Baumkuchen

Ok, so recipe is from a long time ago, but Berlin has been on my mind a lot lately...

I baked this traditional German Christmas cake with a friend in Berlin. The name literally means Tree Cake because of the thin layers that look like tree rings when you cut into it. It’s kind of a bitch to make because you have to keep a careful eye on the cake the whole time it is baking.

Traditionally, it is roasted on a spit and rotated so that it creates a log shape. Layer by layer of the batter is poured on to create the ring like interior! I love the rustic feel of this cake, it really does look like a tree, especially with the chocolate bark on the outside.

Unfortunately, I did not have a spit so we just baked it into a normal cake round but it turned out just as yummy!

Here's how you do:

Ingredients:

• 7/8 cup unsalted butter, softened
• 1 cup sifted confectioners' sugar
• 7/8 cup cornstarch
• 5 1/2 ounces almond paste
• 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 pinch salt
• 2 egg yolks
• 6 egg whites
• 3/4 cup white sugar
• 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 9 (1 ounce) squares semisweet chocolate
• 2 1/2 teaspoons vegetable oil
• optional: Fruit Jam

Directions

1.  Place a sheet of parchment paper in the bottom of a 9 inch spring form pan. Butter the parchment, and flour the whole pan. Position the rack of the oven to the lowest level, and preheat the broiler.
2. In a large bowl, cream the butter or margarine until light and fluffy. Add in the almond paste in small chunks; beat until smooth. Add the confectioners' sugar, cornstarch, vanilla, and salt. Beat in the yolks one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat until smooth.
3. In another bowl, beat the egg whites to soft peaks. Add in the sugar slowly while continuing to beat the meringue to stiff, glossy peaks. Fold the meringue into the yolk mixture. Sift the flour over this, and fold in.
4. Spoon a small amount of batter onto the parchment in the baking pan. Spread the batter to the edges. You want to cover the paper completely, but have a thin layer. Place under the broiler, and cook until light brown; about 1 to 2 minutes. Brush another layer of the batter over the cake, and place under the broiler. Continue on in this way until all of the batter is used. If desired, spread a layer of Jam after every 3 or 4 layers. Cool completely. Turn the cake out of the pan, and trim the edges clean.
5. In a double boiler, combine the chocolate and the oil. Heat until the chocolate is smooth. Allow the cake to set. Cut the cake into 6 equal pieces.  With a pastry brush, completely covered a piece with the glaze.  Store in the refrigerator, but serve at room temperature. 

Here are all the beautiful layers of the cake when we cut into it!

It turned out really great, and the time passed really fast because we had sparkling conversation while we were baking ;)

Adding the glaze for each piece.

<3 Jo