Author Notes
The Frankfurt Crown Cake, also known as Frankfurter Kranz is the queen of German buttercream cakes and my grandmother was a master at baking it. It's a delicious layered sponge cake filled and covered with German vanilla buttercream and sprinkled with caramelised hazelnuts. —Meike Peters | eat in my kitchen
Ingredients
- For the sponge cake
-
7 ounces
butter, at room temperature | 200g
-
8 ounces
sugar | 225g
-
a pinch
fresh vanilla
-
6
eggs
-
7 ounces
plain flour, sieved | 200g
-
3.5 ounces
cornstarch | 100g
-
3 teaspoons
baking powder
-
a pinch
salt
-
breadcrumbs to sprinkle the bundt pan
- For the buttercream and caramelized hazelnuts
-
9 ounces
butter, at room temperature | 250g
-
4
egg yolks, at room temperature
-
2 ounces
cornstarch | 60g
-
4.5 ounces
sugar | 120g
-
17 ounces
milk, at room temperature | 500ml
-
1
vanilla bean, slit slightly
-
a pinch
salt
-
7 ounces
hazelnuts, finely chopped | 200g
-
3.5 ounces
sugar (for the caramelized hazelnuts) | 100g
-
1.5 ounces
butter (for the caramelized hazelnuts) | 35g
Directions
- For the sponge cake
-
Set the oven to 355°F top/ bottom heat. Butter a 9" bundt pan and sprinkle with bread crumbs.
-
Beat the butter, sugar and vanilla till fluffy.
-
Add the eggs, one at a time and continue beating for a few minutes till thick, creamy and light yellow.
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Combine the dry ingredients and fold gently into the butter egg mixture with a wooden spoon (in batches, combine well in between).
-
Scrape the dough into the bundt pan and bake for 45 minutes or until golden. Check with a skewer, it should come out clean.
-
When the cake has cooled off completely, slice it 3 times into 4 layers.
- For the buttercream and caramelized hazelnuts
-
All ingredients for the buttercream must be at the same temperature (room temperature) to combine well!
-
Beat the butter for 10 minutes till white and fluffy.
-
Whisk the egg yolks with the cornstarch, sugar, salt and 2 ounces of the milk till well combined.
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In a sauce pan, bring the remaining milk together with the vanilla bean to a boil. Take the vanilla bean out, scrape the seeds out of the bean into the milk.
-
Add the egg mixture to the hot milk, whisking well. Take the sauce pan off the heat after 1 minute and continue whisking for 2 minutes till stiff. Fill into a bowl and cover the pudding’s surface with cling film.
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When the vanilla pudding has cooled off completely, press it through a sieve and mix in batches with the beaten butter, first with a spoon and then with your mixer for a few seconds till nice and creamy.
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In a large heavy pan, heat up the hazelnuts, sugar and butter on high-medium temperature and roast for around 5 minutes till golden brown and caramelized, stirring constantly. Take off the heat and spread on parchment paper.
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Leave a bit more than 1/3 of the buttercream to cover the cake and spread the remaining cream on the 3 layers of cake. Start with the bottom one, spread with cream, cover with the next layer of cake and continue with the other layers.
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Spread the remaining cream gently all over the cake and sprinkle with the caramelized nuts on all sides, inside and out.
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You can eat the cake right away or be patient and keep it in the fridge for 2-3 days before you serve it. It's best on the 2nd or 3rd day!
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