Donauwelle

Ingredients

• 2 cups sour cherries (approx. 370 g; drained weight)
• 250 g butter
• 200 g raw cane sugar
• 1 pinch salt
• 6 Eggs
• 400 g spelt flour
• 3 tsp baking powder (12 g each)
• 20 g cocoa powder (plus 1 tbsp for garnish)
• 5 tbsp milk (75 ml)
• 1 packet vanilla pudding mix
• milk (as directed on package)
• 200 g softened butter
• 50 g powdered sugar (from cane sugar)
• 200 g dark chocolate couverture
• 25 g clarified butter

Instructions

1. 1.

   Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Drain cherries well. Cut butter into pieces and place in a mixing bowl. Add raw cane sugar and salt, then beat until creamy. Add eggs one at a time, folding each into the mixture.

2. 2.

   Sift spelt flour and baking powder over the batter and fold gently to combine. The dough should be smooth and spreadable (add more milk if needed). Spread half of the dough onto the prepared sheet and level it with a spatula.

3. 3.

   Stir in the remaining cocoa powder, then spread this lighter layer over the first. Distribute cherries on top. Bake in a preheated oven at 180 °C (160 °C fan; gas: level 2–3) for 35‑40 minutes. Check with a toothpick and let cool on the sheet.

4. 4.

   Meanwhile prepare the pudding according to package instructions, then allow it to cool. Cream butter and powdered sugar together. Fold in portions of the cooled pudding, then spread over the cooled cake.

5. 5.

   Cut chocolate into pieces and melt with clarified butter over a hot water bath; pour immediately over the cake and use a serrated spatula to create waves in the chocolate. Let set. Dust Donauwelle with cocoa as desired and serve cut into portions.