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Kugelhopf

Kugelhopf, which may also be spelled Kugelhupf, gugelhupf or kugelhoph, is a classic cake said to have originated in Austria or in the Alsace region of France. Variations of the cake are made in Germany, Switzerland, Croatia, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Poland, and Hungary. It is also popular in many other countries today, including the US, UK, Australia and elsewhere.

Unlike most desserts we would term cake, kugelhopf is a yeast-risen cake, using active dry or fresh yeast instead of baking soda or baking powder. This gives the cake a slightly denser more “bready” texture, similar to the Italian panettone. Kugelhopf is also not frequently served as an after dinner dessert. Instead it’s considered more of a coffee cake that might be eaten for or with breakfast, or could be part of an afternoon snack.

Traditional kugelhopf is made in a round pan with a hole in the center, most often what we’d term a bundt pan, though there are heavy pans specifically made for kugelhopf. Unlike the average bundt cake, which is often a variation of a pound cake recipe, this dessert needs time to rise due to its yeast.

Some chefs compare the kugelhopf to a brioche, since the recipe for the dough contains a little milk, eggs, and butter. It is typically not as rich as brioche, though this can vary from recipe to recipe.

Here is my version ( Adapted from here )

Ingredients:

1 cup milk
1 package instant yeast
3 1/4 cup bread flour
1 cup butter
6 tbsp sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
3 eggs
1 cup raisins
3 tablespoons rum
sliced almonds

Method:

1. The night before you make the Kugelhopf soak raisins in rum (or soak for at least 2 hours). In a saucepan heat the milk to a scald. Pour into a large bowl and add in a 1 1/2 cups of flour. Mix till smooth and wait till the temperature cools to 110 F. Add in the instant yeast and mix till well blended. Cover with plastic wrap and allow to rise till double, about 20-30 minutes.

2. In a separate bowl mix the sugar and butter together till well mixed ( I used my kitchen machine with a paddle). Slowly add one egg at a time till all the eggs are incorporated into the butter and sugar mixture. Add in the salt and cinnamon and mix. Pour the dough into the butter and sugar mixture and mix till smooth. Now, slowly add the rest of the flour to the mixture and change to a dough hook beat the mixture for about 10 minutes until the dough pulls away from the side. The dough will be very sticky. Add in the currants and mix. Cover mixture with plastic wrap and allow to rest for 20 minutes.

3. Take your bundt pan and spray with oil spray and sprinkle almonds on the bottom. Slowly add in the batter and cover with plastic wrap for 1 to 1 1/2 hours. Bake in a preheated oven for 375F for 30 - 35 minutes. Remove from pan and cool on a wire rack. Dust with powdered sugar.