November 23, 2009 - 8:55pm
Spit Cake
By the way, the food issue of The New Yorker just came out and had a long article on Baumkuchen, aka "Spit Cake." The "spit" in the cake is a large metal stake that is dipped in batter and then rotated near a flame. This process is repeated dozens of times and then the cake is removed from the stake and slices into disks. Each slice has "rings" like a tree from the multiple layers of batter getting baked.
In Poland they call this sękacz (or senkacz). I think I ate sękacz every single day we were in Warszawa. You can find it here too, but it is not cheap. But I cannot recommend it highly enough.
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Comments
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.
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).
oooooh ok I think we may have to look into Racine if my grandmother or mom arent going to be making transcontinental trips in the near future. I agree - it's a cake that actually gets better with age!
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.
Floyd may know this by now - this cake is available at Transylvanian Traditions Bakery, 1111 Davie Street, Vancouver. It is available from noon daily.
I live five hours from Vancouver but my Vancouverite daughter tells me that this is a very yummy bakery !
Merlie
It is an excellent bakery. Their rum cake is amazing. And, yes, I have had their version of spit cake (I forget what they called it) and it is quite good.
-Floyd