Hungarian Cake

posted and emailed

The book I have with such a cake -- called "baumkuchen" or tree cake -- indicates this is a German creation. Not saying that the Hungarians don't have their own version, but that's what this book says (and I must note that some of the best pastries I've ever tried have been in Budapest -- what spectacular bakeries and coffee shops they have!). I haven't tried making it, although I am intrigued, and one of these days when I don't mind making a helluva mess (and raising the fire hazard level :)) in the kitchen, I'll try it on the rotisserie.

From Cake Making and Decorating by Barbara Maher Baumkuchen (Tree Cake)

"Spit cooking was the usual method of roasting in early times, and a tree cake was quite popular. It was baked on a hand-turned, tapered, wooden spit, set in front of an open fire, and it was made of a thin batter, ladled on slowly as it cooked. Each wafer-thin layer was toasted to a golden brown color, and then another coating of fresh batter was poured on, to be toasted in its turn. The tree effect was achieved by varying the rotating speed of the spit as fresh batter was poured over. To create a rough uneven pattern, some of the cooked mixture was brushed or carved away. As many as 20-30 layers could be built up this way, and sometimes dried and crystalized fruits were embedded in the mixture.

"While the cake was still hot, thin icing was poured over it, and, once cooled, each end was trimmed straight and the wooden spit drawn out. The Baumkuchen was placed on a large elegant serving platter and a sprig of foliage inserted in the open hole at the top. Sometimes it was decorated with a great plume of finely spun sugar and the base encircled with small elegant pastries.

"During the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries tree cakes reached their greatest popularity in Europe, particularly for festivals and celebrations; sometimes as many as 300 eggs were used for an especially grand occasion. Though forgotten elsewhere, Baumkuchen still remains popular in Germany today, particularly at Christmas time when Father Christmas shapes may also be found.

"It has a quite special flavor and almost crispy texture because of the unique cooking method. Commercial concerns still use the old method of spit cooking with updated machinery, but at home we have to adapt the technique, and the modern broiler is most suitable. You can use a plain baking pan or springform pan for a basic cake, or you could try experimenting with different forms such as a gugelhupf or angel cake mold or with shapes that can be buttembled later with apricot jam before being iced."

250g 1-1-4 cups butter 250g 1-1-4 cups sugar 7 eggs, separated 2 tsp lemon zest 1 tbsp rum 50g 1-4 cup ground almonds 130g 1-1-4 cups all-purpose flour, sifted 130g 2-3 cup potato flour, sifted oil for greasing apricot jam for brushing lemon-flavored icing for glazing

Broiler: 350-400F for 4-5 minutes each layer

Beat the butter and sugar until pale and creamy, beat in the egg yolks one at a time, mix in the lemon zest, rum and almonds. Sift together the flours, and beat two spoonfuls at a time into the egg mixture.

Beat the egg whites in a spotlessly clean bowl until firm, then lightly fold them into the main mixture. Lightly oil the chosen cake pan (9-1-2 inch diameter). Smooth 1-2 tbsp of cake batter on the base and place under the broiler. Cook until golden brown. Remove from the heat and smooth over another thin layer of mixture. Cook again. Continue toasting the layers until all the mixture is used (about 16-18 layers). Leave to cool in the pan. Unmold; brush with warm apricot jam and glaze with lemon-flavored icing.

The cake keeps fresh for 2-3 weeks.

PS -- While I am copying my post directly to you, it's best form to return to the newsgroup for answers to your question. :)