Baumkuchen Tree Cake
Adapted from a family recipe
Preparation time: 15 minutes
Cooking time: 75 minutes
- 250g/8.8ozs. margarine or butter*
- 200g/7ozs. caster sugar
- 5 eggs
- 125g/4ozs. cornflour (fine cornstarch)
- 125g/4ozs. plain all purpose flour
- 50g/1.7ozs. ground almonds
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 tablespoon ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon ground cardamom
- 1 teaspoon rose water
- 1 teaspoon rum
To decorate
- 300g/10.6ozs. milk or dark chocolate
- 1 tablespoon coconut oil
Lena's grandmother uses margarine but butter can be used
Tip: make two of these cakes (double the above recipe) because if you're waiting by the oven you may as well wait for two! It makes a wonderful gift as it lasts.
Step 1 - Preheat oven to 180C/350F and line a loaf tin with parchment. You can also use a grill but do not line the sides of the tin only line the base, just spray the sides well with oil or grease well with butter.
Step 2 - Place all ingredients (except the chocolate) in a large bowl and use an electric beater to beat the mixture - start on low and then go to medium speed for 3-4 minutes until it becomes a thick and smooth batter.
Step 3 - Spread a thin layer of the batter in the prepared tin making sure that it is even and bake for around 6 minutes (check, the surface should be set and light golden). If you're doing this in the grill it will only take 1 minute. If you get batter drips on the side, wipe it off with a lightly damp cloth as you don't want the browned bits to fall into the cake.
Step 4 - Repeat with the next layer and keep repeating until all the batter is used up and the tin is full. This cake requires patience but it is worth it.
Step 5 - When the cake is cool melt the chocolate and stir with the coconut oil. Cover the cake in melted chocolate. I do this twice, once just to get a layer on the outside and then again to make sure that it is thick enough to make the pattern on top (you can do this with a fork). Allow chocolate to set and then slice.