Cake of the Day: Rye Bread Layer Cake from ‘Scandinavian Baking’

Every day, Yahoo Food features delectable cakes. They taste good, they look good, and they’re made by good people — talented bakers from around the world. This week we’ll be sharing traditional Scandinavian desserts from Trine Hahnemann and her new cookbook Scandinavian Baking. Check back to Cake of the Day for more gorgeous fall cakes.

Rye Bread Layer Cake (Photo: Columbus Leth)

By Trine Hahnemann

Rye Bread Layer Cake
Serves 8 to 10

This layer cake is from S?nderjylland, the southern part of Denmark that
borders Germany. That area of Denmark is famous for “cake tables,”
served with coffee. You are invited to a buffet consisting of 20 cakes or
more, and you are seriously expected to taste all of them … in fact, your
hostess will see to it that you do! The cakes are served in a particular order
that is never broken: good old-fashioned cake rules. For this cake, you will
need two 9 ?-inch [24 cm] diameter springform tins; if you only have one,
don’t worry, you can cook them one after the other.

For the cake
Butter, for the tins
5 ? ounces stale rye bread
About 1 ? cups hazelnuts
6 eggs, separated
1 cup soft dark brown sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
3 tablespoons cocoa powder

For the filling and topping
14 tablespoons heavy cream
6 tablespoons redcurrant jelly or blackcurrant “jam” (see below)
1 ? ounces best dark chocolate, at least 60 percent cocoa solids, finely chopped

Preheat the oven to 425°F. Line the bases of two 9 ?-inch
diameter springform tins with parchment paper and butter them lightly …
or, more probably, line and butter the one tin you have and reuse it to make
the other cake.

Crumble the rye bread into crumbs. In a food processor, grind the hazelnuts
until fine.

Beat the egg yolks and sugar together with an electric mixer until paler and
fluffy. Separately mix together the rye breadcrumbs, hazelnuts, baking powder,
and cocoa powder, then fold them into the egg yolk mixture. Whisk the egg
whites until stiff, then fold gently into the batter. Pour into the prepared tin or
tins and bake 12 minutes, then let cool.

Take a round serving dish and place the least attractive layer of cake on it.
Whip the cream until billowing and spread half of it on the cake, then top
with the jelly or jam. Now spread the remaining whipped cream over the top
layer of cake and gently place it on top of the jam layer. Scatter the chocolate
on top and serve right away.

Blackcurrant “jam”
Makes about 3 pounds

2 ? lbs fresh or frozen blackcurrants
3 to 3 ? cups superfine sugar

Tip the berries into a large saucepan with 3 cups of the sugar. Bring to a
boil, then reduce the heat, and leave to simmer about 10 minutes. Now taste it
to see if you need to add the remaining sugar.

Boil another 5 minutes; the jam is done when the fruit’s natural pectin makes
the jam thicken. Be careful to pay attention to the pan and don’t leave the room
as, if you overcook the jam, the thickening effect will disappear and it will
become runny. Pour into hot, sterilized jars and store in the
refrigerator or a very cold, dark room.

Reprinted with permission from Scandinavian Baking: Sweet And Savory Cakes and Bakes, For Bright Days and Cozy Nights by Trine Hahnemann.

More fall cakes to love:

Fall Apple and Hazelnut Layer Cake from ‘Scandinavian Baking’

Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Loaf from ‘Clean Green Eats’

Masala Chai Apple Cake