Gugelhupf

Gugelhupf is the famous family pound cake which was the most cherished by Mama and loved by your Dad. Sadly, she cannot remember ever making this cake since she's been in the nursing home. It is a really light textured cake and is fabulous with a great cup of tea, i.e., *Harney and Sons Hot Cinnamon Spice".  Who could possibly survive a day without Hot Cinnamon Spice tea?



Ingredients:
1 cup butter
2 cups sugar
6 eggs, separated
1 1/2 cups flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons baking powder
6 tablespoons milk
flavoring - see below
 
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350. Cream butter to consistency of mayonnaise. Add sugar slowly while continuing to cream. Beat until light and fluffy. Beat in egg yolks, one at a time. Mix together and sift flour, salt, and baking powder.

Combine milk and flavoring (I usually use 1/2 teaspoon almond extract rather than vanilla in this recipe). Add flour and milk mixture alternating (begin with flour mixture and end with flour) to the butter mixture, stirring in gently but thoroughly. With a hand mixture in medium bowl, beat egg whites until stiff but not dry; fold in by hand thoroughly. Spoon mixture into a well-greased 12-cup Turk's Head Mold or a large 12- or 13-cup bundt pan which is what I use. However, one day I plan on purchasing the Turk Head -- Mama used this type and the cake was beautiful.

Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour, 10 minutes. Cool in pan and invert onto a wire rack. After cake is completely cool, dust with confectioners' sugar.

Flavoring: 1 teaspoon vanilla or 1/2 teaspoon almond extract.

Note: 
Definition of a Turks Head Mold which, as stated earlier, I do not own is as follows: 
Turk Head Mold is a pan that is used for bundt-style cakes, yeast raised coffee cakes, and gelatin. The center tube helps to distribute heat evenly for better baking. These pans can be bought on Amazon or www.hubert.com has great looking Turk Head Molds. I highly recommend the bright aluminum type (not the dark pans) -- the dark pans tend to cook the cake much faster and you usually end up with burned parts, particularly the bottom. I bake most everything in the lighter pans with the exception of my flan. I own a dark loaf pan and this works great for the flan.

*Webiste for the tea:  www.harney.com and do a search on hot cinnamon spice!  Now this is right up there with Godiva Chocolates, Starbucks and, yes, chocolate chip cookie dough!  Lol