Frankfurter Kranz
Buttercream ring cake with nut brittle
Frankfurter Kranz: buttercream ring cake with jam and crunchy nut brittle
Frankfurter Kranz is the crown of Frankfurt's coffee tables, shaped like the crowns of the emperors once crowned in the city's cathedral and still made for birthdays and Sunday visits all over Hesse. A buttery ring cake is cut into three layers, filled with redcurrant jam and vanilla buttercream, then coated all over with golden almond brittle, the jewels being little rosettes topped with red cherries. Older recipes splash the layers with kirsch; this one is made without alcohol. A common mistake is spreading the buttercream when the custard and butter are at different temperatures, which makes it curdle; both must be at room temperature. Chef's tip: bake the cake a day ahead and chill it; cold layers cut cleanly and don't crumble into the cream.
- Total time
- 150 min
- Difficulty
- hard
- Serves
- 14
Ingredients
For the cake
- 7 oz soft butter
- 7 oz sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 4 eggsat room temperature
- 7 oz plain flour
- 3 ½ oz cornflour
- 3 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp lemon zest
For the buttercream
- 2 cups whole milk
- 1 ⅝ oz cornflour
- 3 ½ oz sugar
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 9 oz soft butter
For the brittle and filling
- ⅔ oz butter
- 3 ½ oz sugar
- 5 ½ oz chopped almonds or hazelnuts
- 5 ½ oz redcurrant jam
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Method
0/7 doneStep 1: Heat the oven to 350°F (300°F fan). Butter a 26 cm ring (savarin) tin and dust it with flour. Beat the 7 oz soft butter, 7 oz sugar and 1 tsp vanilla extract for 5 minutes until pale and fluffy, then beat in the 4 eggs one at a time.
15 minStep 2: Sift in the 7 oz plain flour, 3 ½ oz cornflour and 3 tsp baking powder, add the 1 tsp lemon zest and fold until smooth. Spoon into the tin and level. Bake for 40–45 minutes, until a skewer comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes, turn out and cool completely, ideally overnight.
55 minStep 3: For the custard, whisk a little of the 2 cups whole milk with the 1 ⅝ oz cornflour. Bring the rest of the milk to the boil with the 3 ½ oz sugar, whisk in the cornflour mix and bubble for 1 minute until thick. Stir in the 2 tsp vanilla extract, cover the surface with cling film and cool to room temperature.
15 minStep 4: For the brittle, melt the ⅔ oz butter and 3 ½ oz sugar in a frying pan over a medium heat until light amber. Stir in the 5 ½ oz chopped almonds or hazelnuts and toss for 2 minutes until golden. Tip onto baking paper, cool and break into fine crumbs.
10 minStep 5: Beat the 9 oz soft butter for 5 minutes until white and fluffy, then beat in the cool custard a spoonful at a time. If it looks grainy, keep beating for another minute; it comes together when both are the same temperature.
10 minStep 6: Cut the cake into three rings. Spread the base with half the 5 ½ oz redcurrant jam and a layer of buttercream, top with the middle ring, then the rest of the jam and more buttercream, then the top ring.
15 minStep 7: Coat the whole cake thinly in buttercream, keeping 4 tablespoons for decoration. Press the brittle all over. Pipe 12 rosettes on top and set a 12 glacé cherries half on each. Chill for at least 2 hours before cutting.
15 min
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 520 kcal
- Protein
- 6 g
- Carbs
- 52 g
- Fat
- 32 g
- Fibre
- 1 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does frankfurter Kranz take?
- About 150 minutes in total: 90 minutes to prepare and 60 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 14 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegetarian?
- Yes. It has no meat or fish.
- Can I make it ahead?
- Yes. It keeps well, so you can cook it earlier in the day or the day before and reheat it.
- What can I use instead of soft butter?
- The same weight of ghee or coconut oil (for frying and most baking).
- What can I use instead of sugar?
- Caster sugar, same amount.
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