A golden discovery: Philadelphia Butter Cake : The Morning Call...

Growing up in Scranton, I worked in a German bakery that had been around since the 30's or 40's. Mrs. Kaltenbach, the owner, also made a Philadelphia Butter Cake - same as you described but rectangle-shaped. She died in the late 80's and her recipes and the shop went with her.

Then, in the mid-90's I happened into a bakery in New Hope (Peddler's Village) and I saw a cake that looked strikingly similar to my long-lost "butter cake" ... they called it something else and it had fruit mixed in with the buttery topping.. but there it was.

Definitely an interesting life and travels for the Philadelphia Butter Cake.

I have a recipe for Philadelphia Butter Cake from the Evening Bulletin of November 21, 1966.
My email is deekbee7@yahoo.com if anyone is interested.

I found the recipe at cookingcache.com . It is called "Philadelphia German Butter Cake". My daughter, in Philly, never heard of it there!

Doris wrote:

I have a recipe for Philadelphia Butter Cake from the Evening Bulletin of November 21, 1966.
My email is deekbee7@yahoo.com if anyone is interested.

I grew up on "H" street in Philly, we had a bakery I believe was called Smiths or Smittys in the late sixties early seventies. Awesome buttercake, very hard to find. My e-mail is jkwater83@yahoo.com

Since it has been SO long since this last post I am not sure you will see this or not. I just had to send a reply. My family moved to GA in 1978 but we would stop at the Kaltenbach bakery every chance "home" and bring as many butter cakes as we could carry. We were very sad to hear that she had passed and that the bakery had closed. We have never been able to find a recipe for butter cake that came even close to what was made there..... sigh

Thanks for knowing who and what we were talking about when we say that it was the best.

fnnyfce@hotmail.com

Hopeless_LV wrote:

Growing up in Scranton, I worked in a German bakery that had been around since the 30's or 40's. Mrs. Kaltenbach, the owner, also made a Philadelphia Butter Cake - same as you described but rectangle-shaped. She died in the late 80's and her recipes and the shop went with her.
Then, in the mid-90's I happened into a bakery in New Hope (Peddler's Village) and I saw a cake that looked strikingly similar to my long-lost "butter cake" ... they called it something else and it had fruit mixed in with the buttery topping.. but there it was.
Definitely an interesting life and travels for the Philadelphia Butter Cake.

joanne wrote:

<quoted text>I grew up on "H" street in Philly, we had a bakery I believe was called Smiths or Smittys in the late sixties early seventies. Awesome buttercake, very hard to find. My e-mail is jkwater83@yahoo.com

Hi Joanne,
I grew up in NE Philadelphia in the 50's and we got our butter cake at Schillings Bakery in Cheltenham. People came from all over for their butter cake. It was gooey on top and sounds like what you are describing. I would love to have a recipe if you have one. Thank you!

Doris wrote:

I have a recipe for Philadelphia Butter Cake from the Evening Bulletin of November 21, 1966.
My email is deekbee7@yahoo.com if anyone is interested.

I grew up in NE Philadelphia in the 50's and we got our butter cake at Schillings Bakery in Cheltenham. People came from all over for their butter cake. It was gooey on top and sounds like what you are describing. I would love to have the recipe from the Philadelphia Bulletin if you have one. Thank you!

Hello Past customers of our Famliy business of Cheltenham ,Pa. I am the grandson of Joseph Schilling the founder of Schillings bakery ,and the son Of Walter Sr. I worked at the bakery since I was 12 years old and learned all the receipes for our products.I worked there till I was 21 years and now I am 54 years old and am currently bringing my family's business back to life. I have all the old receipes, and for one ,our Schilling's buttercake will be reproduced just as it was made back in the old days. The cinaminon buns with the 1/4 inch gooey stuff & walnuts and will also be recreated as in the old daysI would like to entertain any comments that anyone would have.Sincerley yours,Walter W Schilling Jr

I used to get a butter cake at a bakery in New York called Bowringers. Not sure of spelling I was a kid, they long since have closed and no body knows what I am talking about in Florida. Help I really need to taste that again. Any ideas where I can find it.

I used to buy that great rye bread at Schillings bakery. I really miss that hard crusted bread

Great rye bread that I havn't had since Schillings closed in the late seventies.

Monday, President's Day ,made the first batch of cinnamon buns, pecan,dark sticky buns,had great success on my first time out since 30 years gone by.all samples are gone.Friday Feb 20th I am starting the recreation of Schillings Buttercake,just like the old days.thank you for your comments and your support! Walter Schilling Jr

Recreated Schilling's buttercake topping just like the old days. I am in the process of tweaking the dough part. Friday, Feb27th, made grandpop's old danish pastry receipie and baked on Feb 28th his danish cupcakes....Exact duplication of our product.Fine texture. Walt jr.

Schillings Bakery wrote:

Hello Past customers of our Famliy business of Cheltenham ,Pa. I am the grandson of Joseph Schilling the founder of Schillings bakery ,and the son Of Walter Sr. I worked at the bakery since I was 12 years old and learned all the receipes for our products.I worked there till I was 21 years and now I am 54 years old and am currently bringing my family's business back to life. I have all the old receipes, and for one ,our Schilling's buttercake will be reproduced just as it was made back in the old days. The cinaminon buns with the 1/4 inch gooey stuff & walnuts and will also be recreated as in the old daysI would like to entertain any comments that anyone would have.Sincerley yours,Walter W Schilling Jr

can't believe I found this my mom and I were just talking today about your bakery.. we went there every Sunday after church never have I found cinaminon buns like yours or the butter cake to die for. my children still speak of the days at mom moms and the butter cake. w=as a kid I lived in Fox Chase and now live on the jersey side of Commadore John Barry bridge. please let me know the location of your new bakery... murphy1385@comcast.net Thanks so much

The cinnamon buns are now perfected to the orginal Schillings Bakery cinnamon buns.I now can bake them every time with consistency.The family taste testers have approved this product.
The buttercake has come just about to perfection,the dough is complete and the topping is complete,my next bake will be run through the family taste testers for their approval.
Sincerley Yours, Walter Schilling Jr.
wws11_2000@yahoo.com

I am pleased to announce that I have recreated the orginal Schilling's Buttercake just like the old Days. I have found 3 taste testors who remember our buttercake all all have confirmed the past is now present. Walter Schilling Jr. Schillingsbake@aol.com

Congrats Walt on your newest recreation. My mouth is watering now for a piece of butter cake after reading all these posts. Unfortunately I now live in SC. My husband and I both grew up and were raised in Philly.
Ah, is there any way of your sharing your recipe for butter cake with us? Or even your cinnamon buns?

Schillings Bakery wrote:

Hello Past customers of our Famliy business of Cheltenham ,Pa. I am the grandson of Joseph Schilling the founder of Schillings bakery ,and the son Of Walter Sr. I worked at the bakery since I was 12 years old and learned all the receipes for our products.I worked there till I g Jr

Mr. Schilling
Have you opened your bakery yet? Am looking for butter cake in the Kennett Square area.

Thank you for your comments,We are looking to set up at a location in bally ,pa,Schillings Bakery,trust me it may be far but it's worth the trip.Our Email Address is SchillingsBakery@comcast.net

I was at a meeting recently where the son of the original Schillings Bakery owner, served Butter Cake and It tasted just like his fathers'. He has that original taste perfected.