With its distinctive ringed and ridged look and centuries-old historical past, Baumkuchen has grow to be a beloved deal with the world over. The German phrase “baumkuchen” interprets to “tree cake,” which refers to a cylindrical cake that bakes in layers on a spit—a big pole or stick that’s slowly turned over a fireplace—and, when sliced, resembles the rings of a tree. Truffles much like baumkuchen started showing within the Holy Roman Empire (parts of modern-day France, Germany, Italy, and different Western and Central European international locations) within the Center Ages. Historians approximate baumkuchen to be at the very least 600 years previous, with the oldest German-language recipe first showing in print round 1450. Baumkuchen initially began as a dough that’s thinly patted onto the spit. After the primary layer is cooked and the outside has browned, one other layer of dough is added and cooked. The layering and cooking course of is repeated till the specified measurement is reached, usually 18 to twenty layers. As soon as it’s faraway from the spit, the hole cake is sliced crosswise to disclose its tree ring-like layers. The method to make the cake was lengthy and concerned, so it was largely reserved for holidays and particular events among the many rich; baumkuchen was a preferred cake at weddings of the the Aristocracy in Nuremberg and Frankfurt, Germany. Particular person servings had been typically flavored with spices similar to nutmeg or spirits like rum, however as elements unfold and have become extra broadly out there, the dough itself was flavored.
Someday throughout the 1500s, the method to make the cake modified. Slightly than including many skinny layers of dough onto the spit, a thick dough was tied to it in intervals with string, which created ridges on the surface of the cake because it baked. And as chocolate grew to become identified to royalty and the elite within the 1600s, baumkuchen started being coated in chocolate earlier than removing from the spit. The method continued to evolve and have become the model that’s most acquainted at present: Slightly than dough, layer upon layer of a skinny batter is poured onto a continually rotating cooking cylinder, and a few bakeries use a wood or steel comb to softly rating the layers to re-create the outside ridges from strings. Baumkuchen continues to be glazed with chocolate, although many bakers add their very own aptitude with nuts and different ornament.
Regardless that baumkuchen’s recognition grew and it grew to become extra inexpensive to make, for many of its historical past, it was nonetheless largely made in non-public settings for events. Across the early 1800s, bakeries in Dresden, Cottbus, and Salzwedel, Germany, created mail-order companies for baumkuchen; the bakeries in Salzwedel grew to become essentially the most well-known for the truffles and are nonetheless in existence at present. And love for baumkuchen has traveled all around the globe, with variations showing in Japan and Hawaii. A baker named Karl Juchheim residing in China was taken as a prisoner of conflict in Hiroshima, Japan, throughout World Warfare I. After his launch, he relocated to Japan and opened a bakery in Kobe, the place he started to promote baumkuchen. The cake grew to become a family favourite among the many locals and ultimately throughout the remainder of Japan. In 1880, “Merrie Monarch” King Kalākaua of Hawaii visited Berlin, Germany, the place he encountered baumkuchen. He beloved the cake and introduced the recipe again to Hawaii. Though the cake didn’t sweep throughout all of the nation’s islands, at present, the Baumkuchen Farm in Papaikou, Hawaii, sells its truffles with a tropical aptitude, infused with macadamia nuts, pineapple, mango, and Hawaiian espresso. And so they promote full-size baumkuchen, often known as “stems,” as wedding ceremony truffles.
Fortunately for everybody, you don’t should let the truth that you don’t have a spit stand in your approach to make baumkuchen. Our recipe was created for house bakers to realize the identical flavors and distinct layers as the unique, and this model is simply as worthy of serving at particular celebrations.
Baumkuchen
Cake:
- 6 giant eggs (300 grams), separated and room temperature
- 1¼ cups (250 grams) granulated sugar, divided
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- 5 ounces (142 grams) marzipan (see Word), chopped
- 1 cup (227 grams) unsalted butter, softened
- 3 tablespoons (45 grams) rum or almond liqueur
- 1 teaspoon (4 grams) vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon (2 grams) almond extract (elective)
- 1¼ cups (156 grams) cornstarch
- ¾ cup (94 grams) all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons (10 grams) baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon floor cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon floor nutmeg
Topping:
- 3 tablespoons (60 grams) apricot preserves
- ½ cup (120 grams) heavy whipping cream, room temperature
- 5 ounces (142 grams) semisweet chocolate, chopped
- 2 tablespoons (28 grams) unsalted butter, softened
- 1½ cups (150 grams) toasted sliced almonds
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Place oven rack in middle of oven. Preheat oven to broil (or excessive broil). Spray sides of a 9-inch springform pan with baking spray with flour. Line backside of pan with parchment paper.
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For cake: Within the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat egg whites at medium-high velocity till foamy, about 1 minute. With mixer on medium velocity, step by step add ½ cup (100 grams) sugar and salt. Improve mixer velocity to medium-high velocity, and beat till stiff peaks kind, 1 to 2 minutes. Switch egg white combination to a big bowl. Clear bowl, and return to mixer.
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In a small microwave-safe bowl, warmth marzipan on excessive till softened, 15 to 30 seconds.
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Within the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat softened marzipan, butter, and remaining ¾ cup (150 grams) sugar at medium velocity till mild and creamy, 2 to three minutes, stopping to scrape backside and sides of bowl. With mixer on medium-high velocity, add egg yolks, one after the other, beating till mixed after every addition and stopping to scrape sides of bowl. Beat in rum or liqueur and vanilla. Beat in almond extract (if utilizing).
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In a medium bowl, sift collectively cornstarch, flour, baking powder, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Utilizing a rubber spatula, fold half of cornstarch combination into marzipan combination. Fold in half of egg white combination. Repeat with remaining cornstarch combination and remaining egg white combination. Unfold ½ cup (95 grams) batter into backside of ready pan.
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Broil till golden brown on floor, about 2 minutes. (Don’t stroll away; this occurs quick!) Instantly unfold one other layer of batter on prime of first, and broil till golden brown on floor, about 2 minutes. Repeat process with remaining batter. (The primary few layers could take longer to prepare dinner, however the extra layers added, the nearer to the warmth supply and the quicker they prepare dinner.) Let cool in pan for 10 minutes. Gently run a knife between sides of pan and cake; take away sides of pan. Let cake cool fully on pan on a wire rack.
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For topping: In a small microwave-safe bowl, warmth preserves on excessive in 15-second intervals, stirring between every, till fluid. Utilizing a pastry brush, brush a skinny layer of preserves on prime and sides of cooled cake. Let stand till preserves are set and simply cheesy, about half-hour.
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In a small saucepan, warmth cream over medium-low warmth simply till starting to steam. (Don’t boil.)
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In a medium heatproof bowl, mix scorching cream, chocolate, and butter; let stand for five minutes. Stir till chocolate and butter are melted and combination is easy. Pour onto cake, utilizing an offset spatula to easy prime and unfold on sides. Let stand for five minutes. Press almonds onto aspect of cake. Let stand till ganache is totally set, about 20 minutes at room temperature or 10 to fifteen minutes in fridge, earlier than serving. Refrigerate in an hermetic container for as much as 3 days.
