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Move over butter boards…the layered herb butter cake is here. If you love this trend but want something fresh, this savory recipe is for you. Silky butter planks stacked with a whipped herb filling that’s packed with fresh chives, dill, lemon zest and parm. You can make it a day early for a spring tea party or brunch, and it’s much easier to serve than a messy board on a warm, crusty baguette.
Table of Contents
About the Taste
Not only is this butter recipe gorgeous, it also tastes amazing. The whipped filling is light, creamy and loaded with fresh herbs, parmesan cheese and lemon zest that give vibrant, savory, zesty pop. This spread is to spread on a warm, crusty baguette or crackers.
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How to Serve a Savory Butter Cake
You might be wondering how to actually eat a cake made entirely of butter. The best way is to set out a few cheese spreaders or butter knives. Guests will swoop their knife down the side of the cake, grabbing however much better they want for their toasted bread.
The mini radishes and the flowers can be eaten with the layered butter or simply push them to the side. You can set out extra mini radishes or slice regular ones if you want that fresh peppery bite for your guests to be able to add to the top.
Make sure you take it out 10 to 15 minutes before serving. This allows it to soften perfectly so it is light, creamy, and ready to spread.
Ingredient Swaps
- Edible Flowers: These are usually found in the produce section near the fresh herbs in specialty grocers, but if you cannot track them down, chive blossoms or micro greens will be very pretty as a topping.
- Parmigiano Reggiano: Pecorino Romano or Grana Padano are excellent one-to-one swaps. Be more reserved with the salt if you are using Pecorino because it is saltier.
- Fresh Dill and Chives: Fresh tarragon, parsley, or finely minced basil replace the dill and chives beautifully depending on what looks best at the market.
- Lemon Zest: Fresh lime or orange zest provides the necessary bright lift to cut the richness of the butter if you do not have a lemon on hand.
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Similar Recipes
- Butter Radish Tea Sandwiches: These tea sandwiches press edible flowers and radishes into a chilled butter slab. They are cut into squares and places on top of fried brioche with a dollop of caviar for a high-end tea time snack.
- Radish Herb Butter Terrine: Butter layered with paper-thin radishes, chives, and dill in terrine form.
- Dirty Martini Terrine: Blue cheese, vodka-soaked Castelvetrano olives, and chives layered inside of a cream cheese butter.
The Elegant Tea Party Menu
Grapefruit Elderflower Sour: This bright and floral gin sour uses a homemade grapefruit elderflower syrup to bring a beautiful citrus flavor to your drink.
Fig Toast with Whipped Brie: Buttery fried brioche is topped with a port balsamic reduction, jammy pressed figs, and creamy whipped brie. These are elegant bites that your guests will absolutely love.
Grilled Peach and Stracciatella Tartine: These prosciutto wrapped peaches are grilled and served over a creamy homemade stracciatella on top of a toasted baguette. This appetizer will look great with your tea party spread and is also filing.
Cherries Jubilee: Warm, flambéed cherries are served over cold vanilla ice cream and finished with dark chocolate shavings. This classic dessert is the perfect finisher for an upscale afternoon tea.
Layered Herb Butter Cake FAQ
Yes, this needs to set out a bit for the perfect texture. Whipped butter hardens in the fridge, so you must let the cake sit at room temperature for 10 to 15 minutes before serving for the whipped herb butter soften so it is light, creamy, and completely spreadable.
You can fully assemble and frost this up to two days in advance. Keep it in an airtight container or cover it tightly with plastic wrap in the fridge so it does’t absorb other food odors.
Freezing it is the only way to get thin, clean planks. If the butter is soft, it will smash and lose its shape entirely when you try to slice and stack the layers.
It is best to stick with unsalted so you have full control over the amount, the Parmigiano Reggiano can be pretty salty. Always make sure you taste as you go.
Warm, crusty baguettes or slices of toasted sourdough are ideal. Crackers work also. If you need tips on how to serve this, check out my How to Serve section.
Nadia’s Tips
- The Cup Trick: Grab a tall glass, place your piping bag inside, and fold the top edges over the rim. This holds the bag wide open so you can easily scoop the whipped butter right to the bottom without getting it all over the sides or your hands.
- The Proper Grip: Always apply pressure from the very top of the bag. Twist the top until it is tight against the butter and tuck that twist between your thumb and index finger. Never squeeze from the middle. Squeezing the center causes an uneven flow and the heat from your palm will melt the butter before it ever hits the cake.
- The Bottom Border: Use a standard open star tip for the base. Keep the movements simple. Hold the tip slightly above the surface, squeeze out a small star, stop squeezing completely, and then pull straight up and away. Repeat this exact rhythm all the way around the base of the butter cake.
- The Vintage Top Swoops: Switch your piping tip for the top. I used a basketweave piping set (size 48), but you can use whatever tip you like and make this your own. Apply steady, even pressure at a 45-degree angle toward the direction you are moving and guide the tip back and forth in a wavy motion.
Equipment
- chef’s knife
- parchment paper
- Large mixing bowl
- Electric mixer
- plastic wrap
- spatula
Ingredients
- 16 ounces unsalted butter bricks, I am using Kerrygold
- 2 tbsp heavy cream
- 1 lemon, zest only
- 1/3 cup chives, finely chopped
- 2 tbsp fresh dill, finely chopped
- 1/3 cup parmigiano reggiano, freshly grated
- flaky sea salt, to taste
- black pepper, to taste
- mini radishes, for topping
- edible flowers, for topping
- dill flowers, for topping
Instructions
- Prepare the Butter: let 8 ounces of butter come to room temperature and place the other 8 ounces in the freezer for 15 minutes. Slice the frozen butter brick lengthwise into 3 even pieces. Place the planks on parchment paper and refrigerate.16 ounces unsalted butter bricks
- Whip the Butter: Combine the room temperature 8-ounce butter brick and heavy cream in a large mixing bowl. Whip for 5 to 6 minutes until fluffy. Set aside half of the whipped for frosting.2 tbsp heavy cream
- Mix the Herb Filling: To the other half of the whipped butter, add lemon zest, chives, dill, Parmigiano, flaky sea salt, and black pepper to the remaining half of the whipped butter. Whip until fully incorporated.1 lemon, 1/3 cup chives, 2 tbsp fresh dill, 1/3 cup parmigiano reggiano, flaky sea salt, black pepper
- Make the Butter Cake: Remove the chilled butter planks from the refrigerator. Spread 1/2 of the herbed whipped butter evenly onto the first plank. Place the second plank on top and spread the other half on top of that one. Place the third plank on top and press the stack together gently, scraping the sides smooth with a knife. Wrap tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes to set.
- Frost and Decorate: Unwrap the chilled butter cake and, using a spatula, spread a thin layer of the plain whipped butter on all sides. Refrigerate for 20 minutes to set. Transfer the remaining plain whipped butter to a piping bag. Pipe decorative borders along the edges, and using a different tip decorate the top (see photos and Nadia's Tips). Top with mini radishes, edible flowers, and dill flowers. Serve with toasted bread or crackers.edible flowers, mini radishes, dill flowers
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Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Gorgeous!
Thank you! 🫶