Donauwellen Danube Waves Cake Recipes

DANUBE WAVES CAKE (DONAUWELLEN KUCHEN)

Steps:

• Cake: Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
• Grease a 12 x 8 pan.
• Beat the butter, eggs and sugar together until sugar is dissolved.Add the flour.
• Spread half of the batter into the pan.
• Add cocoa and milk to remaining batter, mix well and spread over the top.
• Bake for 30-40 minutes until done.
• Let cool for approximately one hour.
• For Filling: Drain the cherries, saving 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons of the juice.
• Heat the juice, sugar and cornstarch slowly, stirring constantly.
• Add the cherries.
• When the mix has thickened, set aside to cool.
• For Cream: Cook the pudding according to the package directions with the milk and sugar Let cool to room temperature.
• Beat the butter until creamy and add the pudding spoon by spoon while beating Let rest a few minutes.
• Assembly: Spread the cherry mix on top of the cake and cover with the cream.
• Drizzle melted chocolate over the top.

DONAUWELLE (DANUBE WAVE CAKE) / SCHNEEWITTCHENKUCHEN (SNOW WHITE CAKE)

Steps:

• To start the German buttercream: In a large saucepan or small pot beat the egg yolks together, then slowly add the milk beating until smooth. Add the sugar and cornstarch and whisk until smooth.
• Heat the pan over medium heat, whisking constantly until the mixture is very thick and easily coats the back of a spoon and/or reaches a temperature of 180°F/80°C with an instant read thermometer, about 10 to 15 minutes total.
• Remove from the heat, whisk in vanilla until smooth, then use a rubber spatula to scrape the pastry cream mixture into a bowl. It will cool faster if it's spread out in a wider bowl or container. Press a piece of plastic wrap directly onto the surface of the custard so it doesn't form a skin. Cool it to room temperature. (You can do this step up to 2 days in advance and refrigerate it until needed. In that case, bring it back to room temperature before using.)
• To make the cake: Preheat the oven to 350°F / 180°C with the rack in the lower third of the oven. Line a 9-by-13-inch (24-by-32-cm) rectangular cake pan with parchment paper with some overhang around the sides to help you lift the cake out of the pan after assembling. Lightly grease the parchment.
• Combine the flour, baking powder, and salt in a mixing bowl and set aside.
• Add the butter and sugar to the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment and beat on medium speed until light and fluffy (about 2 to 3 minutes). Add the eggs, one at a time, beating between additions until smooth. Scrape down the sides and beat in the vanilla.
• Add the flour mixture in 2 additions and beat just until combined.
• Evenly spread about ⅔ of the cake batter into the prepared pan.
• Sift the cocoa powder into the remaining batter and add the milk. Mix until just combined, then carefully spread it over the top of the light-colored batter. The best way to do this is to dollop spoonfuls of chocolate batter over the vanilla layer and then carefully spread the batter until the chocolate layer is even. Do not swirl them together!
• Evenly distribute the drained sour cherries over the batter. Bake for 28 to 32 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Leave the cake in the pan but cool it completely before decorating, about 1 to 1 ½ hours.
• To finish the German buttercream: The pastry cream and butter should both be at room temperature before proceeding with this next step. Add the butter to the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment and beat until very light and creamy (about 2 minutes).
• With the mixer running on medium speed, add the pastry cream a little at a time until completely combined. Scrape down the sides and then continue beating for another minute to ensure it's smooth and creamy.
• Spread the buttercream on top of the cooled cake, and cover with plastic wrap directly in contact with the buttercream. Chill the frosted cake for at least 1 hour or overnight.
• To make the chocolate ganache: Add the chopped chocolate to a medium mixing bowl. Then heat the cream in a small saucepan over medium-high heat until steaming but not quite boiling. Pour the cream over the chocolate and let it sit for 2 minutes, then gently stir together until smooth.
• To assemble the Donauwelle: Remove the plastic wrap from the cake and pour the ganache over the top. Instead of spreading it with a spatula, carefully tilt the cake from side to side as needed to ensure even coverage. Allow it to cool for about 10 to 15 minutes at room temperature, and if the cake was already relatively cold it shouldn't take long for the ganache to start to thicken and set. (To test how much it has set, poke the ganache in one of the corners with the tip of a fork or knife to see if it leaves a clear impression. If it's still too soft, your waves will look messy.)
• Once it has set enough, if desired, use a fork or a pastry comb to lightly drag over the top and create a wavy pattern.
• Cool the cake completely in the fridge for about 30 to 45 minutes to allow the ganache to fully set.
• Use the parchment paper overhang to carefully lift the cake out of the pan and set it on a large cutting board. Peel down the 4 sides of parchment paper to expose the edges of the cake. Cut into 15 rectangular slices (into thirds lengthwise and fifths crosswise). You may also cut the cake into smaller pieces if you prefer.
• Refrigerate leftover cake slices for up to 3 days, but bring them back to room temperature before serving for the best texture.

