Kugelhopf, A German Coffee Cake

6 eggs, separated
1/8 teaspoon cream of tartar
2 sticks butter, softened
Pinch of salt
1 ½ cups granulated sugar
1 ½ cups plus 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
3 tablespoons heavy whipping cream
2 teaspoons vanilla
½ cup golden raisins

Preheat oven to 325º F. Generously grease and flour an 8-inch kugelhopf pan or a 8-inch Bundt pan. In a mixer, beat butter and salt together. Add sugar and beat until creamy. While still beating, add one egg yolk at a time until all 6 are thoroughly mixed in. Sift together the flour (reserving the 1 tablespoon) and the baking powder. Mix together cream and vanilla. Turn mixer to low speed. Add approximately ½ cup of flour and mix in. Add 1 tablespoon of the cream and vanilla mixture and mix in. Continue alternating until both flour and milk are gone. Stop just when mixed.

In a separate bowl, beat egg whites and cream of tartar until stiff. Slowly fold the egg whites into the batter. Batter may still have a few white streaks. Toss golden raisins in the reserved tablespoon of flour, coating evenly. Spoon a thin layer of batter into the very bottom of the kugelhopf pan. This will prevent the raisins from getting stuck in the intricate pattern. Gently mix in the flour-covered raisins to the rest of the batter and spoon into pan.

Bake at 325º F for 70 minutes. Remove from oven and cool on a rack for 6-7 minutes. Place a plate over the pan and flip onto plate. Sprinkle with powdered sugar. Serve warm or make ahead.


Makes approximately 25 ¾-inch slices.