Dream Cake from Brovst

February 27, 2026

Dream Cake from Brovst © kvalifood.com

Dream Cake originates from Brovst in northern Jutland. In 1960, Jytte Andersen won a baking competition with this simple but remarkably good traybake, and it has been a classic in Danish homes ever since. It consists of a light, vanilla-scented base topped with a warm, glossy mixture of desiccated coconut, butter, brown sugar and milk that caramelises in the oven to a golden, crystalline finish.

Ingredients

Yields 20 pieces

Base

300 g sugar
1 tsp vanilla sugar
4 eggs
280 g plain flour
2 tsp baking powder
70 g butter
200 ml milk

Topping

175 g desiccated coconut
175 g butter
100 ml milk
250 g brown sugar (or muscovado for a deeper flavour)

Directions

Preparation

Heat the oven to 390°F (200°C) conventional, or 350°F (175°C) fan. Line a baking tray with parchment paper.

The base

Whisk the sugar, vanilla sugar and eggs to a pale, airy mixture.

Melt the butter in the milk (until lukewarm) and stir into the egg mixture.

Sift in the flour and baking powder and fold gently to combine.

Pour into the tray and bake for 25–30 minutes, until the cake is almost set but still slightly moist in the centre.

The topping

While the cake is baking: bring the desiccated coconut, butter, milk and sugar to the boil, stirring, until you have a smooth mixture. Remove from the heat.

Finishing

Remove the cake from the oven.

Increase the temperature to 435°F (225°C).

Spread the topping evenly over the cake.

Bake for 5–7 minutes until the topping is golden and lightly caramelised.

Leave to cool completely before serving.

Notes

Buttermilk variation: Replace the milk in the base with buttermilk for a softer cake that keeps longer (up to 5 days).
Muscovado tip: Use muscovado sugar in the topping instead of brown sugar for a deeper, more caramel-like flavour.
Important: Watch the topping closely in the last few minutes — it should be set and golden, not dark.
Can be frozen.