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Layer Cakes

Drunken Capuchin Cake

by Lisa

Trained pastry chef

Drunken Capuchin cake: a syrup-soaked hazelnut sponge topped with a layer of whipped cream

4.9 (7)out of 5, 7 ratings

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Prep
10 min
Bake
50 min
Total
1 hr
Makes
12

Besoffener Kapuziner (drunken Capuchin), also known as betrunkene Liesl (tipsy Lizzie): an Austrian classic! For one 9-inch (22 cm) pan, makes about 12 pieces.

Ingredients

Makes 12

Nut batter

  • 4large eggs
  • 1 cup200 ggranulated sugar
  • 1 pinchsalt
  • 1 tspvanilla bean paste
  • 1 ¼ cups160 gall-purpose flourIn German recipes plain flour means soft wheat flour Type 405 unless stated otherwise. In the US use all-purpose flour; in the UK, plain flour.
  • ⅔ cup60 ghazelnutsground
  • 1 pinchground cinnamon

Soaking syrup

  • 3 ½ tbsp50 gpineapple juice
  • 7 tbsp50 gpowdered sugarVery finely ground sugar for icings and dusting. In the US use powdered sugar (confectioners' sugar); in the UK, icing sugar.
  • ¼ cup60 grum
  • 2 tbsp plus 2 tsp40 gwhite wine
  • 1 tbsp plus 1 tsp20 gwater

Topping

  • 2 cups500 gheavy creamGerman cream for whipping has about 30 to 32 percent fat. In the US use heavy cream or heavy whipping cream; in the UK, whipping cream (double cream also works but whips faster, so watch it).
  • 1 to 2 packetswhipped cream stabilizerA packet of modified starch and sugar that keeps whipped cream firm; one packet is used for about 1 cup (250 ml) of cream. In the US use whipped cream stabilizer powder (sold online and in some baking aisles), or about 1 tbsp nonfat dry milk powder per cup of cream; in the UK, cream stabiliser powder (sold online), or a spoonful of mascarpone whipped in with the cream.
  • 4 tspvanilla sugar2 packets = 4 tsp (16 g). Sugar flavored with vanillin (artificial vanilla), sold in small packets of about 8 g. In the US use 1 tsp vanilla extract plus 2 tsp sugar for each 8 g packet; in the UK, vanilla sugar sachets, or 1 tsp vanilla extract plus 2 tsp sugar per sachet.

Method

  1. Line the bottom of the pan with parchment paper. Preheat the oven to 325°F (160°C) convection (fan).

  2. Beat the sugar, eggs, salt & vanilla bean paste for at least 10 minutes.

  3. Mix the flour, cinnamon & ground hazelnuts & sift them over the egg foam. Fold in gently & pour into the pan right away. Bake for about 45 minutes.

Soaking syrup

  1. Mix all the ingredients & pour them over the still-hot cake. Leave the pan completely closed for this & add the syrup little by little. Let it soak in completely & then let the cake cool completely.

Topping

  1. Whip the cream, whipped cream stabilizer & vanilla sugar together & spread it over the cake. Enjoy chilled.