CopyCat California Pizza Kitchen Butter Cake

Ingredients

1 cup (215 grams) unsalted butter, softened
2 ounces (57 grams) cream cheese, softened
1 cup +2 tablespoons (223 grams) granulated sugar
1 large egg, room temperature
1/4 teaspoon (2 grams) salt
3/4 cup (90 grams) all-purpose flour
3/4 teaspoon vanilla extract

Cheesecake Layer (Top Layer):
2 ounces (57 grams) cream cheese, softened
2 tablespoons + 2 teaspoons (33 grams) granulated sugar
1/2 egg (see notes on how to use half an egg, or double the recipe for the top layer and use half), room temperature
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions

Before making this recipe, pull out your eggs, cream cheese, and butter ahead of time so that it can come to room temperature.

Preheat the oven to 325°F/ 163°C. Spray nonstick cooking spray to the inside and bottom of your ramekin. Cut down and place parchment paper to fit into the bottom of the ramekin. This will help to release the cake and avoid sticking to the bottom. Set aside.

Cake Batter:
Using either a stand mixer or handheld mixer, cream together the unsalted butter, cream cheese, and granulated sugar in a medium-sized bowl.

Add in the egg and incorporate well.

Sprinkle the salt on top of the wet mixture, and half of the flour. I used a spatula to mix the dry ingredients in because the batter is quite light, but you can use your mixer if you’d like.

Add the second half of the all-purpose flour and continue to mix until incorporated, but be sure not to overmix.

Next, you can stir in the vanilla, and set the cake batter aside.

Cheesecake Layer (Top Layer):
Cream together the cream cheese and granulated sugar in a small mixing bowl.

Add in half of an egg. To do this, you can whisk the egg into a separate bowl. Use a kitchen scale to split the egg in half by weight. If you don’t have a kitchen scale you can just double the ingredients for the top layer and only use half of it for the cakes.

You will also add in the vanilla extract and mix well. Set bowl aside.

Assemble:
Take your cake batter out and split the batter between your four ramekins, about a cup per ramekin. Don’t let it fill too high because the cake does rise a bit. Level out the top of the cake batter.

Then, pull out the top layer batter and split it between the four ramekins. Use a spoon to spread the mixture over the entire top. I found it to be 2-3 tablespoons per ramekin.

Place the ramekins on a cookie pan and place them on the middle rack of your oven.

Allow the California Pizza Kitchen Butter Cakes to bake for 55-65 minutes. Insert a toothpick into the center of one of the cakes to see if it is done. If the toothpick comes out clean, then it is done. If it has clumps, add additional baking time until it comes out clean.

Once your cakes come out of the oven you can allow them to cool on a baking rack. While they are still warm, run a knife around the edges of the ramekin or pan to release the cake.

Once cool, you can pull out the warm butter cakes. I just tipped the ramekin upside-down in my hand and it immediately released. I had tried to remove it from the ramekin while it was still warm by turning it over onto a plate, but it smooshed the top of the cake flat so it didn’t look very pretty on top, so just have patience and allow it to cool.