To celebrate the victory of 1683 over the Turks, the bakers of Vienna designed a cake in the shape of a turban, which was the Sultan’s headdress. Sometimes this recipe is spelled Gugelhupf, which literally means “ball head.” (The Austrians write it Kugelhupf.)
It soon became quite popular throughout Europe when the Emperor of Austria, Kaiser Franz Josef, began to order the Kugelhupf for his breakfast every morning.
Feiner Wiener Kugelhupf
This recipe is a baking powder version!
1 cup butter
2 cups sugar
6 whole eggs – separated
2 cups of flour, measured then sifted
2 tsp baking powder
2 Tbsp Cointreau
6 Tbsp Milk
½ cup of raisins – optional
Zest of 1 orange
Powdered sugar
Whipped cream
Preheat oven to 350 F – Grease and dust Kugelhupf form….or 2 loaf pans!
Cream butter and sugar until light and very fluffy.
Add egg yolks – one at a time, beat well after every addition.
Sift together flour and baking powder.
Add orange zest and the liqueur to the butter mixture and mix.
Add flour and milk alternately, mixing gently.
In a separate bowl…….. Beat egg whites to medium peaks and mix into the above dough.
Add raisins
Pour into prepared Kugelhupf form…….or 2 loaf pans!
Bake in preheated oven for 1 hour and 15 min.
Cool 15 min and turn out on to the platter. Dust with powdered sugar
Serve with whipped cream
The sweet yeast dough is usually filled with dry fruit, like raisins or other candied fruit, and sometime various nuts are added. Apparently the Kaiser loved his Kugelhupf with Cocoa, therefore, there is also a Chocolate Marbled Kugelhupf which is particularly delicious.
( This recipe is taken from Maja’s Kitchen and published with the kind permission of Maria Springer. Her website is: majaskitchen.wordpress.com)
