Baumkuchen,(pronounced as BOWM-koo-khehn] German word for 'tree cake' is also known as king of cakes.It comprises of many thin cake layers that resemble a tree's growth rings.It takes a master baker to make this labor-intensive cake in the traditional way, which is to spoon a sponge cake batter over a revolving oven spit, one layer at a time, browning each layer before adding the next.
The modern method of making these cakes is by using baking pans by brushing a thin layer of batter onto the bottom of the pan,bake it for 2 to 3 minutes, then brush on another layer of batter and bake, and so on thus producing a multi layered cake. Baumkuchen is traditionally enrobed in a thin chocolate glaze.
I want to thank Francijn immensely for this exciting challenge as very recently I saw this cake being made by a master baker in a Tv show and I was very curious to know how this could be done without the revolving oven spit.
Baumkuchen tastes divine as its mildly sweet with almond flavor and the chocolate glaze with orange liqueur make a perfect accompaniment with a cup of coffee!
Ingredients
Batter:3 large eggspinch of salt60 gms sugar75 gms marzipan100 gms butter50 gms icing sugar5 gms vanilla sugar50 gms flour (sifted)Glaze:50 gms marmalade 15 ml orange liqueur (optional)100 gms dark chocolate couverture chunks0.5 Tbsp coconut oiloil to grease your panparchment paper7 inch square pan
Method
Preheat oven to hot 230°C.Line the cake tin with parchment paper,grease both paper and tin.
Divide the eggs.Beat the egg whites with the salt until nearly stiff, add the sugar and beat until really stiff.Crumble finely the marzipan. Beat it with the softened butter,icing sugar and vanilla sugar until soft and creamy. Add the egg yolks one by one and beat well between each addition. Add the stiff egg whites and flour and gently fold it into the batter.Trying not to lose too much air.Smear 1/12th to 1/10th of the batter on the bottom of the pan, keep the sides of the pan clean, and bake for 3-4 minutes in the oven, until it is baked and it turns brown. Take the pan out of the oven, smear the next portion of batter carefully over the first, and bake for another 3-4 minutes or until cooked and brown. Repeat until all batter is used. Let the cake cool down for a few minutes,take it out of the pan, remove the parchment paper and let the cake cool completely on a wired rack. Trim the edges.
Heat the jam a little, pass it through a sieve,and add the orange liqueur.Cover the cake with the jam and let it cool.
Melt the chocolate with the coconut oil in a bowl above warm water. Pour it over the cake to cover completely, move the cake to a cool place and wait until the glaze is dry.