The Kugelhopf Alsatian Bundt Cake is an Alsatian-origin cake, left to rise and baked in a special mold that has the shape of a Turkish turban. This type of cake does not use the classic baking powder but dried yeast, which you can add to the dough dry like flour or dissolved in milk. It is a festive cake, prepared in various versions depending on the location. Making it is not difficult, you just need to have time for the necessary hours of rising. I recommend you try it immediately because being a festive cake, it could certainly replace panettone during the Christmas holidays.
If you like Bundt cakes, don’t miss the following recipes:
- Difficulty: Easy
- Cost: Economical
- Rest time: 6 Hours
- Preparation time: 30 Minutes
- Portions: 6/8 servings
- Cooking methods: Electric oven
- Cuisine: Italian
- Seasonality: All seasons
Ingredients
- 2 cups type 2 flour
- 3 tbsp sugar
- 2 egg yolks
- 7 tbsp milk
- 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil/butter 60 g
- 1/2 cup raisins
- to taste rum
- 2 tsp vanilla sugar
- 1 tsp dried yeast
- 1/4 cup sliced almonds
- to taste powdered sugar for decoration
Tools
- 1 Bundt cake pan 7/8 inches in diameter
- 1 Bowl
- 1 Electric whisk
- 1 Brush
- 1 Cooling rack
How to prepare the Kugelhopf Alsatian Bundt Cake
First, soak the raisins in rum, just enough to cover them. Then pour the egg yolks into a bowl, along with the sugar, and use the electric whisk to beat until the mixture is foamy.
At this point add the milk, sifted type 2 flour, finally also the vanilla sugar, the dried yeast and mix all the ingredients.
Remove the raisins from the rum, squeeze them well, pour them into the dough, and knead with your hands for a few minutes to ensure they are fully incorporated.
Now turn the dough onto the work surface, and knead again until you obtain a smooth and homogeneous mixture. Form a ball and place it back into the preparation bowl. Cover it with a towel, and let it rise for at least 5 hours.
After this time, oil a mold about 7/8 inches in diameter and place the sliced almonds at the base. Place all the dough inside and on top of the almonds, then cover with a cloth, and let it rise for another hour.
Then bake in a preheated oven at 350°F, and let it cook for about 30 minutes or a little more. Once the Bundt cake is cooked, let it cool slightly and then turn it out onto a cooling rack so that it loses all its moisture.
Serve your Kugelhopf Alsatian Bundt Cake only when it is well cold and sprinkle, if desired, with powdered sugar.
Tips, Variations, Notes, and Storage
The Alsatian Bundt Cake can be stored for a few days in a bread bag or in a closed glass or ceramic container.
For this cake, I don’t feel like recommending changes, because otherwise it would no longer be a Kugelhopf.
However, I have to say that I made one variation: I used extra virgin olive oil instead of butter, because I am forbidden to eat it.
