I would like to preface the difference between German cakes and American cakes. American cakes have a more tender crumb, are moist and have buttercream frosting (unless you venture into making Swiss Buttercream or Italian Meringue). This chocolate marble cake is a traditional cake my Bavarian mother would make for us. There’s an optional touch of rum in both the cake and the glaze. The texture of this cake is more dense and not super sweet. It is ideal with a cup of coffee for a mid morning snack–or serve as a dessert.
Craig and I just return from a 2 week vacation to Bavaria, Austria and Tyrol (Northern Italy). We had a fabulous time, of course, and we took at least 2000 pictures. I know I have a summer school break project on my hands, as I cull the best of the best. If you’re curious to see some of our photos on my Instagram, I invite you to come and take look.
We spent nine days of our vacation in my mother’s birth city of Bad Reichenhall, Bavaria. If you ever decide to visit this part of Europe, this beautiful town is a hidden jewel. It is only about 20 minutes away from Berchtesgaden and about the same distance to Salzburg, Austria. We love how quaint and quiet this city is. Of course, I have childhood memories of living here and visiting my Oma until she passed away in 1989. My ancestors lived here for many generations, and there is so much history here. But, that’s another story I should write about. One of these days…
The Bavarian food we enjoyed was so familiar to me, since my Mutti taught me how to make so many of the traditional recipes that inspired me to start my blog, in the first place. However, I realized that I had never made
Marmor Kuchen (Marble Cake). I saw these cakes in many of the bakeries
we passed by, and I thought of my Mutti– who used to bake these for
us. However, I passed that by to eat Bienenstiech
(Been-en-stee-ccccch) Kuchen/ Bee Sting Cake (our favorite). I made a mental note that I wanted to bake a Marmor Kuchen when I returned home. So, today, was the day!
I am not particular fond of the flavor of rum in my desserts, nor was my “Mutti”. I remember she always added lemon zest to the cake batter instead. The recipe I found uses almond extract (and I love it), but I wanted to make it Mutti’s way. I am very fond of Lorann Baking Emulsions and so I added one teaspoon of the lemon emulsion to the batter. To half of the batter, unsweetened cocoa powder is added and then rum. I discovered that I had Imitation Rum Extract, so I added 1/2 teaspoon so that it would “amp up” the flavor of the chocolate.
There is a distinct difference between German cakes and
American cakes. They are very different, so please take this into
consideration– should you try this recipe. American cakes have a more
tender crumb, are moist and have buttercream frosting (unless you
venture into making Swiss or Italian Buttercream…but then that’s not
American is it?!). When my Mutti would serve this to my American
friends, some of them would call it “choke cake”. I never told my
Mutti, or her feelings might have been hurt.
I have read that some Americans add a package of vanilla pudding to make this moister. I chose not to do this, because I wanted to stay more traditional. I just made sure to make sure that I did not over bake my cake. The recipe said to bake for 70 minutes, but mine was ready in 50 minutes!
There’s always that moment of holding one’s breath, when it time to remove a cake from a bundt pan. So far, Baker’s Joy (I have found it at WalMart) has not let me down. The cake slipped out, in once piece, once it cooled completely. Yay!
Please think of this cake as a pound cake hybrid. This cake is drier than American cakes and that’s how it’s supposed to be! Often times, you might find it sprinkled with powdered sugar.
To make this job less messy, I balance a cooling rack of my kitchen sink. Voila! The job is done!
TASTING NOTES: This recipe was a success. There was just a hint of lemon and the little bit of rum extract added a little extra flavor to the glaze. A cup of coffee or tea is mandatory, though. The cake wasn’t “choke cake” (thank goodness), but it’s meant to be enjoyed with a hot beverage. I wish I could bring a slice of this cake to my Mutti, but there are no deliveries in heaven. I’m very grateful for the Bavaria culture and the traditional recipes that she taught to me.
Bavaria will always be one of my favorite places in the world to visit. The lush green hills and the magnificent Bavarian Alps are a photographer’s dream! We will be back again…and again.
German Marble Cake (Marmor Kuchen)
Ingredients
- 1 cup butter room temperature
- 1 1/2 cups white sugar
- 4 eggs
- 1 cup milk
- 1 tsp almond extract OR 1 teaspoon Lemon Baking Emulsion AND 1 teaspoon pure vanilla
- 3 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- ⅛ teaspoon salt
- ¼ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- ½ teaspoon imitation rum flavor or 3 tablespoons dark rum*
Chocolate Glaze:
- 1 ½ cups powdered sugar
- ½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 2 tablespoons milk up to 3 Tablespoons
- ½ teaspoon pure vanilla
- ½ teaspoon Imitation Rum optional, or add real rum to your liking
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C).
- *I am not a fan of rum, so I used Imitation Rum Extract to “perk up” the chocolate flavor. It worked!
- Grease and flour one 10 inch tube or bundt pan. (I use Baker’s Secret spray for foolproof results)
- In another bowl, stir together the flour, baking powder and salt. Set aside.
- In a mixing bowl, cream the butter with the sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs, one at a time. Add the the milk and extract(s).
- Beat the flour mixture into the creamed mixture. Turn half of the batter into another bowl and stir in the cocoa and Imitation Rum (or real rum).
- Layer the light and dark batters by large spoonfuls and then swirl slightly with a knife. NOTE: I use an ice cream scoop to make this easier.
- Bake the cake in at 350°F (175°C) for about 50 minutes, or until it tests done with a toothpick. Transfer to a rack to cool.
- FOR THE GLAZE:
- Sift the sugar and cocoa together.
- Whisk in milk, one tablespoon at a time. You want it to be thick, but spreadable.
- Pour along the top of the cooled cake and allow to run over the edges.
Notes
Nutrition
I've enjoyed following your trip on FB. That is one of my favorite places on earth.
This looks delicious!!
Thanks for sharing both the recipe and the loving tribute to a beautiful Mutti. ❤