German cuisine · Desserts & Sweets

Frankfurt Crown Cake

Baked sponge cake ring, filled three times with buttercream, coated all around with crunchy praline crumble.

Ingredients · for 8 servings

• 250 g soft butter
• 220 g sugar
• 4 eggs
• 300 g flour
• 1 packet baking powder
• 100 ml milk
• 1 pinch salt
• 500 ml whole milk
• 1 packet vanilla pudding powder
• 100 g sugar for the cream and 3 tbsp jam
• 250 g soft butter for the cream
• 150 g flaked almonds and 100 g sugar for the praline crumble

Instructions

1. Cook the pudding from 500 ml whole milk, the pudding powder and 100 g sugar according to package instructions, cover immediately with cling film directly on the surface and let cool completely to room temperature.
2. For the ring, beat 250 g butter with 220 g sugar and salt for 5 min. until fluffy, stir in the eggs one at a time, then fold in the flour and baking powder alternately with 100 ml milk; pour into a greased ring pan and bake at 175°C top/bottom heat for 45–50 min., until a skewer comes out clean.
3. Caramelize the flaked almonds with 100 g sugar in a pan over medium heat for 5–7 min., stirring constantly, until golden brown and sticky, spread on baking paper to cool, then coarsely crumble.
4. For the buttercream, beat 250 g soft butter for 6 min. until pale, and stir in the room-temperature pudding a spoonful at a time – both mixtures must be at the same temperature, or the cream will curdle.
5. Slice the cooled ring horizontally twice, spread the bottom layer with apricot jam, spread the layers above with buttercream each, and reassemble the ring.
6. Coat the ring thinly all around with the remaining cream, cover completely with the praline crumble and chill for at least 3 hrs. before slicing.