen

According to Bloomberg, the pandemic has seen US butter consumption rise to its highest levels since 1943... The butter cake recipe, aka Butterkuchen or Zuckerkuchen, is a traditional German cake often served for afternoon coffee. Popular when covered with butter, almonds, and sugar. It can also be topped with streusel (see recipe below). 

Ingredients:

Yeast Dough

• 1 package (1 Tbsp) active dry yeast
• ¼ cup lukewarm water
• 1 tsp sugar
• 1 cup milk (lukewarm)
• ½ cup oil
• 1 egg
• ½ cup sugar
• about 4 to 4½ cups all-purpose flour
• ½ cup milk or cream

Topping

• ⅔ cup sugar
• ¾ cup chopped almonds
• ⅓ cup cold butter

Preparation

1. In a large bowl, mix yeast, water, and 1 tsp sugar. Let stand for about 5 – 10 minutes. This should be a little foamy.
2. Mix in 1 cup milk, oil, egg, and ½ cup sugar. Beat in 2 cups flour and mix well. Let stand 10 minutes.
3. Add more flour until a soft dough results. Remove from bowl and knead until smooth and elastic, adding flour ONLY if necessary if it is too sticky.
4. Put dough into a greased bowl. Cover and put in a draft-free warm place for about 30 – 60 minutes, until it has doubled in size.
5. Grease a 35 cm x 24 cm pan. Roll out dough to fit the pan and place it into it.
6. Make small hollows in the surface of the dough with your fingers.
7. Brush dough with ½ cup milk or cream.
8. Cut butter into small pieces and place in hollows.
9. Sprinkle ⅔ cup sugar and nuts over the dough.
10. Cover and let stand in a warm draft-free place for about 30 minutes.
11. Preheat oven to 200° C. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes until golden brown.
12. Let cool slightly and cut into squares.

Hint:
You can make a streusel topping by mixing together 2 cups all-purpose flour, 1 cup sugar, and 1 cup butter into a crumbly mixture. Spread on top of dough instead of sprinkling the sugar and nuts.

Here is Martha Stewart's take. And another take (in German). And yet another from Spruce Eats.