Sunday, February 5, 2012

Translated, it is Water Cake

Because it was my birthday week and we were dining in all week, I decided to make my mother's old recipe for Wasser Kuchen.  She made this recipe so often, she did it by memory. The recipe card used to hang on the inside of the spice cabinet door in her kitchen.  Such few ingredients, I memorized it myself as a young girl.

Mother always baked this sponge-type cake in a 9 x 13 pan.  Then added fruit or pudding or chocolate or whatever she felt like.  Since this is strawberry season in Florida, I knew I would make a shortcake of sorts.

When we lived in Germany 44 years ago.....can it be that long ago?.... I bought a cake form called a "Torten Boden" which literally means the bottom of the cake.  You can buy these ready made in Germany such as our small, round shortcakes.  What I love about the pan is that it forms an edge so all the lovely fruit cannot escape.

It is a Dr. Oetker pan and looks its age.  The trick is to diligently get shortening into every little ripple and crevice in order for the cake to simply drop out after baking.  No rush on this job.


Wasser Kuchen  (Water Cake)

3 eggs
1 cup sugar
1 cup flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 cup water

Beat the eggs until very foamy.  Add sugar and beat to mix.  Add baking powder to flour and slowly add alternately to the sugar/egg mixture with the water.

Bake in a greased, sugared and then lightly floured 9 x 13 pan, or if you have a fluted German cake pan, please use it instead.  

Bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes.    How simple is that!!


I mentioned last time that I received this great gift from Debby at A Feast for the Eyes.  One of the items was an envelope of King Arthur "Instant Clearjel Powder."  It is a thickening substitute for flour or cornstarch for pies.  But this is the best part...  I cut up the strawberries and put half the amount of sugar on them and let them sit for a half hour.  Into the other half of the sugar, I added 2 tablespoons of this "Instant Clearjel Powder."  I mixed the last half of the sugar and gel into the strawberries gently, and it quickly thickened to a perfect texture.  No cooking involved.  I then spooned the strawberries onto the cake.  This worked so slick!!!  I know I will use this product often.

22 comments:

  1. Happy Birthday, Susan! This cake looks lovely. I'll look for that King Arthur gel. I wonder if they sell it at their website.....I miss Florida and strawberries this year, but am going to Hungary in May to visit my daughter Em and her family.....

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  2. Susan, hope that you have had a really Happy Birthday. We wish you all the very best and many more healthy years to follow.
    This dish looks interesting but no strawberries around here at the moment. Just snow and more snow! Diane

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  3. I hope that you have been enjoying your birthday week. You should consider celebrating your birthday all month(smile).
    I think dishes are even more wonderful when they hold fond memories too. I think this shortcake is extra special. I am all for strawberries, fruit, pudding and any treat that can placed on this shortcake.

    Very nice.

    Velva

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  4. So easy and quick - perfect thing to make if you have unexpected company!

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  5. Wasser kuchen, love the name. This actually sounds sehr gut. Have a wonderful birthday!

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  6. Happy Birthday Susan! Your cake turned out spectacular; those old recipes are often the best. Wishing you a great week; enjoy!
    Rita

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  7. This looks delicious and a very Happy Birthday to you!!! I think I'd like it just the way you made it! I'm going to give this a try!

    Go PATRIOTS!!!

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  8. Happy Birthday Week, Susan!
    I well remember this type of cake from the years when we lived in Germany. It was a favourite of all my German neighbours, especially in summertime when different sorts of fresh fruit were readily available. It just calls for a cup of really good coffee, a pretty afternoon coffee table and good friends!

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  9. This looks so delicious, Susan. How wonderful that you still make your mother's recipe.

    Have a wonderful birthday week!

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  10. It sounds great and perfect for your birthday. I remember these well from when we lived in Germany. Hope you had a great day!

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  11. Happy Birthday Susan. Your cake looks lovely. Wish I had one of those cake pans. Will have to see if I can find one online.

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  12. First, Happy Belated Birthday, Susan!! I hope you celebrated with abandon! This cake looks so good, a perfect celebration treat. Also, the cinnamon scones look GREAT! Hope this year is the best ever. blessings ~ Tanna

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  13. Happy belated birthday, Susan! This cake looks delicious and Dr. Oetker pans are the best and last for life".

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  14. Yum, my good friend Liz, lived in Germany too as a young girl (military family) and she too makes these cakes, how funny, haven't seen one for years...it looks so good Susan and easy, I think I could make it. LOL I hate to bake. :/

    Hope your special day was filled with love and of course good food!

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  15. Happy Birthday! I can't think of a better way to celebrate than to bake a cake with good memories like this one. Your cake looks so light and very tasty with the fresh strawberries on top, yum!

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  16. Happy Birthday!
    Your water cake is a new one on me, Susan. But I love the simple ingredients and the way you've served it with fruit. Copied the recipe already!

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  17. Makes me miss Germany and their lovely desserts even more. My friend Maggie's MIL from Bavaria made a bunch of these type cakes when visiting here. So happy to have a recipe now. Bookmarking this!

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  18. Susan, my mother used to buy Dr. Oetker's Wasser Kuchen. I never knew how to make one, and I have one of these pans! Yay! Thank you for sharing this recipe, because I can now make one myself. So happy you won my giveaway, and that you are enjoying some of my favorite things.

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  19. I have some of the same clearjel powder from KA and wasn't sure how to use it. Thanks for the recipe, Susan. I remember my grandmother making a similar cake and the way it absorbed the delicious strawberry juices. Sadly, our berry season is months away.

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  20. Susan, this is the perfect vehicle for my heavy duty raspberry picking and eating season! Add a little ice cream, and perfection!

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  21. I'm a Native German and I grew up on that cake, in my region called "Erdbeerboden", strawberry bottom. Ugh, sooooo good with whipped cream (not the canned stuff)and a favorite in the Spring at my Oma's house for Kaffeeklatsch!
    Now I'm going to have to have my Mom send me a Tortenboden pan....

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  22. my mother-in-law was Esther Dickel and she made a fabulous strawberry shortcake with her "feather cake"...I have lost the recipe and her grandson is wanted the shortcake for Easter...can anyone out there in Amana help me...Thank you so very much and have a blessed Easter....Yvonne(Dickel)Brandt

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