Gugelhupf.

Did you know that today is International Baking Day? I wasn’t aware of that either if you’d have asked me a week ago. Well, fine with me. No excuse is to lame to bake something. But not only is the whole day dedicated to baking but as this things sometimes add up: Genie from Bunny Eats Design invited me to a link party called The Growing Edge. May’s host for the link party is Sonya from And More Food. It is a monthly challenge that asks participants to tick something of a foodie bucket list – a new recipe, a new restaurant or new food. You have been heard, Genie. I’m at your service! I did not have to think very hard for this one: I want to make a Gugelhupf. It’s a traditional Austrian cake and known in Germany, part of France, Switzerland and – of course – Austria. It’s not the name of a specific cake dough but a certain shape. (If you don’t have a Gugelhupf dish, you can make it in any other baking dish too.)

I’m cheating a little on this challenge though because I have to admit that I made a Gugelhupf before but this was 10 years ago and I try a new recipe. So this still counts, right? All you need for the Walnut Chocolate Gugelhupf:
– 270 g butter (room temperature)
– 80 g powder sugar
– 1 Tablespoon rum (you can leave this out but don’t complain that it doesn’t taste as good!)
– 1 Tablespoon Vanilla sugar – 7 eggs (separate egg whites and yolk)
– 190 g castor sugar
– 270 g plain flour
– 120 g walnuts (roughly chopped)
– 120 g dark chocolate (grated)

Preheat the oven to 180° C. Beat the egg whites with the powder sugar until stiff. Mix the butter with the egg yolks (butter should be really soft for this, if you have little lumps – like I did because I couldn’t wait – melt it with the hair dryer while you stir), castor sugar, rum, Vanilla sugar. Combine the egg mixtures and add the dry ingredients. Fill it into your baking dish and bake for 50 to 60 mins.

Now look what a perfect Gugelhupf I made.

What do you think of the Gugelhupf? Do you like this shape? Did you ever make one?

You can also participate at The Growing Edge. Rules and regulations here.

Now. Carry on!