Linzer Cake Recipe

The Linzer Cake recipe is known as one of the oldest recipes to make a jam filled cake. The recipe dates back to the renaissance as the oldest recipe found in 1653.

Ingredients Linzer Cake Recipe:

• 300 g (10.58 oz) of flour
• 250 g (9 oz) of soft butter (room temperature)
• 200 g (7.05 oz) of sugar
• 300 g ( 10.5 oz) almond meal OR hazelnut meal OR half almond and half hazelnut meal
• pinch of baking powder
• 2 tablespoons of cacao
• ½ teaspoon of cinnamon
• ½ teaspoon of almond extract
• 1 pinch of cloves
• 2 tablespoons of lemon juice
• peel of ½ lemon
• 400 g (14 oz) of red current jam OR cranberry jam
• 50 g (1.76 oz) of blanched sliced Almonds
• 1 egg yolk for brushing the cake

Preparation:

In a bowl beat the butter and add the sugar to it. Mix until creamy. Add almond extract, a pinch of cloves, lemon juice, lemon peel and cinnamon to the beaten butter and mix the ingredients together. In a separate bowl mix flour, cacao, and baking powder and sift. Add to the beaten butter and stir. Add the almonds and knead with your hands until the texture of the dough is nice and smooth. Wrap the dough in cellophane foil and keep it in the refrigerator for about ½ hour.

Cut a piece of baking paper about 20 inches and sprinkle some flour on it. Place the half of the dough on the top of the baking paper and cover it with cellophane foil. Roll the dough over the cellophane foil about ¼ of an inch to prepare the top of the cake (see picture below). Cut out a circle of about 24cm — 9.5 in in diameter. Use a cookie cutter as shown in the pictures below to create the lattice pattern. Start to cut in the center of the circle and continue left and right from the center. Place the top of the cake with the baking paper underneath on a plate or baking sheet. Keep it for about 10 minutes in the freezer to harden.

Butter an 11-inch springform pan. Combine the rest dough (from the top) from the top and the other half of the dough and knead. Place it in the springform pan. Roll the dough evenly and make sure to form an edge on the side of the baking pan about 1-inch high. Make some holes in the dough using a fork. Add the jam and spread it evenly on top of the dough in the springform. Take the top out of the freezer, remove the paper and place it on top of the jam. Gently press down the edges on the side of the baking pan so they are even with the top of the cake (see pictures below).

Beat the egg yolk with a fork and brush it onto the cake. Set the blanched almonds on the edge of the cake.

Bake on the middle rack in a preheated oven at 176°C-182°C — 350°F-360°F for about 25- 30 minutes. Turn the heat off and leave the cake in the oven for 5 more minutes. Take it out and carefully separate the edge of the cake from the pan using a knife. Leave the cake for another 10 minutes in the springform before removing it and placing it on a serving plate. I wish you success in preparing this old cake recipe and do not forget to tell your guests that you are treating them with something very special.