THREE KINGS' CAKE (GERMANY)

Three Kings' Cake (Germany) image

Make and share this Three Kings' Cake (Germany) recipe from Food.com.

Provided by Sydney Mike

Categories Dessert

Time 1h30m

Yield 16 serving(s)

Number Of Ingredients 15

Ingredients

2 cups all-purpose flour
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/4 ounce fresh yeast
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup milk, lukewarm
1 tablespoon milk, lukewarm
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 lemon, chopped
1/2 teaspoon cardamom
2 eggs, 1 separated
1/2 cup raisins, soaked in rum
1 cup dried fruit, chopped
2 tablespoons powdered sugar
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1/2 cup maraschino cherry, patted dry, halved

Steps:

FOR THE CAKE ~ Put 1 1/2 cups of the flour (plus another 2 tablespoons of flour) into a bowl & make a hole in the middle. Into that hole put the yeast & mix it with a pinch of sugar & a bit of lukewarm milk.
Dust the mixture with flour, then cover it with a cloth & let it rise in a warm place for 15 minutes.
Add the melted butter, salt, lemon, cardamom, 1 egg & egg white (the 2nd yolk is for another purpose), along with the remaining milk & flour, to the flour-&-yeast mixture, kneading the dough until it is smooth.
When the dough begins to form a ball, stir in the raisins & dried fruit, then form the dough into a log.
Cut off 1/4 of the log & divide that fourth into 4 equal parts, forming balls from each smaller part.
Divide the ramaining log into 4 parts & form larger balls from each of those parts.
Liberally grease a springform pan with a central tube, & place the dough into the pan, alternating large & small dough balls.
Cover the pan & set it in a warm place so the dough will rise again.
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
In a small container beat the egg yolk to a smooth consistency.
Brush the dough with the beaten yolk & place the filled pan in the oven to bake for 30 minutes.
Cool the cake thoroughly in the pan on a wire rack before removing it from the pan.
FOR THE FROSTING ~ Mix the powdered sugar & lemon juice to an icing consistency (not too liquid) & ice the cake, decorating it with the cherries. In Germany, a small gold crown made of foil is often placed in the middle of the cake.