DANUBE WAVES CAKE (DONAUWELLEN KUCHEN)

Steps:

• Stir 1/4 cup of the sugar together with the cornstarch in a small mixing bowl and set aside.
• Crack the eggs into a medium heat-proof bowl. Whisk the eggs together and and set the bowl next to the stove.
• Combine the milk and remaining 1/4 cup of sugar in a small saucepan set over medium heat and bring to a simmer, stirring occasionally.
• Once the milk has come to a simmer, whisk the sugar-cornstarch mixture into the eggs until smooth.
• Whisking the eggs constantly, add a scant 1/4 cup of the hot milk to the eggs. Still whisking constantly, pour the remaining milk into the eggs in a slow stream.
• Return the mixture to the saucepan and set pan over medium-low heat. Cook, stirring constantly with a rubber spatula, until the mixture thickens a bit-it will start to get lumpy.
• Turn the heat to low and switch to stirring with a whisk. Whisk vigorously until the mixture is very thick and smooth-if you don't get your pudding completely smooth, you'll have lumps in your frosting.
• Remove from the heat and stir in the 2 tablespoons of butter.
• Scrape the pudding into a shallow mixing bowl and press plastic wrap directly on the top of the pudding. Chill in the fridge for 90 minutes to 2 hours (or until thoroughly chilled). You'll finish the frosting later. While the pudding is chilling, make the cake.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 13- by 9-inch baking pan with cooking spray and set aside.
• Whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt together in a small mixing bowl and set aside.
• Beat the butter in a large mixing bowl with an electric mixer set to medium until very smooth. Beat in the sugar and vanilla until well combined (mixture will be crumbly). Add the egg whites one at a time, beating well after each addition.
• With mixer on low, beat in half of the flour mixture followed by half of the buttermilk and beat to combine. Add the remaining flour mixture, then the remaining buttermilk and beat until just incorporated.
• Spread three-quarters of the batter into the prepared pan. Sift the cocoa powder over the remaining batter and add the milk; stir until fully combined.
• Dollop the chocolate batter over the vanilla batter and carefully spread into an even layer with an offset spatula (don't swirl them together, just spread the chocolate batter over the vanilla). Sprinkle the drained cherries over the cake batter.
• Bake 35 to 40 minutes, until a cake tester inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean.
• Remove cake from the oven and cool completely on a wire rack before adding the frosting.
• Once the pudding and the cake are both cooled, finish the buttercream. Remove the chilled pudding from the fridge and allow it to come to room temperature.
• Transfer the room temp pudding to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment and beat on medium for several minutes, until it's very light and creamy.
• With mixer still on medium speed, add the butter half a tablespoon at a time, stopping mixer to scrape with a rubber spatula every so often.
• Once the butter is fully incorporated, add the powdered sugar, vanilla, and salt, and beat until smooth. Spread over the fully cooled cake. Refrigerate for 1 hour to set the buttercream before adding the chocolate topping.
• Place the chocolate in a small heat-proof bowl. Heat the cream in a medium saucepan set over medium heat until it just begins to steam. Pour over the chocolate and allow to sit for 3 minutes.
• Add the corn syrup, then whisk the chocolate and heavy cream together until the chocolate is melted and mixture is smooth. Allow to cool for 10 minutes.
• Remove cake from the fridge and spread the chocolate into an even layer over the buttercream. Refrigerate to set the ganache, then serve.