Tree Cake with Marzipan

Ingredients

• 250 g butter
• 250 g sugar
• 6 Eggs
• 125 g flour
• 125 g cornstarch
• 1 tsp lemon zest
• 1 vanilla bean (pulp)
• 75 g ground almonds
• 20 ml rum
• 1 tbsp cocoa powder
• 100 g marzipan base
• 2 tbsp powdered sugar
• 2 tbsp Orange juice
• 100 g orange marmalade
• 150 g dark chocolate couverture
• 100 g candied orange peel

Instructions

1. 1.

   Preheat the oven to 240°C (top heat). Line the bottom of a 24 cm springform with parchment paper and brush the edges with butter.

2. 2.

   Cream the butter and sugar together. Separate the eggs; gradually fold the yolks into the butter mixture, then sift in flour and cornstarch, add lemon zest, vanilla pulp, almonds, and rum, mixing until smooth. Beat the egg whites very stiffly and fold them into the batter. Take half of the batter and fold in the cocoa powder.

3. 3.

   Spread a thin layer of the light batter on the bottom of the pan. Bake on the upper rack for 3-4 minutes until golden yellow. Then spread 2–3 tbsp of the dark batter over the baked layer and bake again. Continue alternating layers until both batters are used up.

4. 4.

   Let the finished tree cake cool in the pan, then loosen it from the edges, transfer to a cooling rack, and allow it to set completely. Cut horizontally once.

5. 5.

   For the filling, crush the marzipan with a fork. Mix with powdered sugar and orange juice into a fine cream. Spread this on the lower base and replace the top layer. Brush the cake with marmalade and cut into triangles. Melt chopped chocolate over a double boiler, let it cool, then brush the cuts and sprinkle with candied orange peel. Let dry.

6. 6.