Frankfurter Kranz Torte

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(8-10 servings)

I asked my mother to make this for me when I was a child; for a birthday I think it was. I ate so much of it, I made myself sick and couldn't look at another one for many years. Recently I have been thinking about this cake again.

A Frankfurter Kranz is a circular lemon-scented cake (Kranz means wreath/garland/crown) with rum flavoured buttercream frosting, and Krokant (almond or hazelnut praline).

My mum emailed me the recipe for her version of buttercream made with pudding instead of the (heaven forbid!) 10 egg yolks or so the traditional buttercream recipes call for. She mentioned the trick to a smooth buttercream is covering the cooling pudding with plastic wrap to prevent a skin from forming and making sure all the ingredients are at the same temperature when it's time to combine them. After licking the spoon when I finished making the buttercream, I thought this was still a heart attack in the making. :p

This cake is usually made in a smooth tubular pan which I don't have, so I used a small 6 cup bundt pan instead. I also made a type of sour cream pound cake which I doubt is traditional, but it's a nice moist cake I like.

Buttercream
2 egg yolks
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup cornstarch
2 1/4 cups milk
3 tbsp rum

3/4 cup unsalted butter, 1 1/2 sticks


Whisk together the egg yolks and sugar in a saucepan. Whisk in the cornstarch and then add about 1/2 cup of the milk. Set over medium-low heat, and slowly whisk in the remaining 1 1/2 cups of milk. Cook, whisking all the while until the mixture simmers and thickens.

Remove from heat and whisk in the rum. Cover the surface of the pudding with plastic wrap to prevent a skin from forming as the pudding cools; smooth it across the surface with your hands to remove any air pockets.

Leave on the counter to cool. Leave the butter on the counter as well, so that both pudding and butter are at room temperature when it's time to finish making the buttercream.

Beat the butter in a bowl with an electric mixer until fluffy. Beat in the pudding about 1/4 cup at a time until it's all finished.

* If for some reason your buttercream curdles, it's possible to save it. Place the buttercream into the microwave and heat for 15-25 sec. Stir until the buttercream is smooth. Allow it to cool completely before attempting to cover the cake or to pipe it.

Cake
2 cups cake flour
1 1/2  tsp baking soda
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1 tbsp lemon zest, finely minced

2 egg whites, room temperature (gives you more volume)
1/4 tsp lemon juice

1/2 cup butter, (1 stick)
2/3 cup sugar
1 large egg
1 1/4 cups sour cream, regular

Preheat oven to 375°F.

Butter and flour a 6 cup tubular cake pan. Set aside

Combine the flour, baking soda, baking powder and lemon zest. Mix well.

Beat the egg whites and and add the lemon juice when they begin to get frothy; continue beating until they look very fluffy and they hold their peaks (being very careful not to over beat) and set those aside.

In an electric mixer at medium-high speed beat the butter until softened and then slowly add the sugar and continue to beat until the mixture is nice and fluffy. Beat in the egg and then the sour cream.

Add about half of the flour mixture and stir until it's combined, then stir in the remaining flour mixture.

Fold in the reserved beaten egg whites. The cake dough will be on the thick side; not at all runny.

Spoon the cake batter into the prepared cake pan. Bake for about 35-40 minutes or until the cake is done.

Allow to cool completely.

Krokant
1 tbsp butter
1/3 cup brown sugar
1 cup slivered almonds or chopped hazelnuts

Lightly oil a cookie sheet. Set aside.

Melt the butter in a skillet over medium heat. Add the sugar and stir until it's dissolved and bubbles. Stir in the nuts and continue to stir a few more minutes.

Remove from heat and spread out on the cookie sheet.

When it's cooled, break it up into pieces and pulse those a few times in a food processor. Be careful not to reduce this to a powder. You just want rough bits. Alternately you could put the pieces into a bag and crush them with a rolling pin.

glaze
1/4 cup cherry or raspberry jam, (something red)
1/4 cup rum

cherries for decoration

Heat the jam until it's runny and stir in the rum. Set aside.

To assemble the cake.

Split the cake into thirds (2 evenly spaced horizontal cuts). Brush the bottom layer with half the glaze and spread a layer of buttercream over that. Place the next layer of cake over that and brush with the remaining glaze. Spread buttercream over that and top with the final piece of cake.

Reserve about 1/2-2/3 cup of buttercream, and coat the cake evenly with the remaining buttercream. Sprinkle the Krokant evenly over the cake until it's completely covered.

Place the reserved buttercream into a pastry bag fitted with a star tip, and decorate the top of the cake with little circles. Place a cherry in each circle.