Tree Cake (German Baumkuchen)

This German Baumkuchen recipe that is called in English "tree cake" because of all the layers as you can see in a tree. It is a heavenly cake. In Germany the Baumkuchen is sold in many bakeries and Cafes. If you cannot get this cake from a bakery, you have to bake it and it is actually not so difficult. The cake has about 10 layers which are roasted under the broiler.

butter, very soft or molten (250 g)
sugar (250 g)
1 pkg vanilla sugar (0.3 oz)
3 Tbsp. orange juice
6 eggs (4 separated, 2 whole)
1 orange, organic
all-purpose flour, unbleached (150 g)
starch (100 g)
1 pkg Dr oetker baking powder (0.5 oz)
1 Tbsp. rum flavour (alternatively 3 Tbsp. amaretto liquor or dark Rum)
semi-sweet chocolate for the glaze (200 g)

Separate 4 eggs.

Combine molten (very soft) butter with 175 g sugar, 2 whole eggs, vanilla sugar, rum flavour and 4 egg yolks.

Mix for about 4-5 minutes with hand mixer until creamy.

Through a sieve add starch, baking powder and all-purpose flour, unbleached.

Beat egg whites with a dash of sugar, then add remaining 75 g of sugar bit by bit while beating the egg whites (see built up pointy and stiff peaks on the mixer).

Fold into dough with a spatula.

Start broiler of your oven (lowest level). Preheat oven.

Layer bottom of a spring from with parchment paper. Just place parchment over the bottom and close with form.

Spread about 2 Tbsp. of the dough on top of the bottom, spread even with a cake lifter (server).

Roast the dough on the lowest grid for about 2 minutes (sugar needs to caramelize) on 220 C or 420 F. Distance should be 10" from the form to heating spiral.

Repeat this until the entire dough is baked in layers. You can see in the video that the layers are very thin.

Always watch the cake layers while baking so they won't get brown.

When cake layers are done let cool off before removing from the form.

Carefully place each layer upside down on a baking grid, remove parchment paper.

Melt chocolate by using the double boiler method and spread evenly on top and all around the sides of the cake.

Smooth out the chocolate with a spatula.

The most special cake of this world is ready now.