Frankfurter Kranz – German Crown Cake Recipe
Frankfurter Kranz is a traditional German Crown Cake made with layers of fluffy sponge, rich vanilla buttercream, and crunchy almond brittle.
Ingredients
Sponge
- 100 g / 7 tbsp / 3.5 oz Salted Butter
- 150 g / 3/4 cup / 5.3 oz Sugar
- 3 Large Eggs
- 1 Tablespoon Rum or 1/2 bottle Dr. Oetker Rum Aroma
- 150 g / 1 1/4 cups / 5.3 oz Flour
- 50 g / 1/3 cup / 1.8 oz Cornflour
- 2 Level Teaspoons Baking Powder
Vanilla Buttercream
- 1 Packet Dr. Oetker Vanilla Pudding Powder
- 100 g / 1/2 cup / 3.5 oz Sugar
- 500 ml / 2 cups / 17 fl oz Cold Milk
- 200 g / 1 cup / 7 oz Salted Butter, room temperature
Almond Brittle
- 12 g / 1 tbsp / 0.4 oz Butter
- 60 g / 1/4 cup / 2.1 oz Sugar
- 125 g / 1 cup / 4.4 oz Almonds, chopped
Instructions
Sponge Cake
- Preheat your oven to 175°C (350°F). Prepare a ring tin by spraying it with non-stick spray.
- Beat the butter until light and fluffy using a Kitchen Aid stand or hand mixer. Gradually add the sugar.
- Add the eggs and rum, mixing until well combined.
- Slowly add the flour, cornflour, and baking powder, one tablespoon at a time.
- Pour the batter into the cake tin and bake for 35-45 minutes or until a cake tester comes out clean.
- Let the cake cool in the tin for 10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
Vanilla Buttercream
- Mix the Dr Oetker Vanilla Pudding Powder and sugar with 6 tablespoons of cold milk.
- Heat the remaining milk in a saucepan until it boils.
- Remove from heat and whisk in the pudding mixture. (Don't use metal utensils) Return to the heat and cook for about 1 minute while stirring.
- Cover the pudding surface with cling film and allow it to cool completely.
- Beat the butter until fluffy. Gradually add the pudding mixture, one tablespoon at a time, ensuring both are at room temperature. This is extremely important for success.
Almond Brittle (Krokant)
- Melt butter and sugar in a pan over medium heat until the mixture turns light brown.
- Add the almonds and stir well.
- Spread the mixture onto a sheet of baking paper and allow it to cool. Crush the brittle into small pieces using a glass bottle.
Assembly
- Slice the cooled cake into two equal layers (or three traditionally). Spread jam on the bottom layer.
- Pipe buttercream on top of the jam. Then put the second layer on top.
- Refrigerate for 30 minutes, then coat the entire cake with buttercream.
- Refrigerate for at least another 30 minutes. Add the almond brittle just before serving.
