Sunday's are Chocolate

I'm back. Just like Arnold. Where do I begin. Who would of thought that this 50 year old woman could ride her bike through Germany. Oh the places you can go and see on a bike. I will never rent a car in Europe again. We are trying to get back on track going wasn't so bad but coming back has been tough. Each day I long for marzipan cake and a bratwurst's. Not the mention the Fourth of July in Germany fireworks and all. Or my Bavarian Birthday party. Meeting the in-laws and our adorable little Grandson. The welcome home of 400 soldiers from Iraq. I have been dealing with some major computer problems.

In honor of my Fathers Birthday I tried making the great tasting Baumkuchen Layered Cake it is a little time consuming but well worth the effort. Here is our first favorite from Germany. Stay tune for more to come. This fun cake has layers and layers cooked under the broiler. What a way to heat up the house on a day with 100 degree temps outside it was well worth every moment.
Baumkuchen Layered Cake

Parchment paper
For the cake mixture
12 x 4 1/2 inch loaf pan
whites of 4 medium eggs
1 cup of soft margarine or butter
1 cup sugar
1 teaspoon of vanilla
1 pinch of salt
2 medium eggs
yolks of 4 medium eggs
4 tablespoon rum
1 1/2 cup plain all purpose flour
3/4 cup cornstarch
3 level teaspoons baking powder

For chocolate coating
7 oz plain chocolate
4 teaspoons cooking oil

Preheat the oven grill. Grease the rectangular tin and line the bottom with baking parchment.

To make the cake mixture, beat the egg whites until stiff. Stir the softened margarine or butter with a hand mixer with whisk until it becomes smooth and homogenous. Gradually add the sugar, vanilla and salt, and stir until the mixture thickens. Add 1 egg at a time, whisking each one for about 1/2 minutes at the highest setting. Then stir in the yolks and the rum.

Mix together the flour, cornstarch and baking powder, sift and stir into the butter and egg mixture in two stages with the mixer set at the medium setting. Then carefully fold in the beaten egg whites using a flexible spatula or wooden spoon.

Using a brush, spread a heaped tablespoon of cake mixture on the bottom of the greased tin. Put the tin on a shelf in the oven ( the distance between the grill and the layer of cake mixture at the bottom of the tin should be 8 in. Grill for about 2 minutes under the preheated grill until golden brown.

Take the tin out of the oven and spread another layer (1-2 tablespoons of cake mixture) on top of the already baked layer. Put the tin under the grill again and continue in this way until all the cake mixture is used up. This means that the shelf on which the tin is placed will have to move downward to maintain a distance of 8 inches between the grill and the layer of cake mixture.

Carefully loosen the cake from the tin with a knife, remove from the tin and put on a rack. Remove the baking parchment and leave to cool.

To make the chocolate coating, finely shop the chocolate and melt with the oil in a double boiler over low heat, stirring continuously. Then coat the cooled-down cake with the melted chocolate mixture.