Delightfully Easy Dutch Hagelslag Cake: The Ultimate Vanilla Cake with Chocolate Sprinkles Recipe
Prepare to be charmed by this effortlessly delicious **Vanilla Cake with Chocolate Sprinkles**, affectionately known as **Dutch Hagelslag Cake**. This isn’t just any cake; it’s a buttery-soft, incredibly moist creation with a delightful crispy crust, bursting with rich chocolate flavors from a uniquely Dutch ingredient. What makes it even better? You only need a handful of basic ingredients and a few simple steps to bring this absolute winner to life in your own kitchen!
Unveiling the Magic of Dutch Hagelslag Cake
At the heart of this irresistible vanilla cake lies a beloved Dutch secret: **Hagelslag**, or chocolate sprinkles. In the Netherlands, Hagelslag is more than just a topping; it’s a cherished staple, most famously enjoyed on a slice of bread generously slathered with good butter. It’s a nostalgic breakfast or lunch treat that evokes fond childhood memories for many. The joy of finding a perfectly smooth, buttery slice adorned with these delicate chocolate strands is a simple pleasure that transcends generations.
While often compared to regular chocolate sprinkles, Hagelslag boasts a distinct quality. When baked into a cake, these delightful chocolate bits melt subtly, infusing the vanilla batter with pockets of rich, molten chocolate without overpowering the delicate vanilla flavor. This unique characteristic is what makes our **Dutch Hagelslag Cake** truly special.
The Netherlands offers a vast array of Hagelslag flavors: classic dark chocolate, creamy milk chocolate, sweet white chocolate, and even “kwinkslag,” a delightful mix of various types. For this classic recipe, you can choose your favorite – whether you prefer the intensity of dark or the comforting sweetness of milk chocolate, the result will be a wonderfully flavorful cake that harks back to simpler times.
This recipe is an homage to old-fashioned Dutch baking, reminiscent of a time before chocolate chips became readily available in supermarkets. It’s exactly the kind of homemade treat my grandmother would lovingly prepare, filling her apartment with the warm, comforting scent of freshly baked cake on Sunday mornings. I have such cherished memories of those visits, and now, I’m thrilled to share this timeless favorite with you, inviting you to create your own delicious memories with this classic **chocolate sprinkle cake**.
Essential Ingredients for Your Homemade Dutch Hagelslag Cake
Creating this delightful **Vanilla Cake with Chocolate Sprinkles** is incredibly straightforward, thanks to its minimal ingredient list. You’ll be amazed at the rich flavor and tender crumb you can achieve with just a few pantry staples. Find the precise measurements in the comprehensive recipe card located at the bottom of this blog post. But first, let’s talk about what makes each ingredient essential:
- Butter: For the best flavor and texture in this **butter cake recipe**, always opt for unsalted butter. Using room-temperature butter is crucial as it creams better with sugar, incorporating air and contributing to a light, airy cake. If you only have salted butter, you can use it but omit any additional salt the recipe might call for.
- Sugar: Regular granulated sugar works perfectly here. It provides the essential sweetness and helps create that desirable crispy crust during baking. While other sugars could be used, granulated sugar ensures the classic texture and sweetness profile of this traditional cake.
- Self-raising flour: This pre-mixed flour already contains baking powder, making your **chocolate sprinkle cake** effortlessly airy and ensuring it rises beautifully. If you don’t have self-raising flour on hand, don’t worry! You can easily substitute it by combining 1 â…” cups of all-purpose flour with ¾ teaspoon of baking powder. This simple trick ensures your cake gets the lift it needs.
- Vanilla Extract: A touch of pure vanilla extract elevates the overall flavor, complementing the chocolate sprinkles perfectly. For an even more intense vanilla aroma, consider using the scraped seeds from one vanilla pod or two teaspoons of vanilla sugar. This enhances the classic vanilla profile of the cake.
- Eggs: Eggs play a vital role in binding the ingredients together and enriching the cake’s flavor and texture. Like butter, using large, room-temperature eggs is recommended for a smoother batter and a more consistent bake. They contribute to the cake’s structure and moisture.
- Chocolate Sprinkles (Hagelslag): The star of our **Hagelslag cake**! As mentioned, you can choose milk, dark (pure), white, or kwinkslag (mixed) sprinkles. The magic of Hagelslag lies in its ability to melt just enough to create pockets of gooey chocolate, adding a wonderful texture and intense flavor to every bite. Don’t be shy – this is where the fun is!
