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Luxembourg Baumkuchen (Bamkuch)

Baumkuchen, known in Luxembourg as Bamkuch, is the country’s iconic layered tree cake and a traditional wedding and celebration cake. Its name translates as ‘tree cake’ because, when the classic log-shaped version is cut open, you see the baked rings like the rings of a tree trunk.I have made this recipe countless times over the years, and served it at Luxembourg embassy receptions in London, Lisbon and even Tokyo (where securing the butter for the Bamkuch almost ended in tragedy, as there was a butter rationing going on at the time).

This recipe makes two Bamkuch. It might sound decadent (and yes, it is, but you’ll thank me for it later), but double the quantity does not mean double the work. Since this is a time-intensive cake, it’s worth making two at the same time. While one is baking in the oven, you can spread the next layer on the second cake, and alternate.

Same time-investment, double results. Plus, the cake freezes extremely well (see the storage note below). Final tip: try and get hold of some Negrita rum – the flavour is just superior to most rums, and I use it in all my baking.

This recipe was filmed as part of my ‘Tastes of Luxembourg’ series for RTL Today.

If you’re looking for more traditional Luxembourgish recipes, check out my book ‘Tastes of Luxembourg‘. There are also plenty of Luxembourg-inspired recipes (with a little twist) in my recipe archive.

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Ingredients

Makes 2 cakes in 2 cake tins measuring 25 x 20 cm – Prep: 2h + 1 day of resting

500g butter, room temperature
500g sugar
2 tsp vanilla extract
12 eggs
150ml rum
400g flour
100g cornstarch
4 tsp baking powder
½ tsp salt

For the layers:
3 tbsp sugar
150ml water
3 tbsp rum
450g apricot jam

For the icing:
360g icing sugar
4 tbsp rum
4 tbsp water

Method

Grease two 25 x 20cm cake tin and line the bases with baking paper.

In a large bowl, beat the butter, sugar and vanilla extract. Add the eggs, one at a time, and beat between additions. Add the rum and beat again.
In a separate bowl, mix the flour, cornstarch, baking powder and salt. Gradually add the flour mix to the wet ingredients, beating between additions.
Preheat the oven grill to high (250°C).

Spread a thin, even layer of batter onto the base of one cake tin and grill just below the oven grill for about 3 minutes until the top has browned.
Meanwhile, spread a layer of batter into the second cake tin.

Put the sugar, water and rum (for the layers) into a small saucepan and heat until all the sugar has dissolved. In a second saucepan, heat up the apricot jam so it becomes runny.

Take the cake tin out of the oven, and put the second tin in – grilling the cake for about 3 minutes.

Meanwhile, brush the surface of the baked cake layer with some apricot jam, then add another thin, even layer of batter.

After 3 minutes, alternate the cake tins again, brushing apricot jam onto the freshly baked cake layer and topping it with another layer of batter.
Once the second layer is baked, brush some of the rum syrup over the cake.

Spread another layer of batter on top of the cake, pop under the grill for 3 minutes, then brush the grilled surface with apricot jam.

Repeat this process until all the dough is used up – alternating between apricot jam and rum syrup (you will get about 10 layers for each cake).

Once you get to the last layer, turn off the grill and heat the oven to 180°C fan. Bake the two cakes at the same time for 10 minutes – this ensures all the layers are fully baked.

Leave the cakes to cool in their tins for 15 minutes. Turn out onto a wire rack and leave to cool completely.

Once the cakes are cool, prepare the icing by mixing all the ingredients together in a small bowl. Spread over the top of the cake and leave to set for a few hours.
Once the icing has set, wrap the cakes in foil and set aside for at least 1 day before cutting. The flavours will develop and the cake will become more moist.

STORAGE: The Bamkuch keeps wrapped in foil for 4 days. I usually freeze big chunks of Bamkuch once the icing has set. I then defrost the cake at room temperature on the day I want to serve it. It’s quite incredible, but I found that the defrosted Bamkuch tastes even better – somehow the freezing process renders the cake even more moist and succulent!

TIP: Depending on your oven grill, it might burn the surface without baking the cake enough, or not grill the cake surface enough. When either of these situations happen, I turn on the oven in fan-mode at the same time as the grill, usually at around 180°C fan. Like that, the cake is grilled and baked at the same time.