Baumkuchen Recipe (German Tree Cake)

Top view of a whole Baumkuchen, with one slice turned on its side, so you can see all of the pretty tree rings.

5 from 1 vote

Baumkuchen Recipe (German Tree Cake)

There’s something so magical about slicing into a Baumkuchen. The layers inside reveal beautiful rings, like a tree trunk-hence the name, which means German tree cake. This authentic German recipe is packed with tradition and flavor (and the best memories for me). Plus it’s simpler than it looks!

I kept experimenting over and over again, almost gave up, and came up with THIS fluffy, almond-flavored Baumkuchen that my entire family loves so much! I decorate it with a pretty glaze and ganache 'tree ring' accents and it just makes such a pretty centerpiece for any celebration.

This recipe is also in my German cookbook 'German Home Kitchen.'

Prep Time30

Cook Time40

Cooling time2

Total Time3 10

Course: Afternoon Cake, cake, Dessert

Cuisine: German

Keyword: Authentic German Cake Recipe, Baumkuchen recipe, Classic German Cake Recipe, German Almond Cake Recipe, german cake recipes, German Dessert, tree cake recipe

Servings: slices

Calories: 466kcal

Author: Author: Sophie Sadler

Equipment

1 springform pan
1 piping bag for decorating the cake with rings, optional
1 small, round decorating tip
1 offset spatula

Ingredients

Cake

250 grams unsalted butter at room temperature
250 grams granulated sugar
6 eggs size US large, whites and yolks separated
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
100 grams marzipan or almond paste
45 milliliters amaretto Almond liqueur. Feel free to leave it out and substitute with water.
150 grams all-purpose flour
100 grams cornstarch
14 grams baking powder
1 pinch salt

Lemon Glaze

100 grams powdered sugar
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

Chocolate Ganache (optional)

60 grams bittersweet chocolate
60 milliliters heavy whipping cream

Metric - US Customary

Instructions

Prep

Preheat the broiler or oven (see notes for which oven setting and temperature to use, depending on your oven).
Place a piece of parchment paper on the bottom of a 9-inch (23 cm) dark metal springform pan and clip the ring around it. Trim around the edges.
Grease the sides of the pan with butter and dust with flour.
If you don't have a springform, grease a 9-inch cake pan and cut out a parchment paper circle to fit the bottom, then grease the sides with butter and dust with flour.

Cake

To make the cake: In a large bowl, add the butter, sugar, egg yolks, and vanilla and, with a wire whisk, whisk until smooth.
250 grams unsalted butter, 250 grams granulated sugar, 6 eggs, 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
In a small, microwave-safe bowl, add the marzipan and amaretto and heat in the microwave in 10 second increments until warmed.
If you don’t have a microwave, do this in a small saucepan. Whisk until smooth, then stir into the butter mixture.
100 grams marzipan, 45 milliliters amaretto
In a medium bowl, sift together the flour, cornstarch, and baking powder. Working one tablespoon at a time, whisk the flour mixture into the butter mixture until a thick batter is formed and no more clumps are visible.
150 grams all-purpose flour, 100 grams cornstarch, 14 grams baking powder
In a large bowl, whisk the egg whites and a pinch of salt until stiff peaks form. Fold into the batter until just combined.
1 pinch salt
To the prepared springform pan, add about ½ cup (weight: 4½ ounces or 130 g) of batter and, using a small, offset spatula, spread it into an even layer and bake until the top starts to turn golden-brown, 3 to 4 minutes.
Repeat this process, carefully adding and spreading each layer, until the batter is gone (I end up with 9 layers). Make sure to keep a close eye on your cake as it can burn easily.
Insert a cake tester or a toothpick into the center of the cake, if it doesn’t come out clean (a few crumbs are desirable, but no wet batter), adjust the oven control to 350°F (18° C) on the conventional setting and bake until the cake is cooked through, 5 to 7 minutes (make sure to test after 5 minutes).
Transfer to a wire cooling rack and let rest until cool enough to handle, about 5 minutes. Run a thin knife around the cake to loosen it from the pan, then carefully remove the springform ring.
Cover with a clean kitchen towel and set aside to cool completely.

Lemon Glaze

In a small bowl, whisk the powdered sugar and lemon juice until you achieve a thick, honey-like consistency. Using an offset spatula or a butter knife, spread over the top of the cake.
100 grams powdered sugar, 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

Chocolate Ganache (optional)

If using, make the ganache: Place the chocolate in a small bowl. In a small saucepan over medium heat, heat the heavy whipping cream, while whisking periodically, until almost boiling, then pour it over the chocolate. Let sit for one minute. Stir together until the chocolate is melted and the mixture is smooth; your ganache will be runny when it’s still warm, so it’s important to let it cool to a thicker, pipe-able consistency. You can speed up this process by putting the bowl in the fridge and stirring periodically until the mixture has thickened enough.
60 grams bittersweet chocolate, 60 milliliters heavy whipping cream
Fit a piping bag with a small, round tip. Add the ganache and draw pretty tree-like rings on your cake.

Notes

Oven settings for Baumkuchen:

It took me a while to figure this out as American ovens are so different from ovens in Germany.

If you have 3 Broil settings on your oven, use the Broil 2 setting (450°F/ 230°C) and bake your Baumkuchen on the bottom rack.
If you have 2 Broil settings on your oven (typically Broil low and Broil high), use the LOW broil option (400°F/200°C) and bake on the middle rack (aka a bit closer to the top heat).
In Germany, you will use Oberhitze (top heat only) for this cake and select the right temperature.

Nutrition