German Chocolate Layer Cake – Prinzregententorte

After decades I made the German Chocolate Layer Cake called Prinzregententorte in Germany. To prepare the cake is a challenge, but worth the time and work. Between each of the seven layers of cakes is a delicious chocolate buttercream and the cake is topped with a dark chocolate icing. The top of the cake can be just the chocolate icing or decorated with some of the chocolate buttercream, whipped cream, chopped nuts, chocolate sprinkles, or colored sugar.

Ingredients for the batter of the German Chocolate Layer Cake:

• 300 g (10.58 oz) of butter, soft
• 250 g (8.81 oz) of sugar
• 1 pouch of vanilla sugar OR 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract
• 5 eggs, XL
• 1 pinch of salt
• 275 g (9.7 oz) of flour, all-purpose
• 75 g (2.64 oz) of potato starch OR Gustin OR cornstarch
• 1 ½ teaspoons of baking powder

Preparation of the Batter:

To make the batter, beat the butter, add sugar, vanilla sugar, and salt and beat until all ingredients are combined. Add the eggs, one at a time, and continue beating until creamy. Mix the flour, cornstarch, and baking powder in a separate bowl and sift over the egg mixture and mix. Divide the batter into 7 equal portions (each about 160 g – 5.64 oz).

                     

Divide the batter into 7 equal portions. Spread one after another of the portions evenly on the bottom of a buttered springform, before attaching the ring of the springform. Bake each layer in a preheated oven on the middle rack at 175°C – 350°F for 10-12 minutes.

Remove each layer from the baking pan and place it on baking paper to cool down, while the other layers are baking.

Ingredients for the Filling of the German Chocolate Layer Cake:

• 1 ½ pouches of chocolate pudding OR Jell-O Cook&Serve
• 1 tablespoon of cacao
• 7 ½ tablespoons of sugar
• 750 ml (1.58 pt) of milk
• 375 g (13.2 oz) of butter

Preparation of the Filling for the German Chocolate Layer Cake:

Mix the pudding powder, milk, and sugar in a saucepan. Sift the cacao to the pan and mix. Bring it slowly to a boil and turn the heat off. Continue stirring with a whisk, so that the pudding does not stick to the bottom, before placing the pudding in a bowl. Wet a cellophane wrap with water and cover the pudding immediately with it to avoid the building of a skin. Let it cool down, but do not place in the refrigerator.

Beat the soft butter with a stand mixer or electric hand mixer until the butter changes the color to white. Add the chocolate pudding, one tablespoon at the time, and continue beating until all the pudding is used.

If the buttercream coagulates, place the bowl with the buttercream into a larger bowl with warm water and continue beating or you can place the buttercream in the microwave for about 30-40 seconds and then continue beating.

                     

Ingredients for Icing and Decoration:

• 100 g (3.52 oz) of chocolate dark 100% cacao
• 100 g (3.52 oz) of milk chocolate
• 1 tablespoon of sunflower oil OR pinch of shortening
• whipping cream (optional)
• 80 g (2.82 oz) of pistachio, chopped  OR chocolate sprinkles OR colored sugar sprinkles (optional)

Finishing of the Chocolate Layer Cake:

Fill up some of the buttercream into a decorating bag, in case you want to use it for decorating the top. Only the first six layers of the cake will have buttercream on top. Start with the first layer of the cake, spread the buttercream evenly on top and cover with the second layer of the cake. Continue until six layers of the cake are piled up with the buttercream in between, and the seventh layer is on top without buttercream. Make sure to press the layers carefully onto the buttercream. Let the cake chill and set in the refrigerator for about 1 hour.

Add the chocolates and oil into a metal bowl and place the bowl into a saucepan filled with water (bain-marie). Heat it up until the chocolate is melted. Cover the top and side of the cake with the melted chocolate using a tablespoon. Place the cake back in the refrigerator until the chocolate hardened. Start decorating the top and sides of the cake by your own taste. Chopped nuts and sprinkles have to be placed onto the chocolate before the chocolate dried.

To make the Danube Wave Cake click here, German Chocolate Log Cake click here, and the Mocha Buttercream Cake click here.