Mastro’s Signature Butter Cake

Golden crust. Buttery center. Served warm. This is dessert royalty.

527 4 minutes read

Mastro’s Butter Cake is famous for its dense, velvety crumb, caramelised edges, and rich buttery flavour. Baked in ramekins or mini springform pans, each cake is a single-serving masterpiece — slightly crispy on top, soft and almost molten in the middle, and perfectly sweet without being cloying.

This recipe captures all that decadence using everyday ingredients. Start by preheating your oven to 350°F (175°C). This gives it plenty of time to reach the perfect baking temperature while you prepare everything else.

Now, take out 4 8-ounce ramekins (you can also use mini springform pans if you have them). Set them on a baking sheet so it’ll be easier to slide them in and out of the oven later.

To get that signature crust Mastro’s is known for, you’ll want to coat the inside of each ramekin in a very specific way. Start by melting 2 tablespoons of butter.

Using a pastry brush or your fingers, generously coat the bottom and sides of each ramekin with the melted butter. Then, take turbinado sugar (raw sugar with big crystals — gives a crunch), and sprinkle a tablespoon into each ramekin.

Tilt and rotate each ramekin until the sugar clings to all sides. Pour out any excess. This step gives the cake its golden, crisp edges — don’t skip it. Set the ramekins aside for now. They’re ready to receive some buttery goodness.

In a large mixing bowl (or stand mixer with the paddle attachment), combine: 1 cup (2 sticks) of unsalted butter, softened, 8 ounces (1 block) of cream cheese, softened, and 1 ½ cups granulated sugar.

Beat this trio together on medium-high speed for 3–4 minutes, until it’s light, fluffy, and pale yellow. This is the base of your cake — the fat that carries all the flavour. You’ll notice the texture turning cloud-like — that’s your cue to move to the next step.

Crack in 4 large eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Don’t rush this — adding the eggs slowly helps the batter emulsify properly and keeps the structure of the cake nice and stable.

You’ll see it go from slightly curdled to smooth and glossy. Once all the eggs are in, add 1 tablespoon of vanilla extract. In a separate bowl, sift together: 1½ cups all-purpose flour, 1 teaspoon baking powder and ¼ teaspoon salt.

Now gently add this dry mixture to your wet batter, a bit at a time, mixing on low speed or folding with a spatula until it’s just incorporated. Don’t overmix here — you want a tender, velvety crumb. The batter will be thick, rich, and beautifully smooth.

Spoon the batter evenly into your prepared ramekins. They should be about ¾ full, which gives them room to rise without overflowing.

Once filled, gently tap each ramekin on the counter to eliminate air pockets and smooth out the top. Place the ramekins (still on the baking sheet) into your preheated oven.

Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until the tops are golden brown, the edges pull slightly away from the sides, and a toothpick inserted into the edge (not centre) comes out clean.

The centre should be just a little underdone — it will finish setting as it cools, leaving that signature gooey but not raw centre. Once out of the oven, let the cakes cool in their ramekins for about 5–10 minutes. Just enough to firm them up a bit, but not enough to lose that warm, gooey texture.

To serve, carefully run a knife around the edge of each cake and invert it onto a serving plate. If it resists, give it a little tap — they usually release easily. You’re looking at a golden, sugar-crusted dome of cake perfection.

Dress It Up (Mastro’s Style)

This is where you make it a showstopper.

Add a generous scoop of vanilla bean ice cream right on top.
Sprinkle with fresh berries — strawberries, raspberries, blueberries, or whatever’s in season.
Light dusting of powdered sugar over everything.
Optional: Drizzle warm caramel sauce around the plate for extra flair.

Serve and Swoon

The moment you cut into it, the warm centre gently spills into the plate, the ice cream melts over the top, and the crispy sugar crust gives the most satisfying little crunch — you’ll understand why this dessert is legendary.

One bite and you’ll get it: the richness of the cream cheese, the buttery crumb, the tart berries, the contrast of ice cream and warm cake… this is no ordinary dessert.

Storage and Reheating;

You can make the batter ahead and refrigerate it for up to 2 days. Let it sit at room temperature before baking.
Leftover cakes (if that’s even a thing) can be stored covered at room temp for 1 day, or refrigerated for 3.
To reheat: microwave for 15–20 seconds until warm in the centre, but don’t overdo it.

This is Mastro’s Butter Cake — made at home, step by buttery step. It’s indulgent, nostalgic, and luxurious. Serve it at your next dinner party or just treat yourself on a quiet night in. Either way, you’re about to steal the spotlight.