RECIPE: REC: Bavarian Knitting Needle Cake (Stricknadelkuchen) --updated

RECIPE:

richard-in-cincy

Well-known member
I have always heard about this cake, never have tried it, and just stumbled upon this reader submitted recipe in the Middle Bavarian Newspaper (Mittelbayerische Zeitung) and it looks like a fun and delicious dessert for summer weather!

Note: German recipes assume you know how to cook so they leave out details like pan size and preparing them. I would bake this cake in a 9-inch buttered and floured springform pan. Also, original recipe is included at the bottom, I translated the measures as well for my sister, so if anyone who does numbers better than I sees any conversion errors, please let me know and I'll correct. They also assume that you have the sense to put it in the fridge to store it after its made.

German Knitting Needle Cake (Stricknadelkuchen)

From Olga Schweidler of Maxhütte-Haidhof in Bavaria, Germany

Cake:

8 oz. butter

1 cup sugar

1 tsp. vanilla

6 eggs

2.5 tsp. baking powder

2 cups flour

3 tablespoons cornstarch

Chocolate Glaze:

1 cup cold brewed coffee

2 tbls. Cocoa

3 tbls. Sugar

1 tbls. Rum or Cognac

Finish:

1 cup whipping cream

1 packet vanilla sugar (or substitute 1 tbls. Sugar and ½ tsp. vanilla)

Chocolate Shavings and Cocoa powder

Optional: 3 tbls Egg Liqueur (Verpoort)

Beat the Butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the vanilla. Beat the eggs, then gradually beat into the butter until incorporated and fluffy. Sift together the flour, cornstarch, and baking powder, then fold into the butter mixture.

Bake the cake at 350F for 40-45 minutes. While the cake is still warm, poke holes in the cake with a knitting needle. Combine the coffee, cocoa, sugar, and rum, then pour into the holes. (Note: I would combine the ingredients while the coffee is hot, then let it cool.)

Whip the cream, gradually adding the vanilla sugar (and egg liqueur if using), spread on top of the cake. Decorate with a light dusting of cocoa powder, then scatter the chocolate shavings on top.

Picture is missing the chocolate shavings, but I included it so you could get an idea...sort of the Bavarian counterpart of Tiramisu.

Stricknadelkuchen

200 g Butter

200 g Zucker

1 Päck. Vanillezucker

6 Eier

2,5 TL Backpulver

250 g Mehl

50 g Stärkemehl

Für den Guss:

1 Tasse kalten Kaffee

2 EL Kakao

2 EL Zucker

2 Stamperl Schnaps oder Rum

Zum Verfeinern:

2 Becher Sahne

Vanillezucker und Schokostreusel.

bzw. 3 EL Eierlikör

Zubereitung:

Butter, Zucker und Vanillezucker schaumig schlagen. Eier nach und nach unterrühren und weiterschlagen. Backpulver, Mehl und Stärke vermengen und zuletzt unter die Eimasse rühren. Den Kuchen bei 175 Grad ca. 40 bis 45 Minuten backen. In den noch warmen Kuchen mit einer Stricknadel Löcher stechen. Kalten Kaffee mit Kakao, Zucker und Schnaps verrühren. Den Kaffee in die Löcher im Kuchen gießen. 2 Becher Sahne mit etwas Vanillezucker steif schlagen und den Kuchen bestreichen. Mit Schokostreusel garnieren.

http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_4C6F7x4tKFE/TR-rjT9PlrI/AAAAAAAAB1A/-0DeGMGWdco/s320/stricknadelkuchen2.JPG

 
Flour..

250 g Mehl - this is flour, correct?

Depending on how you measure, this is actually about 2 cups.

120-145g is 1 cup flour weight.

 
Thanks for the info...

I'm very bad with numbers and just ran these through an online conversion tool I found as I was translating it. I'll update the recipe. Thanks again.

 
I applied this concept using a chocolate 5-pronged thingamabob.

Already had a warm lemon-yogurt custard pudding ready and when the (augmented) yellow cake box cake came out of the oven, I "pronged' it evenly across the entire surface. Then, using a small offset spatula (allowed at the Happy Valley Farms for the Gingerbread-induced Insane) I spread and pressed the warm pudding into the holes until they filled up. Then I spread the remaining pudding across the top.

That cake was unbelieveably moist.

Ah, it's called a "chocolate chipper."

http://www.goodfoodstories.com/2013/02/07/how-to-chop-chocolate/

 
I bet this would taste/look good with the cut strawberries on top

from your strawberry torte recipe above. I may take a crack at this tomorrow. Wonder if people will be house hunting on the 4th? Lately, whenever I start into a project, I need to vacate! Keeping busy has been a good way for me to insure someone will want to see our house smileys/wink.gif Colleen

 
What might you substitute for the egg liqueur?

I have a bit of Bailey's or chocolate wine (which I've found is a lot like Bailey's). Too far out there? Colleen

 
The liqueur is optional and you can use whatever

your tastes like as long as you don't destroy your whipped cream. The egg liqueur is really thick and whips into whipped cream very nicely. I'd back off on more fluid flavorings and start with a small amount. But yeah, Bailey's would be lovely. Grand Marnier anyone?

 
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