German Cake Preparation Methods
When we think of German cakes, two names quickly come to mind: German chocolate cake and Black Forest cake. However, there are many varieties of traditional cakes in Germany that have not gained as much recognition in the United States, such as Versunkener Apfelkuchen, an apple cake, or Sachertorte, a chocolate apricot dessert. There are many German cake recipes available to try and experiment with. Does this Spark an idea?
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German Chocolate Cake
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Truth be told: German chocolate cake is an American creation, but it is one of the first names we think of under the heading, "German cakes." To make an excellent German chocolate cake, roast your pecans ahead of time to deepen the flavor and enhance the pecans' aroma. You can roast pecans in the oven or the microwave. Roast the nuts until they are just browned, but keep a close eye on them, as they can burn quickly.
Place a circle of wax paper in the bottom of the pan before you pour in the batter, in addition to greasing and flouring it. Simply use the cake pan as a guide to trace a circle on your wax paper, then cut out the wax paper slightly smaller than the traced circle.
The pecan and coconut frosting traditionally used for German chocolate cake is cooked for about 15 minutes before it is cooled and applied to the cake. Cooking the frosting helps to melt the sugar crystals and reduce the liquid from the ingredients, making a thicker, richer and more deeply flavored frosting.
Schwarzwaelder Kirschtorte (Black Forest Cake)
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There are many theories about how the Schwarzwaelder Kirschtorte got its name. For an authentic Black Forest cake, bake two cakes and slice each one into two layers. Use a cake-cutting knife or a metal wire to make a precise horizontal cut through the center of each cake layer. It also helps to refrigerate or even freeze the cakes before cutting, so they give off fewer crumbs.
Traditional Black Forest cake is also made with freshly whipped, unsweetened whipped cream. Whipped cream is not sweetened in Germany.
The cherry part of a Black Forest cake is generally a mixture of candied cherries and Kirsch, a cherry-flavored liqueur that is a specialty from the Schwarzwald (Black Forest) region of southern Germany.
Decorative chocolate curls can be made by scraping a piece of dark chocolate with a vegetable peeler.
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Versunkener Apfelkuechen (Sunken Apple Cake)
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A Versunkener Apfelkuechen works a bit like a pineapple upside-down cake. The trick to this cake is to pour the cake batter into the pan and then drop in the apples, allowing them to sink a bit before baking. The apples will eventually sink all the way to the bottom of the pan and will show on the top of the cake once it is flipped out of its pan.
This cake can be left plain or covered with frosting or icing, such as a light lemon frosting or a gooey cinnamon icing.
Sachertorte (Chocolate Cake With Apricot Filling)
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A German favorite, the Sachertorte was first made in Austria in 1832. A Sachertorte is a chocolate cake sliced in half and filled with apricot preserves, then covered with chocolate ganache. The preserves are spread in between the two layers as well as over the outside of the cake.
Sachertorte comes out best when baked in a greased spring-form pan, rather than a regular cake pan.
Authentic Sachertorte is decorated with a piped chocolate "S," to commemorate the Sacher Hotel in Austria, where it was first made.
Butterkuchen (Butter Cake)
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The Butterkuchen is also known as the Zuckerkuchen (Sugar Cake) and the Freud- und Leid Kuchen (Joy and Sympathy Cake) because it is often served at both weddings and funerals.
The trick to making a traditional Butterkuchen is to poke holes with your fingers in the top of the dough after it has been spread in the pan. Pour melted butter over the top, allowing it to sink into the holes. The next step is to sprinkle sugar and sliced almonds over the dough, which will also settle into the cake during baking.
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