Baumkuchen
Ingredients
- 250 g butter
- 250 g sugar
- 8 eggs, separated
- 1 tsp vanilla
- pinch of salt
- 125 g flour
- 125 g cornstarch
- apricot jam and/or chocolate glaze, to finish
Baumkuchen — 'tree cake' — gets its name from the ringed cross-section left by dozens of thin batter layers, traditionally built up on a rotating spit under a flame and browned one at a time. Home bakers recreate the effect with a broiler: a rich, equal-parts butter, egg and sugar batter is spread in the thinnest possible layer, browned briefly under high heat, then topped with the next layer, repeated many times over.
Method
Cream the butter with half the sugar until pale and fluffy, then beat in the egg yolks and vanilla.
Whip the egg whites with the remaining sugar to stiff peaks.
Fold the flour and cornstarch into the butter mixture, then fold in the whipped egg whites.
Line a round cake pan with parchment and spread a very thin, even layer of batter over the base.
Broil (grill) on high heat for a minute or two until the layer is golden brown in spots.
Spread another thin layer of batter directly over the browned layer and broil again; repeat this process for as many layers as the batter allows, letting each one brown before adding the next.
Once all layers are baked, cool the cake completely.
Brush with warmed apricot jam and/or coat with a chocolate glaze; slice to reveal the ringed layers.
