Recipe: Sandtorte

[wiebke.livejournal.com]

Pasting in from my LJ -- lovely cake!

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Mom made Sandtorte tonight and not only did I help but I finally remembered to get the recipe. This is probably the only one of Oma's recipes I hadn't gotten. So without further delay, the recipe for the bestest German poundcake (and coffee accompanier) ever!

Sandtorte

Makes one 10" ring-shaped poundcake
Total time under 2 hrs.

Ingredients

1 lb. unsalted sweet butter
2 cups sugar
10 large eggs (or 12 if they are smallish eggs)
1/2 lemon's worth of lemon OR 1 tsp. lemon juice
(optional lemon zest, 1/2 tsp.)
3 cups flour
1 tsp. baking powder
2 tbsp. (min.) rum, almond flavoring, amaretto, anisette, vanilla, etc.

Directions

1. Pre-heat oven 325 F.
2. Soften butter and cream with a mixer 'til all the lumps are gone, gone, gone.
3. Add 2 cups sugar, continue blending with mixer.
4. Add 10-12 eggs. 10 if they are regular large, more if they are undersized.
5. Add lemon juice and/or zest.
6. Slowly add about 3 cups flour, adding 1/2 cup at a time and making sure it's well-blended.
7. Add the baking powder. (Tonight we forgot and it came out OK but for proper rising, add it!)
8. Add liquid flavoring or liqueur to taste. Mom says start with 2 tbsp. to know there's enough and then add in, tasting 'til it meets your taste.
9. Make sure mixture isn't too thick. Should not be thin but shouldn't be like dough either.
10. Keep mixer going at least 10 min. more to get it very creamy and lump-free.
11. Grease 2-piece angel food cake pan -- kind with removable base & pole.
12. Pour batter into pan.
13. Put in 325 F oven for 1 hr., then raise temp up to 350 for 15 min.
14. Insert strand of spaghetti to test for done-ness. Should come out drive.
15. Allow to cool a bit.
16. Because it's a 2-piece pan, to take it out you just push up bottom and pole and there's the cake!

Recommended Serving

Sandtorte is meant to be eaten in thin slices, not big slabs. It should stick together well enough to do this or you've made it wrong or it's not baked enough.

Really good with coffee, esp. dunked.