Essential Equipment
To ensure a smooth baking process for your **homemade chocolate sprinkle cake**, gather these basic kitchen tools:
- Loaf tin / Pound cake tin: A 10-inch (23 cm) tin is ideal for this recipe.
- Mixing bowls: For combining ingredients.
- Electric mixer: Stand mixer or hand mixer for creaming butter and sugar, and whipping eggs.
- Saucepan: To melt the butter.
- Spatula: For gently folding in the sprinkles and scraping down the bowl.
- Wire rack: For cooling the cake evenly.
Crafting Your Delicious Dutch Hagelslag Cake: A Step-by-Step Guide
This **easy vanilla cake** comes together beautifully with a few straightforward steps. You’ll find a printable version with all the details in the recipe card at the very end of this blog post. Let’s walk through the process to create this delightful **Hagelslag cake**:
- Prepare Your Tin & Wet Ingredients: First, preheat your oven to 350 °F (180 °C) and prepare your loaf tin by greasing it with butter and dusting it lightly with flour, tapping out any excess. This ensures your beautiful cake releases easily after baking. Next, melt the butter in a small pan over low heat. Be careful not to let it brown; we just want it melted. Set it aside to cool slightly. Meanwhile, in a large mixing bowl, combine the sugar, eggs, and vanilla extract. Beat this mixture on high speed with an electric mixer for about 3 minutes until it becomes light, fluffy, and pale yellow. This step incorporates plenty of air, contributing to the cake’s airy texture.
- Incorporate Dry Ingredients & Butter: Reduce your mixer speed to low and gradually add the self-raising flour to the egg mixture. Mix only until just combined; overmixing can lead to a tough cake. Once the flour is incorporated, slowly pour the slightly cooled melted butter into the bowl while the mixer is still on low. Continue mixing just until everything is fully combined and the batter is smooth. Immediately turn off your mixer to avoid developing too much gluten.
- Fold in the Hagelslag: This is where the magic happens! Gently sprinkle your chosen chocolate sprinkles (Hagelslag) over the batter. Using a spatula, carefully fold the sprinkles into the batter. The key here is to mix gently to keep the batter airy and prevent the sprinkles from sinking to the bottom of the tin. We want them evenly distributed throughout the cake for that perfect chocolatey bite every time.
- Bake to Perfection: Pour the prepared batter into your greased and floured cake tin, smoothing the top with your spatula. Bake for approximately 70 minutes at 350 °F (180 °C). To check if your **Dutch Hagelslag Cake** is perfectly baked, insert a wooden skewer or toothpick into the thickest part of the cake. If it comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs attached (but no wet batter), your cake is ready!
- Cooling for Easy Release: Once baked, resist the urge to immediately remove the cake from the tin. Allow the cake to stand in the tin at room temperature for about 5 minutes. As the cake cools slightly, it will naturally shrink away from the sides of the tin, making it much easier to release without sticking or breaking. After 5 minutes, carefully invert the tin onto a wire rack and allow the cake to cool completely before slicing and serving. This patience ensures a beautifully structured slice.
Did you bake this delightful **Dutch Hagelslag Cake**? We’d love to see your creation! Tag #byandreajanssen via Instagram! I cherish seeing what you’ve made and regularly share the most beautiful photos from our community. Enjoyed this classic recipe? Then please leave a rating on the recipe card below! Your valuable feedback not only helps me but also guides other home cooks in discovering their next favorite bake.
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📖 Recipe
RECIPE CARD
Andréa
Pin Recipe
Equipment
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A conventional oven is used. When using a convection oven (with air fan) decrease the temperature with 30 °F / 20 °C
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Loaf tin / Pound cake tin 10 inches – 23 cm
Ingredients
- 1¾ stick unsalted butter
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 4 eggs , size L, at room temperature
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1⅔ cup self-rising flour (or 1⅔ cup all-purpose flour + ¾ tsp baking powder)
- â…“ cup chocolate sprinkles (Hagelslag – milk or dark chocolate preferred)
All my recipes are written both in Metric (gram / ml) and US Customary (cups / pounds). Here you can select which type of amount you would like to see.
Instructions
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Preheat the oven to 350 °F (180 °C). Ensure racks are in the middle position.
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Grease a 10-inch (23 cm) loaf/pound cake tin generously with butter, then dust it evenly with flour. Tap out any excess flour; this prevents white spots on your baked cake.
