Frankfurter Kranz Torte

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Frankfurter Kranz Torte (Layered Cake)

This is a very traditional german fancy cake... a bit old fashioned but every bit as nice as it was when it got invented.... I am sure you will enjoy it very much it is creammy, fluffy and yet crunchy wiht this buttery flavor and nuttyness of the krokant - give it a try...
Alissa

scant 1/2 cup butter (about 7 tablespoons)
3/4 cup granulated white sugar
3 large eggs
grated rind of 1/2 lemon
3/4 cup sifted all-purpose flour
1/3 cup cornstarch
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 1/2 recipes Butter Cream Frosting (recipe follows)
Krokant (praline topping, recipe follows)

Pre-heat oven to 350ºF. Cream butter with sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Mix in grated lemon rind. Sift flour again with cornstarch and baking powder. Gradually stir in butter-egg mixture until thoroughly blended. Butter and flour a cake ring mold or Bundt pan and tap out excess flour. Pour batter into pan. Bake in the lower half of oven for 35 minutes to 1 hour, or until cake tests done. A toothpick inserted in the center should come out clean. (you can also use a Bundt pan and bake it for 35 minutes. If using a smaller baking pan you may have to bake it longer.) Cool in pan until cake shrinks away from the sides of the pan. Invert cake onto rack and cool completely. While cake is cooling, prepare butter cream filling.

German Butter Cream Filling Recipe

6 large egg yolks, lightly beaten (room temperature)
3/4 cup granulated white sugar
1/2 cup water
1/2 tablespoon cornstarch
1 1/4 cups softened butter
flavoring, to taste

Over low heat, cook sugar, water and cornstarch, stirring until dissolved. Bring to a boil, and stir, until mixture forms a soft ball when dropped in cold water (238ºF on candy thermometer). VERY slowly, stirring constantly, in a very thin stream, pour boiling hot syrup into egg yolks. If you add the boiling syrup too quickly-it will scramble the egg yolks, so take your time barely a thread of syrup at a time, while stirring vigorously. Beat until mixture cools and is smooth. Cool completely. Beat softened butter into the cooled crème, adding your favorite flavoring: 3 to 4 tablespoons rum, arrack, kirsch or fruit liquors; or 1 tablespoon vanilla extract; or 2 1/2 oz. melted and cooled semi-sweet baking chocolate; or 1/2 cup ground hazelnuts; or a combination of 1 1/2 oz. melted and cool semi-sweet baking chocolate mixed with 2 teaspoons instant coffee dissolved in 2 teaspoons of boiling water, for a mocha flavor. For cocoa butter crème, beat in 4 tablespoons cocoa powder and vanilla sugar.

Krokant
1 tablespoon butter
1/4 cup sugar
1 cup blanched and chopped almonds or hazelnuts (I used 1 cup chopped pecans)

Place the butter and sugar in a frying pan over low heat, and stir constantly until the sugar is lightly browned and melted. Stir in nuts and pour onto a greased or buttered flat serving plate or greased sheet of aluminum foil. When cold and hard and set, crack praline topping into small pieces.

Assembly of Cake:
Cut cake into 3 layers. Spread 1 cup of butter cream filling onto bottom and middle layers, saving enough to cover outside of cake. Stack layers and spread rest of filling on top and all sides. Sprinkle Krokant on top and sides of cake. Refrigerate at least 24 hours before serving.