Marzipan Schokoladenkuchen
This rich, moist chocolate cake is perfect for the Christmas holiday table. Decorate with your favorite German chocolate candies, such as Bahlsen Gingerbread Trees or Mini-Elisen Feinste Nürnberger Oblaten-Lebkuchen met Mandel-Krokant.
Region Hamburg
Servings 12
Ingredients
- 4 ounces unsweetened baking chocolate
- 2 cups sugar
- 1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 3 tablespoons German Kirschwasser plus 2 teaspoons, divided
- 3/4 cup hot water plus 1 tablespoon
- 1/2 cup sour cream
- 1/2 cup vegetable oil
- 2 large eggs lightly beaten
- 1 package German marzipan 7-ounces
- 2 teaspoons German Kirschwasser
- 7 ounces semi-sweet German chocolate such as Ritter Sport
- 1 cup almonds finely chopped
- decorative German chocolate candies
- cooking spray
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350ºF. Place unsweetened chocolate in a bowl. Allow a pot of water to come to a boil, remove from heat and place the bowl of chocolate over the pot. Allow chocolate to melt and set aside.
- Sift sugar, flour, baking soda and salt together and set aside. Whisk together 3 tablespoons kirschwasser, hot water, sour cream and vegetable oil. Once blended, slowly whisk in eggs, then stir in the melted chocolate and mix until fully incorporated. Gradually add the dry ingredient mixture to the batter and mix until smooth.
- Pour batter into a greased and floured 9-inch, deep round cake pan and bake for 35-45 minutes, or until a wooden pick inserted in the center comes out clean. Remove from oven and let cool on a wire rack.
- While the cake is cooling, place marzipan in a bowl. One at a time, pour the two teaspoons of kirschwasser over the marzipan and knead it until incorporated. Let the marzipan rest for a few minutes to allow it to dry slightly, about 5 minutes. Place the marzipan between two sheets of parchment paper and, using a rolling pin, roll out the marzipan in to a thin circle roughly the size of the cake. Once the cake has cooled, remove it from the pan and lay the marzipan circle on top of the cake. Cut the edges of the marzipan circle to fit the top of the cake.
- Place the semi-sweet chocolate in a bowl. Allow a pot of water to come to a boil, remove from heat and place the bowl of chocolate over the pot. Allow chocolate to melt. Working quickly in 3-inch sections, spread the melted chocolate around the outside rim of the cake. For each section, immediately press the chopped almonds into the chocolate. Continue working in sections until the outside rim is covered with chocolate and almonds. Decorate the top of the cake with German chocolate candies and serve.
