Hungarian Kugelhopf is a delightful chocolate cake, boasting a gorgeous ring shape and a marbled blend of plain and cocoa batters. Drizzled with a rich chocolate glaze, it’s a must try for any dessert lover.

I am reading the recipe which my mother sent to me and I am in trouble. I want to prepare kugelhopf, a cake which was one of my favorites when I was a child. It is perfect for breakfast or to the afternoon tea – or you just grab a slice during the day when you need some delicious inspiration.

But this recipe is very similar to the ones which I find normally in my grandmother’s recipe book: there are only ingredients, no description, some quantities are missing, and the ingredients for the chocolate glaze are not included. I call my mother and ask her: What is the quantity of the lemon juice and the water? How much cocoa powder? How do I prepare the chocolate glaze? I try to convince her that I cannot write on Honest Cooking that “according to my feelings” or “as much as I used to add” and neither my readers will find helpful that “I use up all the Christmas and Eastern chocolate I find in the cupboard”.

Slowly we put together a recipe that I can test the next day. The dough is soft and fluffy, the chocolate glaze is creamy and shiny. Perfect.

HOW TO MAKE HUNGARIAN KUGELHOPF CAKE AT HOME:

Preparation: Start by preheating your oven to 390°F(200°C).

Mould Preparation: For even baking, brush your kugelhopf mould generously with butter. Dust it with flour, ensuring all the buttered areas are covered. Tap out the excess flour.

Lemon Mixture: Pour the freshly squeezed lemon juice into a measuring cup and top it up with water until you reach 3.5oz. Set aside.

Dry Ingredients: Combine the flour and baking powder in a bowl, ensuring they’re thoroughly mixed.

Egg Yolk Mixture: Crack the eggs, separating the yolks from the whites. In a separate bowl, whisk the egg yolks with sugar until they form a foamy texture. Slowly incorporate the sunflower oil, lemon zest, and the earlier prepared lemon juice mixture.

Egg Whites: In another bowl, whip the egg whites until stiff peaks form. This will help give the cake its airy texture.

Combining Ingredients: Gently fold the egg whites into the yolk mixture, alternating with the flour mixture. Ensure everything is combined, but avoid overmixing.

Marbling: Transfer about one-third of this mixture into your prepared mould. To the remaining batter, stir in the Dutch cocoa powder, creating a rich chocolatey mix. Pour this on top of the initial batter in the mould. As it bakes, this layering will create a beautiful marble effect.

Baking: Bake the cake in your preheated oven for approximately 45 minutes. Check its doneness by inserting a toothpick or skewer. If it comes out clean, your kugelhopf is ready.

Cooling: Once baked, let the cake rest in its mould for about 10 minutes. Afterward, transfer it onto a wire rack and allow it to cool completely.

Chocolate Glaze: While the cake cools, prepare the glaze. In a saucepan, heat the milk just until boiling. Add the cocoa powder, butter, and dark chocolate. Stir constantly over low heat until the mixture becomes smooth and shiny. Adjust its consistency with a bit of milk if needed.

Finishing Touch: Drizzle the rich chocolate glaze over the cooled kugelhopf, ensuring it covers the top and slightly drips down the sides. Allow the glaze to set, then serve and enjoy your traditional Hungarian treat!

How to Make Hungarian Kugelhopf Cake

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• Author: Honest Cooking
• Total Time: 65 minutes
• Yield: Serves 12 1x
• Diet: Omnivore

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Description

A marbled chocolate cake, ring-shaped and decadent. Topped with a rich chocolate glaze, its pure indulgence.

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Ingredients

Units USM Scale 1x2x3x

• 9 oz (250 g) flour
• 2 tsp (10 g) baking powder
• 1 cups (237 ml) + 3 tbsp sugar
• 4 eggs
• 1 tbsp Dutch cocoa powder
• 4 fl oz (118 ml) sunflower oil
• Juice and zests of a lemon
• flour and butter to brush the mould
• 1/4 cup milk
• 1 heaped tsp Dutch cocoa powder
• 1 oz (30 g) butter
• 3 oz (70 g) dark chocolate

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Instructions

1. Preparation: Preheat your oven to 390°F (200°C).
2. Mould Preparation: Brush your kugelhopf mould generously with butter, dust with flour, and tap out the excess flour.
3. Lemon Mixture: Pour freshly squeezed lemon juice into a measuring cup and add water to reach 3.5 fl oz. Set aside.
4. Dry Ingredients: Combine flour and baking powder in a bowl.
5. Egg Yolk Mixture: Crack eggs, separating yolks from whites. Whisk egg yolks with sugar until foamy. Slowly incorporate sunflower oil, lemon zest, and the lemon juice mixture.
6. Egg Whites: Whip egg whites until stiff peaks form.
7. Combining Ingredients: Gently fold egg whites into the yolk mixture, alternating with the flour mixture. Avoid overmixing.
8. Marbling: Transfer one-third of the mixture into the prepared mould. Stir Dutch cocoa powder into the remaining batter. Pour this on top of the batter in the mould.
9. Baking: Bake the cake at 390°F (200°C) for approximately 45 minutes. Check for doneness with a toothpick.
10. Cooling: Let the cake rest in the mould for 10 minutes, then transfer it to a wire rack to cool completely.
11. Chocolate Glaze: Heat milk until boiling. Add cocoa powder, butter, and dark chocolate. Stir until smooth and shiny, adjusting consistency with milk if needed.
12. Finishing Touch: Drizzle chocolate glaze over the cooled kugelhopf and let it set.

Notes

• For a richer chocolate flavor, use high-quality dark chocolate with a high cocoa percentage for the glaze.
• To prevent sticking, ensure the kugelhopf mold is well-buttered and floured before adding the batter.
• Store the cooled kugelhopf cake in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days, or in the refrigerator for up to a week.

• Prep Time: 20 minutes
• Cook Time: 45 minutes
• Category: Dessert
• Method: Baking
• Cuisine: Hungarian

Nutrition

• Serving Size: 1 slice
• Calories: 350
• Sugar: 30
• Sodium: 100
• Fat: 18
• Saturated Fat: 8
• Unsaturated Fat: 8
• Carbohydrates: 45
• Fiber: 2
• Protein: 4
• Cholesterol: 100

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