This recipe has been converted from metric and applesauce is used to offset the fat/calorie content of the butter at equal parts. This also makes the cake more moist. This cake is very fragrant as it cooks, the dark batter is especially rich and lush. Also, granulated sugar is used; the recipe calls for castor sugar.*
White Dough:
1 stick butter, softened**
¾ cup applesauce
1 cup + 3Tablespoons sugar
4 cups flour
2 cups milk
3-4 eggs (4 eggs make the cake softer and more moist)
1 ½ packet of Vanilla Sugar (9g packet)***
2-3 tsp Baking powder
2 tsp Rum flavor
Dark Dough:
5 Tbs Dark Cocoa
7 Tbs Sugar
1 Tbs Soluble coffee
2 Tbs Rum
Remaining Vanilla sugar (about 5-10 g)
1 tsp Baking Powder
1 dash milk
10 Tbs White Dough
Pan: butter or oil and bread crumbs
White Dough: Stir butter, sugar and eggs until foamy. Sieve flour; leave about 1 Tablespoon of it. Stir flour, milk, rum flavor and vanilla sugar into mass. When the dough is ready, stir baking powder in remaining flour and mix it in.
Dark Dough: Mix cocoa, coffee, sugar, rum and baking powder with the dash of milk. This should be a bit thicker than the white dough. When dark dough is well blended, add 10 Tablespoons of white dough and blend well.
Oil baking pan and dress with bread crumbs and fill alternately with white and dark dough. One can make some beautiful patterns, or simply alternate evenly. One thing that is traditionally done is a layer of white dough, all the dark dough, then the rest of the white. This makes for a solid looking inner cake when cut.
Bake at 365 degrees Fahrenheit for 65 minutes, or until inserted knife comes out clean. Turn out onto cooling rack; fight off neighbors and friends who have smelled it until it is cool enough to eat. Slice in the valleys of the bundt marks, or slice thinner if desired.
*castor sugar is a European preparation of sugar, finer than granulated, but more coarse than powdered or confectioner’s sugar. This can be bought at specialty stores, or prepared by pulsating granulated sugar in a blender for about 12-15 seconds. There seems to be no difference if granulated sugar is used.
**alternatively, applesauce can be omitted and 2 ½ sticks of butter used instead. ***Dr. Oetker Vanilla Sugar is sold in many stores in 9 gram packets (about 1-2 teaspoons), but can be made by combining 1 tsp sugar and 2 teaspoons of vanilla extract.
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