A Viennese coffee break without a Gugelhupf? Unthinkable. The traditional Bundt-style cake is a fixed staple of Austrian pastry cuisine. With raisins and glazed, marbled or with almonds – there are no limits to the possibilities.
The distinctive shape
Already the Romans appear to have used pans with the same shape. The high form with fluted or grooved sides and a central tube, which helps to distribute the heat to the middle of the thick cake, has been documented since at least the 16th century and is still used to this day.
Where does the name come from?
Linguists disagree as to the exact origins of the word Gugelhupf. The Complete German Cookbook (1856) calls the cake a Kugelhupf, where “Kugel” could refer to its round shape. Other sources claim that the “Gugel” could come from an old 12th century word for a bonnet or hood. Because the yeast dough that forms part of the traditional recipe causes the cake to bulge out like a hood. The “hupf” might come from the word “hupfen”, which means “to jump” and could be a reference to the rising of the yeast. Or it could be a variation of “Hefe” (yeast).
Gugelhupf meets Vienna House
As the name implies, Vienna House has its origins in the Austrian capital. Vienna’s famous quality of life and its renowned hospitality are reflected in the philosophy of Vienna House. Symbolising the group’s Viennese origins, the interior design of the hotels sometimes incorporates elements of Austrian culture. At Vienna House Easy Berlin, for example, Gugelhupf pans are used as design elements.
A piece of culinary Vienna can therefore be found in every Vienna House. And so the group’s hotels invite their guests to enjoy the delicious side of Austrian hospitality.
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The recipe
If you want to treat yourself to a delicious slice of Gugelhupf at home, this simple recipe (slightly adapted) will conjure a Viennese classic onto your coffee table.
Ingredients:
- 200 g butter
- 100 g powdered sugar
- 100 g granulated sugar
- 4 egg yolks
- 4 egg whites
- 230 g cake flour
- 20 g cocoa powder
- Some vanilla sugar
- A dash of salt
- Butter and flour (to prepare the pan)
- Powdered sugar (for sprinkling on the finished cake)
Beat the butter with the powdered sugar, the vanilla sugar and a dash of salt until frothy. Add the egg yolks one at a time and stir in. Beat the egg white with the granulated sugar until stiff and fold into the egg yolk mixture. Mix in the flour. Colour about one third of the mixture with the cocoa
Grease a Gugelhupf pan (or Bundt pan) with butter and sprinkle with flour. Alternate adding small amounts of the light and dark mixture and bake in a preheated oven for about 1 hour at 180°C
Turn the cake out of the pan, let cool and sprinkle with the powdered sugar.