Baumkuchen

The Baumkuchen, or “tree cake” due to its characteristic ringed shape, is a typical German dessert and quite complex to make without specific equipment, but let’s adapt the recipe for home preparation.

Ingredients

• 10 eggs (yolks and whites separated)
• 200 g of softened butter
• 200 g of sugar
• 1 packet of vanillin (or vanilla extract)
• 1 pinch of salt
• 100 g of all-purpose flour
• 100 g of potato starch
• 100 g of almond powder (or almond flour)
• 2 tablespoons of rum (optional)
• 150 g of apricot jam (to spread between layers)
• Powdered sugar for decorating

Preparation

1. Preheat the oven to 180 °C (356 °F). Beat the yolks with half the sugar and the butter until frothy. Add vanillin, rum (if using), and mix.
2. In a separate bowl, beat the egg whites until stiff peaks form with a pinch of salt, gradually incorporating the rest of the sugar until you get a glossy and firm meringue.
3. Gently fold the yolk mixture into the meringue, being careful not to deflate the whites. Gradually add the flour previously sifted with the potato starch and the almond powder, mixing gently from the bottom up to maintain aeration.
4. Line the bottom of a round baking pan with parchment paper. Spread a thin layer of the mixture on it and bake for about 2-4 minutes or until the layer turns a light golden color.
5. Remove from the oven, spread a thin layer of apricot jam and cover with another layer of mixture. Bake again and repeat this process until all the dough is used up; each layer should be cooked individually.
6. Let the Baumkuchen cool in the pan, then unmold and if you wish, cover with chocolate icing or sprinkle with powdered sugar.

Trivia

The name Baumkuchen originates from the traditional baking method, where the dough was spread on a rotating cylinder exposed to a heat source, thus creating overlapping rings similar to the circles of a tree trunk. In Japan, it is very popular and is often sold in thin slices as a souvenir.

Remember that this is a simplified version, adaptable to home cooking, which tries to reproduce the layered method of the true Baumkuchen without the need for special equipment such as a rotisserie. Happy baking!