Sticky Rumtopf Cake Recipes

RUMTOPF (TRADITIONAL GERMAN FRUIT PRESERVE & BEVERAGE)

Steps:

• The traditional way of making a Rumtopf started with the first ripe fruit available and ended in autumn (November) with last fresh fruit (often pears). The general rule for making is: for 2 parts fruit you need 1 part sugar and approximately 3 cups Rum.
• Wash fruit, pat dry and cut into bite sized pieces, if necessary. Measure them.
• Add half of weight sugar, mix and let stand for about 1 hour. Fill fruit into your Rumtopf and add as much Rum, so that fruit are completely (fingerbreadth) covered.
• Close Rumtopf and set aside in a cool place.
• Repeat these steps with other fruit "until" your Rumtopf is completely filled or fresh fruit season is over.
• Take care of your Rumtopf. Fill up with Rum if necessary. It is important that fruit are always completely covered.
• After you have added the last "layer" fruit, sugar and Rum let stand for about 6 weeks. Enjoy.
• NOTE: 1-step preparation. Use any kind of fruit you like. Use a good mixture of different fresh and ripe fruits. Prepare them as describe above. After you have put them into the Rumtopf cover them with Rum. The Rumtopf should be completely filled. Let stand for 6 weeks. Enjoy.
• NOTE: let stand at least for 6 weeks or even more. And keep the Rumtopf always in a cool place.
• NOTE on fruit: you can use almost any fruit, but use a mixture of different ones like stone fruit (plums, peaches, nectarines, cherries), berries (strawberries, gooseberries, cranberries, grape wine, and others), you can use figs, apples, pears. Just keep in mind that the fruit will be in the Rum for a long time, so the fruit should be firm enough.
• Number of servings can not be given. Time to make includes time until first use.

ORANGE & POLENTA CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 160°C/320°F/gas 2½. Grease a 20cm springform tin, line the bottom and sides with greaseproof paper and grease again.
• Beat the butter and sugar in a large bowl until light and creamy - don't worry if it looks gritty, as the sugar will dissolve when it's cooked. Beat in the eggs, one by one, then stir in the vanilla essence.
• In a small bowl, combine the ground almonds, polenta, orange zest, orange blossom water and baking powder, then stir this into the cake mix.
• Pour the mixture into the tin and bake for 40 to 50 minutes, or until the surface is light brown and the cake is coming away slightly from the sides of the tin.
• Remove the tin from the oven, leave to cool for 10 minutes, then turn it out onto a plate. This cake will be quite fragile, so handle carefully as you remove it.
• To make the syrup, crush the cardamom pods, then put all of the ingredients in a saucepan. Simmer over a medium-low heat for about 10 minutes, or until reduced and thickened slightly. Set aside to cool.
• Prick the cake all over with a skewer, then brush generously with the syrup. Delicious served with a dollop of crème fraîche or yoghurt and an extra drizzle of syrup.

LARDY CAKE

Steps:

• Mix the flour, salt, sugar and yeast in a bowland rub in the lard.
• Make a well in the middle and pour in the water, bit by bit- mix to a soft dough.
• Turn out onto a floured surface and knead until smooth and elastic.
• Place in an oiled bowl& cover with oiled clingfilm; Leave to rise for about 1 hours or until doubled in size.
• Turn out onto a floured surface and roll out to a rectangle about 1/4 in thick.
• Dot the surface with about 1/3 each of the lard, butter, dried fruit and sugar.
• Fold into three, bringing one end up and the other end down (or to the left and right) Seal the edge to trap the air and then give the dough a quarter turn.
• Repeat with the remaining fat, fruit and sugar.
• Lightly butter a 9in by 12 in roasting tin, lightly roll out hte dough to fit and place the dough in the tin.
• Cover with oiled clingfilm and leave to rise until doubled in size (about 30 mins).
• Score the top of the dough in a criss-cross pattern and bake in a preheated oven at gas mark 6/200 degC/400degF for about 30 mins until well risen and golden brown.
• Leave to cool in the roasting tin for about 10 mins- this is to let the cake soak up the sugar/fat mixture that will have run out.
• Dissolve the caster sugar in the boiling water& brush on top of the loaf.
• Eat when cool.

