Photo: Lila la Loop
Frankfurter Kranz – the classic and delicious variations
The Frankfurter Kranz is far more than a classic cake – it's a culinary monument that uniquely combines history, symbolism, and taste. Inspired by Frankfurt's role as the coronation city of German emperors, the ring-shaped cake, with its golden praline crust and ruby-red candied cherries, resembles a magnificent crown. The shape represents the crown of the monarchy, the ingredients festive luxury: airy sponge cake, rich buttercream, and crisp praline meld together to create a truly regal treat.
Homage to the Crown
Although no historical sources prove that an emperor or his consort particularly favored this cake, its connection to imperial symbolism is undeniable. The Frankfurter Kranz is said to have been invented as early as 1735. This layered cake likely only became popular in the early 20th century – long after coronations were actually held in Frankfurt am Main. Its royal image is therefore more of a tribute than an actual court dish.
Sweet crowning glory of the day
Frankfurter Kranz is especially delicious when enjoyed in a beautiful setting – for example in Essen, with a view of the Baldeneysee. The region around the lake, characterized by lush greenery, industrial history, and vibrant culture, provides the perfect setting for this traditional cake to enjoy with afternoon coffee. After a walk through the forests of the Ruhr Heights or a visit to the Villa Hügel, a slice of Frankfurter Kranz tastes like the sweet crowning touch to the day.
Thus, the Frankfurter Kranz combines past and present, monarchy and modernity, history and enjoyment – a true piece of German baking art that will surely find its stage everywhere – including on the home coffee table.
| Preparation time | portions | difficulty | Kitchen |
|---|---|---|---|
| 60 minutes | 1 | medium | German |
Ingredients
For the dough 1/2 organic lemon
150 g butter
150 g sugar
4 eggs
150 g flour
100 g cornstarch
2 tsp baking powder
2 tablespoons of rum
For the filling Strawberry or raspberry jam
500 ml milk
1 packet of vanilla pudding powder
100 g sugar
250 g butter (room temperature)
For decoration 100g chopped almonds
1 tsp butter
1 tsp sugar
Candied cherries or pistachios for decoration
preparation
1. Wash the organic lemon thoroughly with hot water, dry it, and grate the zest. Cream the butter until fluffy, gradually add the sugar, then stir in the lemon zest and eggs. Mix the flour with the cornstarch and baking powder, then stir in the rum. Pour the batter into a greased bundt pan.
2. For the filling, prepare a pudding according to the package instructions using milk, pudding powder, and sugar. Pour it into a bowl and immediately place cling film directly on the surface of the pudding to prevent a skin from forming. Allow the pudding to cool to room temperature, stirring frequently.
3. Cream the butter until fluffy and gradually stir in the pudding, one tablespoon at a time. Note: The butter should also be at room temperature to prevent the buttercream from curdling. Spread about half of the cream onto each cake layer and stack them on top of each other. Spread the remaining cream all around the cake, reserving a little for decorative dots if desired.
4. Toast the almonds with butter and sugar until light golden brown, let them cool, and sprinkle them evenly over the wreath on all sides. If desired, decorate the wreath with dollops of cream and garnish with candied cherries or pistachios.
variation
You can create a mocha buttercream by adding instant coffee to the buttercream. For decoration, use chocolate-covered coffee beans, nuts, or confectionery such as Ferrero Rocher, Toffifee, or Raffaello instead of cherries or candied cherries.
| Recipe by: |
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| Bianca Killmann |