Baumkuchen can not be missed at Christmas time: with the classic Salzwedeler Baumkuchen Is there something irresistible on the table, layer by layer? and that for centuries. The different layers of this Christmas cookies are reminiscent of the tree rings of a tree: this fact is also due to the name of the tree cake. These are our favorite recipes!

Baumkuchen - the basic recipe

Ingredients for a tree cake:

• 250 grams of sugar
• 250 grams of butter (or margarine)
• 150 grams of flour
• 100 grams of cornstarch
• 100 grams of marzipan
• 6 eggs (separated)
• 1 pack of vanilla sugar
• 3 teaspoons baking powder
• 3 tablespoons Amaretto
• Almond extract
• chocolate jam
• if necessary 2 tablespoons orange liqueur (to taste)

Preparation of Baumkuchen:

Baumkuchen is baked in layers, creating the rings. Therefore, the dough is first stirred and then filled layer by layer into the mold and baked.

1. Lubricate the desired baking pan (preferably a springform pan) and preheat the oven to 250 ° C (top heat, 220 ° C circulating air).
2. Whisk egg yolk with butter, sugar, vanilla sugar and bitter almond flavor.
3. Warm the marzipan in a water bath and mix with the Amaretto. Add the mass to the remaining dough and stir well. Then add spoonfuls of flour, baking powder and cornflour.
4. Beat the egg whites until stiff and fold under the dough.
5. Spread 2-3 tablespoons of dough on the bottom of the dish. bake the first layer for 4 minutes. Take the mold out of the oven, again add 2-3 tablespoons of dough and bake again for 4 minutes. Repeat the procedure about 10 to 12 times until the dough is completely used up.
6. Remove the cake from the oven and let cool on the wire rack.
7. Meanwhile, melt the couverture and (depending on your taste) mix with orange liqueur.
8. Pounce the tree cake and coat it with the couverture.

Tree Cake Monde

© Thomas Neckermann

These beautifully decorated Baumkuchen moons are a real eye-catcher on the colorful plate for the Advent season. We'll show you how to make the sweet moons with the delicious orange filling.

To the recipe: Gingerbread Monde

Baumkuchenspitzen

© Thomas Neckermann

Tree cake tips are among the classics among the Baumkuchen variations. We dip them in dark chocolate and decorate them nicely with white couverture, so that they actually look like little Christmas trees. How sweet!

To the recipe: Baumkuchenspitzen

Tree Cake turrets

© Thomas Neckermann

We like to climb these turrets: bathed in chocolate couverture and crowned by cherries, the mini-tree cakes are not only wonderful to look at, the snacks also taste even more seductive! Dust some cocoa over it - and the pleasure can begin.

To the recipe: Tree cake turrets

White tree cake cubes

© Thomas Neckermann

We stick to tree cakes in mini-size - simply because the appetizers can be arranged so beautifully. In addition, we adorn these noble bites with gold leaf and feel so truly royal before the festival!

To the recipe: White tree cake cubes

Orange tree cake cake

© Thomas Neckermann

If it may be a larger portion, we have here a tree cake for you, you have guaranteed not eaten so yet. The cake gets an irresistible orange filling and is then coated with white couverture. Candied oranges crown the whole thing.

To the recipe: Orange tree cake cake

Baumkuchen: King of the cake

The Baumkuchenbäckerei, as we know it today, is an art in itself - and it is not for nothing that Baumkuchen is considered the "king of cakes". In the Baumkuchenfabrik, thin-bodied dough is poured in thin layers onto a rotating roller. In this way, the characteristic tree rings, which gave the cake its name. The finish is then a fine glaze, which was initially made of sugar and rose water and was later replaced by grated chocolate or chocolate glaze from dark chocolate or whole milk. So it has remained in the Baumkuchenfabriken in Dresden, Cottbus and Salzwedel until today.

Salzwedeler Baumkuchen - the classic!

Johann Christian Schernikow developed one of the oldest and most popular recipes in his pastry shop in Salzwedel in Lower Saxony. His Baumkuchenfabrik even once supplied Kaiser Wilhelm I and still bakes today after the famous recipe.

The basic recipe for tree cakes is simple: butter, eggs, sugar, vanilla, salt and flour. The basic ratio is exactly prescribed: 100 g of flour comes with 100 g of butter and 200 g of egg. Marzipan, pistachios, almonds or rum can then be added at will.

Baking a classic tree cake at home

It becomes difficult only when one tries to imitate the classic Baumkuchen form at home. This is practically impossible if you do not have the professional equipment. But you can use simple shapes at home.

For example, Baumkuchen can be prepared in the Springform. While you have to do without the hole in the middle, but thanks to chocolate couverture you hardly notice a difference. The most important ingredient: patience! Because you have to bake the cake layer by layer to conjure up the characteristic tree rings. But the effort is worth it: A good tree cake is so tender that it melts on the tongue.

Bake light tree cake molds

In this way, you can also conjure tree cake tips. Simply layer the dough into a baking paper and cut the dough into lozenges. Dip a corner of the dough in chocolate or milk chocolate and enjoy the tart top.

Here are more recipes for your Christmas bakery, including many tasty cookies.

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