Frankfurter Kranz (Crown cake)

Instructions

• 1. Make the cake Sift together the flour and baking powder 3 times. Set aside.
• 2. In a small microwave bowl, combine the syrup ingredients (water and sugar but not the vanilla extract yet) and microwave for about 1 min or until until the sugar has dissolved. Let it cool to room temperature. Stir in the vanilla extract (if you use some). Set aside.
• 3. Preheat the oven to 170°C. Grease a cake mold (use butter or spray). Set aside.
• 4. In a mixing bowl add eggs and sugar. Whisk to combine with an electric mixer until it whitens, doubles in volume and forms ribbons (it takes 5~6min). Slow down to low speed for a few seconds and then stop.
• 5. Gently add the sifted flour mixture from #1 and mix with a rubber spatula until incorporated.
• 6. Put butter and milk in a micro-wave safe bowl and microwave them till the butter melts. Pour this melted butter mixture little by little into the cake mixture. Mix gently with a spatula until it is homogeneous. Do not over mix.
• 7. Pour the cake mixture into the prepared cake pan and bake for about 20 min or until done. Insert a skewer in the center of the cake : if there is no sticky butter residual, then your baking is done.
• 8. Remove from the oven and take the cake out of the pan. Let it cool to room temperature on the wire rack. Set aside.

Almond praline topping

• 9. Place the sugar and water in a small cooking pot over low heat, and stir constantly until the sugar is lightly browned and melted. Stir in the chopped almonds and mix well until the texture hardens to a crunchy state. Let it cool and set aside.

Almond sugar

• 10. In a small frying-pan, fry the almond powder over low heat, stirring continuously until lightly brown. Let it cool to room temperature. Mix with confectioners sugar and set aside.

Butter cream

• 7. Beat meringue powder and water in a large bowl with an electric mixer until soft peaks, then add sugar (1 tbsp) and dash of salt. Continue mixing until stiff.
• 8. Combine sugar (90g) and water (35g) in small saucepan, bring to a boil until the temperature reach 115C degree. Immediately while beating, pour the hot sugar syrup over beaten meringue slowly, beat until whites are stiff and glossy.
• 9. In a another bowl, add the soften butter and beat until smooth. Gradually add the Italian meringue from #8 into the butter until smooth. Add vanilla extract (1/2 tsp).

Decorate the cake

• 11. Cut the cake horizontally into three layers. Brush syrup from #2 on top of each cake layer. Spoon some butter cream over the bottom layer, then sprinkle some of almond sugar.
• 12. Place the middle layer on top and spread some of buttercream on it, then sprinkle some of almond sugar.
• 13. Place the top layer on top and spread butter cream all around the cake.
• 14. Sprinkle almond sugar and almond praline topping on top and sides of the cake to finish.
• Chill at least 2 hours before serving.