Frankfurter Kranz

Does this look like a flop or what?
Most of us women live fast paced lives and we're always multi-tasking.
Not ALL Menno girls can cook up every meal perfectly in just a few seconds.
But what do we do when something flops?

Tanta Rued (Ruth) makes this in Calgary and I thought it was simple enough to whip up.
This was a treasured recipe of my husbands mother.
But now it's time to give our readers the true facts.....
This torte is called Frankfurter Kranz. It's a German cake and it is delicious.

Just so you know I've tried this recipe three times and it keeps flopping.
I can't just huck it out, but being somewhat frugal I tried to piece the thing together.

Bake a simple sponge cake and yes, you can bake this in a round pan, but I prefer to use the loaf pan so that I can cut it into slices and freeze it.

Wow, as you can see the whole thing flopped....So much work and yet that's my second try.
I'm not impressed.
But somehow I served it to my family and they approved....meanwhile I'm foot stompin' because this does not taste or look like Tanta Rued's. (Ruth)
So I'm on the phone....

I invited Martha Stewart (my cousin, Frieda) for a lesson on cake baking...

Frankfurter Kranz

• Make your simple sponge cake recipe, or buy a cake mix.
• Remember to turn the cake upside down to cool.
• Slice cake into three layers.
• Whip two two cups of whipping cream and add 2 Tbsp. instant vanilla pudding.
• Spread first layer with whip cream mixture.
  
• Spread middle layer with tart raspberry jam.
• Spread remaining whip cream mixture over the entire cake.
• Spread burnt almond over the entire cake.

Burnt Almond Mixture

• Now the real secret to this cake is working the the almond mixture.
  
• 2 Cups white almonds (no skins) Put into hot water for 1 minute, only so that when you chop the nuts the crumbs don't fly all over the place. Don't chop to fine, but evenly.
• Add 2 Cups sugar.
• Stir slowly in frying pan at med-high heat, until all the sugar caramelizes and turns brown.
• I rotated the heat from med to me-high over the next 45 minutes.
• It needs to be done slowly, otherwise the sugar will not caramelize.
• This process is what makes the cake special and as you can see, it takes.....TIME.
• I had enough nuts left over to make another cake for a later time. I just froze them.

We sliced the cake and assembled it with raspberry jam and whipping cream.
Ooops! I think I see 4 layers...

She then showed me how to take the burnt almond nuts and distribute them evenly.
It's always fun to cook with someone else. You learn so many life lessons.
"Marg, learn to buy cake mixes rather than thinking you need to do everything from scratch....The results are the same and no one knows."

Voila!

The cake was completed and devoured instantly as my husband's family ramped and raved that they had not had this Torte since their Mother passed away 25 years ago.
Mission accomplished and You too, can do it.
Just keep working at it and call for help.
Thanks Frieda for coming alongside.