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In a small saucepan, melt the butter over low heat. Be careful not to let it brown. Once melted, remove from heat and allow it to cool slightly while you prepare other ingredients.1¾ stick unsalted butter
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In a large bowl, combine the granulated sugar with the room-temperature eggs and pure vanilla extract. Using an electric mixer, beat on high speed for 3 minutes until the mixture is light, fluffy, and noticeably pale. This step is key for an airy cake!1 cup granulated sugar, 4 eggs, 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
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Reduce the mixer to low speed. Gradually add the self-rising flour (or your homemade flour mixture) to the wet ingredients. Mix just until the flour is incorporated and no dry streaks remain. Be careful not to overmix.1â…” cup self-rising flour
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With the mixer still on low, slowly pour in the slightly cooled melted butter. Mix until it’s just combined into the batter, then turn off the mixer.
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Evenly sprinkle the chocolate sprinkles (Hagelslag) over the cake batter. Using a spatula, gently fold them in. Mixing too vigorously can cause them to break or sink.â…“ cup chocolate sprinkles
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Pour the homogenous batter into your prepared cake tin, spreading it evenly. Place the tin in the preheated oven.
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Bake for 70 minutes. To confirm doneness, insert a skewer into the thickest part; it should come out clean.
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Allow the cake to rest in its tin for 5 minutes after baking. This crucial step helps the cake firm up and slightly shrink, making it much easier to remove.
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After resting, invert the cake onto a wire rack and let it cool completely. This prevents the bottom from becoming soggy.
Notes & Pro Tips
2. Perfect Pan Preparation: When greasing your cake tin, be thorough. Use softened butter to coat every nook and cranny, then dust with flour. Gently tap the tin to distribute the flour evenly and then knock out any excess. This two-step process is the best way to prevent your cake from sticking and ensures a clean release with no unsightly white flour patches on the crust.
3. Vanilla Variety: While pure vanilla extract offers a wonderful base flavor, don’t hesitate to experiment! For a more intense and aromatic vanilla profile, consider scraping the seeds from half to one whole vanilla pod directly into your wet ingredients. Alternatively, two teaspoons of vanilla sugar can also provide a lovely, subtle sweetness and vanilla hint.
4. Self-Raising Flour Hack: Self-raising flour is convenient because it already contains baking powder, giving your cake the perfect lift. However, if your pantry only holds all-purpose flour, you can easily create your own self-raising flour by combining 1 ⅔ cups of all-purpose flour with ¾ teaspoon of baking powder. Whisk them together thoroughly before adding to the batter.
5. The Art of Cooling: Patience is a virtue, especially after baking! Allowing your **Hagelslag cake** to rest in the tin for 5 minutes after removing it from the oven is crucial. During this brief cooling period, the cake structure sets further, and it naturally shrinks slightly from the edges of the tin, making it significantly easier to invert onto a wire rack without tearing or breaking.
6. Oven Acumen: Oven temperatures can vary! For a conventional oven, 350 °F (180 °C) is ideal. If you’re using a convection oven (which circulates air), reduce the temperature by approximately 30 °F / 20 °C (so, around 320 °F / 160 °C) to prevent overbaking. Always bake your cake in the bottom third or center of your oven to ensure even baking and prevent the top from burning or browning too quickly.
7. Serving Suggestions: This **vanilla cake with chocolate sprinkles** is delightful on its own, but you can elevate it! Serve slices warm with a dollop of whipped cream, a scoop of vanilla ice cream, or a drizzle of chocolate sauce for an extra indulgence. It’s also perfect with a cup of coffee or tea for a classic afternoon treat.
8. Storage & Freshness:
- Room Temperature: Store any leftover **Dutch Hagelslag Cake** in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2-3 days. Its rich butter content helps keep it moist.
- Freezer: To extend its life, allow the cake to cool completely. Wrap it tightly in two layers of plastic wrap, then an additional layer of aluminum foil, or place it in a freezer-safe container. It can be stored in the freezer for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator or at room temperature.
9. Nutritional Value: The nutritional information provided below is calculated per slice of this delicious **Hagelslag cake**. Please note that these are estimates and can vary based on specific ingredients and brands used.
Nutrition
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More Delicious Cake Recipes to Explore
If you loved this classic Dutch Hagelslag Cake, you’re in for a treat! Here are a few more delightful cake recipes from our collection that you might enjoy:
- Cranberry Walnut Coffee Cake
- Kruidkoek Recipe (Dutch Gingerbread)
- Blueberry Yogurt Cake
- Chocolate Truffle Loaf