AI-generated image
Baumkuchen
Baumkuchen: German 'tree cake' baked layer by layer under the grill
GermanBaumkuchen is the king of German cakes, and the little town of Salzwedel in Saxony-Anhalt has baked it on a turning spit over an open flame for two centuries; in December, Baumkuchenspitzen, chocolate-dipped triangles of it, fill the shelves before Christmas. Without a spit you can build it at home in a tin under the grill, one thin layer at a time, and each slice shows the golden rings of a tree. The mistake people make is spreading the batter too thickly, which gives fewer, stodgy layers that cook unevenly; aim for 2 tablespoons at a time. Chef's tip: stand by the oven; each layer turns from pale to burnt within a minute once it browns.
- Total time
- 110 min
- Difficulty
- hard
- Serves
- 12
Ingredients
For the cake
- 7 oz soft unsalted butter
- 6 ½ oz caster sugar
- 1 tbsp vanilla sugar
- 1 tsp lemon zestfinely grated
- 1 pinch salt
- 6 eggsseparated
- 2 ⅝ oz marzipangrated
- 3 ½ oz plain flour
- 3 ½ oz cornflour
- 1 tsp baking powder
For the coating
- 3 tbsp apricot jamwarmed and sieved
- 7 oz dark chocolatechopped
- 1 tbsp coconut oil
Shop this recipe on Amazon
What you'll need
Spices & pantry
Fresh ingredients (3)
Links open Amazon in a new tab. As an Amazon Associate, WhatToEat.Today earns from qualifying purchases.
Method
0/7 doneStep 1: Line the base of a 24 cm springform tin with baking paper and butter the sides. Set the oven grill to high with the shelf about 15 cm below it.
5 minStep 2: Beat the 7 oz soft unsalted butter, half the 3 ⅛ oz caster sugar, 1 tbsp vanilla sugar, 1 tsp lemon zest and 1 pinch salt for 5 minutes until pale and fluffy. Beat in the egg yolks from the 6 eggs one at a time, then the 2 ⅝ oz marzipan.
8 minStep 3: Sift the 3 ½ oz plain flour, 3 ½ oz cornflour and 1 tsp baking powder over and fold in. In a clean bowl whisk the egg whites to soft peaks, add the rest of the 3 ⅛ oz caster sugar and whisk to stiff, glossy peaks. Fold into the batter in three goes, keeping it airy.
10 minStep 4: Spread 2 heaped tablespoons of batter thinly over the base of the tin. Grill for 2–3 minutes until evenly golden brown.
3 minStep 5: Take the tin out, spread the next thin layer straight on top and grill again. Repeat until the batter is used up, about 18–20 layers; later layers brown faster, so check after 90 seconds. A skewer in the centre should come out clean at the end.
60 minStep 6: Cool in the tin for 15 minutes, release and cool fully on a rack. Brush the top and sides with the 3 tbsp apricot jam.
20 minStep 7: Melt the 7 oz dark chocolate with the 1 tbsp coconut oil over barely simmering water and pour it over the cake, smoothing it down the sides. Leave to set for 1 hour, then cut into thin wedges to show the rings.
10 min
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 420 kcal
- Protein
- 7 g
- Carbs
- 40 g
- Fat
- 26 g
- Fibre
- 2 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does baumkuchen take?
- About 110 minutes in total: 30 minutes to prepare and 80 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 12 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegetarian?
- Yes. It has no meat or fish.
- What can I use instead of soft unsalted butter?
- The same weight of ghee or coconut oil (for frying and most baking).
- What can I use instead of caster sugar?
- Caster sugar, same amount.
Reviews
No reviews yet. Be the first to cook it.
Rate this recipe
Sign in to rate and review this recipe.
You might also like
Reform torta
Belgrade pastry shops have sold reform torta since the early twentieth century, and it is still the cake Serbian families bring out for birthdays, weddings and the slava. Three thin layers of walnut meringue, crisp at the edge and chewy inside, are stacked with a dense chocolate butter cream made with egg yolks cooked over steam until thick. It is very rich, so cut thin slices and serve with strong coffee. The usual slip is beating the butter into a chocolate mixture that is still warm, which melts it and splits the cream; let it cool to room temperature first. Chef's tip: assemble the cake the day before; overnight in the fridge the meringue softens a little and the cake slices cleanly with a hot knife.
Ma'amoul
Ma'amoul are delicate shortbread-like pastries made for Eid and Easter across the Middle East. A soft, rose-scented butter dough is wrapped around a filling of dates, walnuts, almonds and pistachios cooked with cinnamon, marked with a fork, baked pale and dusted with icing sugar. Makes 35; they keep well in a tin.
Banana and cashew slice
A soft, moist low-calorie slice made without flour, eggs or refined sugar: ripe bananas are blended with sunflower oil, vanilla and cardamom, then cashews, desiccated coconut, oats and grated apple. Baked and cut into wedges, it is naturally sweet and good with tea or in a lunch box.
Indian