Frankfurter Kranz

Now this is a classic German cake recipe and a very regional one as well. My nan used to make it whenever there was an occasion and I would be looking forward to it all day. It is rich butter cream layers and red jam between a soft sponge in a ring shape, coated with more butter cream and hazelnut brittle ('Krokant' in German; you should be able to find it in German or Polish shops) for some added crunch. Finally decorated with butter cream swirls and cocktail cherries on top (sorry, in lack of such I substituted with Amarena cherries; taste great too but the colour is not quite right as it should be bright red but you will forgive me I hope). As the name suggests it's roots are in Frankfurt so not very far from where I grew up and 'kranz' means crown and it is definitely fit for a royal. I had been thinking about how to update this recipe but if it's not broken why fix it. It is one of those retro cakes that you just have to embrace. Plans for a tea party? Put you hair up and your apron on and happy baking!

FRANKFURTER KRANZ

4 eggs
4 tbsp cold water
pinch of salt
200g sugar
80g cornflour
120g self-raising flour
1 tbsp baking powder
250g butter
300g custard
Red jelly (cherry or red currant are good)
Krokant for decoration
Candied cherries

Pre-heat you oven to 180°C. Separate the egg whites and yolk. Whisk the egg whites with the water and salt, add the sugar slowly and beat until it forms stiff peaks. Gently add the egg yolks. Sift in cornflour, baking powder and flour and gently fold in with a spatula. Butter your baking tin (mine is 18cm/7") and dust with flour. Add the mixture and bake for about 25 minutes. Leave to cool completely, maybe overnight. Cut into 3 layers. Cream the butter until pale and fluffy, then add the custard. It is a lot easier to apply butter cream when the cake is cold so place the sponge layers in the fridge for about 10-15 minutes before you decorate the cake. Spread red jelly on the bottom and middle layer and some of the icing. Stack the cake and apply a thin layer on the the outside. Place in the fridge to chill before you apply the next layer. Then coat in hazelnut brittle (Krokant), pipe swirls and place the cherries on top.