STICKY RUMTOPF CAKE

Steps:

• Method Preheat oven to 350F. Butter and flour a 12-cup Bundt cake pan or coat it with cake release baking spray. Have all the ingredients scaled out. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together both flours, baking powder, baking soda, black pepper, cloves, and cinnamon. Set aside. Put brown sugar and eggs in the bowl of an electric mixer. Mix on medium high speed using the paddle attachment for 4 minutes until light and fluffy. Turn the speed down to medium low and gradually pour in oil and 75mL of rumtopf liquor until incorporated. Mix in the flour mixture on low until just combined. Stir in dates, almonds, and drained fruit. Immediately pour the batter into prepared baking pan. Bake for 50-60 minutes or until skewer insert into the centre of cake comes out clean. The cake may sink a bit in the middle but that's okay. Pour in 100mL of rumtopf liquor evenly over the cake as soon as it comes out of the oven. Cool on wire rack for 10 minutes before unmoulding. Set a baking tray under the wire rack to catch any drips. Brush on remaining 100mL rumtopf liquor over cake. Keep in airtight container at least overnight before serving so the flavour has a chance to age a bit. This cake keeps well for a few days but we usually eat it too quickly to find out.

RUM CAKE (FROM SCRATCH!)

Steps:

• Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 350 degrees.
• Grease a bundt pan liberally with cooking spray. Then add a few tablespoons of granulated sugar to the inside of the pan, and gently tap and turn it around until every square inch of the inside of the pan is coated in sugar. (Be especially sure that the inner cone of the bundt pan is coated in sugar so that the cake does not stick.) Set aside.
• In a large bowl, whisk together cake flour (*or see substitute below), baking powder, salt, baking soda, and 1 1/2 cups sugar until combined. In a different medium bowl or large measuring cup, whisk together melted butter, buttermilk, rum, oil, vanilla, and yolks until combined. Set aside.
• In clean bowl of a stand mixer fitted with whisk attachment, beat egg whites at medium-high speed until foamy, about 30-45 seconds. With whisk still running, add in the remaining 1/4 cup sugar. Continue to beat until stiff peaks just form, about 60-90 more seconds. Transfer the whipped egg whites to a separate bowl and set aside.
• Add the flour mixture to now-empty mixing bowl. Using the whisk attachment again, gradually pour in butter mixture and mix on medium-low speed until it is just combined, about 15 seconds. (Don't overmix!) Stop the mixer and scrape whisk and sides of bowl. Return mixer to medium-low speed and beat until the mixture is smooth and fully incorporated, about 10 to 15 more seconds. Fold about 1/3 of the whipped egg whites into batter until just combined, then add the remaining whites and gently fold in until no streaks remain.
• Pour the batter evenly into the sugared bundt pan. Bake for 40-50 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the middle of the cake comes out clean. (Don't overbake!) Transfer the cake to a cooling rack and let it cool for at least 15 minutes. (While the cake cools - or even better, while it's in the oven - make the butter-rum sauce. Instructions below.)
• Once the cake is slightly cool, use a toothpick or skewer to poke lots of holes all over the surface of the cake (while it is still in the pan.) Pour about half of the butter rum sauce over the surface of the cake. Let it rest for 5-10 minutes until the sauce is absorbed. Then carefully invert the cake onto a serving platter or pedestal, and drizzle the remaining sauce evenly on top of the cake.
• Serve immediately, or cover until ready to serve.
• How To Make The Butter-Rum Sauce:
• In a medium saucepan, whisk together sugar, butter and water until combined. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, and continue to boil for 5 minutes or until the sugar is completely dissolved. Remove from heat and gradually stir in rum (carefully, as the rum will make the sauce boil up again).