Danube Wave Cake Recipe
Danube Wave Cake Recipe – Donauwellen
This Danube Wave Cake recipe is a traditional buttercream cake recipe in Germany. The Danube Wave Cake is called Donauwellen in Germany and is also known as Snow White Cake.
Ingredients for Danube Wave Cake Recipe:
- 250 g (8.81 oz) of butter OR margarine
- 200 g (7 oz) of sugar
- 1 pouch of vanilla sugar OR 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract
- Salt
- 5 eggs
- 375 g (13.22 oz) of all-purpose flour
- 1 pouch of baking powder OR 3 teaspoons of baking powder
- 20 g (0.70 oz) of cocoa
- 1 tablespoon of milk
- 680 g (24 oz) of sour cherries OR tart cherries (available at Trader’s Joe)
Preparation of Danube Wave Cake:
In a bowl beat soft butter or margarine using a handheld electric mixer. Add the sugar, vanilla sugar or extract, and a pinch of salt and mix. Add the eggs, one at a time and beat the ingredients until creamy. Combine flour with baking powder and sift it over the butter/egg mixture. Mix well until all ingredients are combined. Place ⅔ of the batter (vanilla) aside. Place ⅓ of the batter in a separate bowl, sift the cocoa over the batter, add the milk and mix the ingredients for the chocolate batter.
Use the ⅔ of the vanilla batter and spread it evenly on a baking sheet (11 x 17 inches) covered with parchment paper. Spread the chocolate batter on top of the vanilla batter. Drain the cherries in a colander and spread them on top of the chocolate batter while gently pushing them into the batter.
Preheat the oven to 180°C (360°F). Place the cake on the middle rack and bake it for about 25-30 minutes.
Ingredients for the buttercream and icing of the cake:
- 1 ½ pouches of Vanilla Pudding OR Jello Vanilla Pudding Cook & Serve
- 750 ml (25.36 oz) of milk
- 7 ½ tablespoons of sugar
- 375 g (13.22 oz) of butter
- 200 g (7.0 oz) of Ghirardelli intense dark 72% cacao OR Baker’s bittersweet 66% cacao
Preparation of the buttercream:
Mix the pudding powder with some of the milk to dissolve it. Bring the rest of the milk with the sugar to a boil while stirring continuously. Add the pudding and return it to a boil.
Immediately empty the pudding into a big bowl. Wet one side of a cellophane wrap with water and cover the pudding with the wet side down. This will eliminate a “skin” from developing on top of the pudding. Let the pudding cool down, but keep it out of the fridge.
Beat soft butter with an electric hand mixer. While beating, add one tablespoon of the cold pudding at a time. Continue until all the pudding is gone and the consistency of you buttercream is light and fluffy.
Note: If the buttercream coagulates (which may happen if the butter and the pudding are too cold or the pudding and the butter are at different temperatures) place the buttercream in a bowl and place in the microwave for a few seconds and mix it again.
Finishing of Danube Wave Cake Recipe:
Leave the cake on the sheet while decorating. Loosen the sides of the cake from the baking sheet using a metal spatula. Spread the buttercream evenly on the top of your cake. After spreading the buttercream, place the cake in the refrigerator for about 10 minutes before you continue with the chocolate icing. The buttercream will harden, which will make it easier to finish the cake.
Take the cake out of the refrigerator. Melt the chocolate in a bain-marie (water bath/double boiler). Spread the melted chocolate on top of the buttercream using a metal spatula. Draw immediately a wavy pattern into the chocolate immediately using a large fork. Keep the Danube Wave Cake refrigerated.
The Danube Wave Cake is ideal to decorate using various themes for special occasions and Holidays like here for Thanksgiving.To try the Black Forest Cake click here, the German Recipe Kalter Hund click here, and the Traditional Frankfurter Kranz Recipe click here.