A local sweet treat originating from Philadelphia, german butter cake is a sweet and buttery cake that is crispy around the edges and on top, while at the same time oozing with a buttery filling inside. The cake crust is typically made with a dough consisting of yeast, milk, flour, butter, sugar, eggs, and salt.

The dough is often flavored with vanilla extract, and once it has risen, it is usually stretched and pressed into a greased pan before being covered with a thick layer of a vanilla-flavored butter mixture. Often nicknamed Philadelphia butter cake, the cake is typically cut into slices and eaten with a cup of coffee on the side.