Oma's Königskuchen: German King's Cake (Fruit Cake) Recipe (2024)

FAQs

What is the most famous German cake? ›

There are several accounts of how and when Germany's most famous cake was invented, and it's not even proven that Black Forest cake (Schwarzwälder Kirschttorte) originated in the Black Forest in southern Germany.

King cakes across Europe

Switzerland and southern Germany, for example, have dreikönigskuchen. It's a fluffy, brioche-like cake made of separate rolls arranged in the shape of a crown and sometimes adorned with rum-soaked raisins or chocolate chips.

The Roman fruitcake was a mash of barley, honey, wine and dried fruit, often pomegranate seeds. What you might recognize as a modern-style fruitcake – a moist, leavened dessert studded with fruits and nuts – was probably first baked in the early Middle Ages in Europe.

Baumkuchen (German pronunciation: [ˈbaʊ̯mˌkuːxn̩]) is a kind of spit cake from German cuisine. It is also a popular dessert in Japan. The characteristic rings that appear in its slices resemble tree rings, and give the cake its German name, Baumkuchen, which literally translates to "tree cake" or "log cake".

A common misconception is that German Chocolate Cake comes from Germany. In fact, the name comes from American baker, Samuel German, who developed a type of dark baking chocolate in 1852. The baking chocolate was then named Baker's German's Sweet Chocolate in honor of German.

The world's most famous cake, the Original Sacher-Torte, is the consequence of several lucky twists of fate. The first was in 1832, when the Austrian State Chancellor, Prince Klemens Wenzel von Metternich, tasked his kitchen staff with concocting an extraordinary dessert to impress his special guests.

Cake in German language is kuchen.

Three Kings Cake (or bread), also known as Rosca de Reyes, is closely allied with the traditions around the Epiphany (January 6th). The tender, enriched dough is shaped like a wreath and filled with cinnamon, nuts, dried fruit, and citrus zest, evoking classic holiday aromas and flavors.

The name “king cake” comes from the Biblical story of the three kings who bring gifts to Baby Jesus. A blend of coffee cake and cinnamon roll, king cake is usually iced in yellow, green and purple – the colors of Mardi Gras -- and is frequently packed with fruit fillings and decadent cream cheeses.

According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, these seemingly indestructible pastries typically stay fresh for six months in the pantry and up to a year when refrigerated. But anecdotally we know that they can last for decades; some of the oldest have been preserved for more than a century.

Why was fruitcake outlawed? ›

Fruitcakes were so rich, they were considered sinful and were outlawed in Europe in the early 18th century. Restrictions eased later in the century.

[Note: not all fruitcakes are made this way, see the safety note below.] The U.S. Department of Agriculture says that fruitcake will last two to three months in the refrigerator without spoiling, and will maintain its quality if stored up to a year in the freezer.

The high price is mainly due to the way the cake is made – it really is an elaborate craft. This is another reason why Baumkuchen is served as the “king of all cakes” on special occasions such as at Christmas.

If you've been to Japan, you may have noticed Baumkuchen everywhere. Perhaps you've tasted one before – simple, yet so delicious! This traditional German confectionery literally means “tree cake”, where its name derives from the layers of concentric rings that make up the dessert, resembling the rings of a tree.

There are two possible explanations of the origin of the name “Baumkuchen”, which translates as “tree cake”. One is that the cake is baked on a wooden stick (tree). The second, much more popular explanation, is that if you cut the cake into rings, you can see all the layers, which look like the annual rings of a tree.”

The shortest crossword solution for Rich German cake is 5 letters long and is called TORTE. The longest solution is five letters long and is called TORTE.

Dresdner Christstollen is only produced in bakeries and pastry shops in and around Dresden. The original Dresden Christstollen is a raisin stollen that can be recognized by its golden seal of quality.