A new meaning to "layer cake," eh?

David

That's one I can't imagine replicating at home. How interesting.

Eric

What a great "spettekaka" - that is the Swedish name for it. The Swedish variety is characteristic to the south of Sweden and is made from a lushious batter made from sugar, tons of eggs, extra yolks and very little potato flour. It is delicious and also expensive++.

 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spettekaka

why is it on the floor???

flloyd,

i'd call that a Xmas tree skeleton cake instead.  woo-hoo.

I just read that article last night. Could hardly sleep for trying to dream up something with a power drill and a toaster oven - to make the cake horizontally. Then, I thought, what about an oven with a rotisserie, but how to keep the batter from cooking before it got on the spit.

Then . . . I thought maybe on a spit above a grill with the coals under the spit, and the batter container at the far end or on a tray to one side . . . again, making the cake horizontally.

There's got to be a way to do this, even if in miniature.

Sleepless in Dallas

In Lithuanian we call it "raguolis", which translates as horn cake. Or "sakotis", branch cake.

It is traditionally served at weddings. When fresh it is, well, not soft, but tender, kind of like a very firm bread.  But I like it best when it's dried a bit - it isn't as dry as biscotti, but very nice to dunk in your tea or coffee.

Expensive, yes, not a surprise. I buy it here, http://racinebakery.com/rbBakery_6.html - I'm not affiliated with the store, except as a happy buyer. Their rye breads are also very good, better than I manage to make.

(Floyd, Racine's is rather less expensive than your source - per lb anyway-, just a FYI, and I can personally vouch for the outstanding quality of it).

I'm glad the day will never come when I don't get to see or experience something thats been around for ages, but is totally a new experience for me! Love life!

Betty

In case anyone is interested, here is a recipe for a home version - I have not tried this, and this does not have the spit in play, you do it in layers in a cake pan. But I thought you might find it of interest.

BRANCH CAKE
(RAGUOLIS,SAKOTIS)

1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon lemon peel, finely grated
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
6 egg yolks
2/3 cup flour
1/3 cup cornstarch
6 egg whites
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup sugar
2 cups sour cream
1/3 cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla

Grease a 9-inch spring form pan; set aside.
Cream butter until light; gradually add 1/2 cup sugar, lemon peel and 1/2 teaspoon vanilla.
Add yolks, one a time, beating well after each addition. Mix flour, 1/3 cup cornstarch and 1/4 teaspoon salt; stir into butter mixture.

Beat egg whites until soft peaks form. Gradually add 1/4 cup sugar; beat till stiff peaks form. Stir a small amount of egg white into flour mixture. Fold flour mixture into egg whites.

Spread a scant 1/2 cup batter evenly in bottom of prepared pan. Place under broiler 5 inches from broiler elements; broil 1 to 1 1/2 mminutes or until lightly browned. Spread another 1/2 cup batter over browned layer, broil again. Repeat this step, making 5 layers. Stir together sour cream, the remaining 1/3 cup sugar and 1 teaspoon vanilla.

Spread half of this mixture over top cake layer.
Broil 1 minute or until set. Using remaining cake batter, add 5 more Layers, broiling as before Spread last layer with remaining sour cream mixture.
Broil 1 minute or until set.
Cool 15 minutes. Remove sides from the spring-form pan; cool completely.

Source:

TREASURES OF LITHUANIAN COOKING
by
Virginia Mikenas

although I think I have seen it somehere else, too.