Gugelhupf is classic German, yeast raised, bundt cake usually filled with dried fruits and not a lot of flavor. But this Coffee Cake version is so much better, filled with a cinnamon streusel and topped with more cinnamon sugar, it’s perfect for breakfast, brunch or an afternoon kaffee.
What pan is best for Gugelhupf?
Traditionally a Gugelhupf is made in a glass version of a bundt pan. However, if you don’t have a traditional Gugelhupf pan you can definitely use a metal bundt pan, just gently press the top after baking to see if it’s finished.
What is the difference between a bundt cake and a Gugelhupf cake?
The only real difference between the two cakes is that traditionally a Gugelhupf cake is yeast raised where as a bundt cake uses baking soda, baking powder, or the air from whipped eggs to leaven it.
What makes this Coffee Cake Gugelhupf different?
Gugelhupf can often be dry and lacking in flavor. However, this one has two layers of buttery streusel inside and filled with warm cinnamon flavor.
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Tips for making a Gugelhupf
- After adding the eggs to the “creamed dough”, the mixture may look split but keep mixing for a few more minutes on medium high speed. It should start to blend together if not, don’t worry and just add in the flour.
- This cake is made from two doughs which are then kneaded together. Make sure that the two doughs are fully combined before you transfer them to the baking pan.
- Make sure to line your pan well! I used a traditional gugelhopf pan but a bundt pan will work just as well. Lining it with a baking spray that includes flour works best. But it you don’t have that, grease the pan with melted butter (get into every nook and cranny) and then dust with flour.
- Watch your dough! Once you have placed the dough into the pan, it needs to rise again. However, the rising time can vary a lot depending on how warm it is. So as a general rule of thumb, the cake should rise to almost the top of the pan (approx. 1″ away from the top edge). This usually takes about half an hour if you place it somewhere warm.
Ingredients
- All Purpose Flour: Any all purpose flour should work for this Gugelhupf! I have not yet tried any other flours with this recipe.
- Almond Flour: Almond flour gives this cake extra moisture without making it tough.
- Sugar: There is a small amount of granulated sugar in the dough. But the majority of the sugar is in the streusel filling and the cinnamon sugar topping.
- Yeast: Instant yeast is used in this recipe but if you are using active dry yeast, simply sprinkle it over the warmed milk for 10 minutes and then add it into the flour with the remaining ingredients.
- Milk: Skim milk is used as the liquid in the yeasted dough in this recipe but any milk, including non-dairy milks, will work here!
- Butter: Softened butter is used in the dough and more butter is used in the streusel, as well as melted butter brushed onto the gugelhopf after it is baked.
- Egg: 3 eggs are used in this coffee cake gugelhupf recipe. I use standard large eggs from the grocery store.
- Salt: a tiny bit of salt is added to the dough to balance out the sweetness.
- Cinnamon: Ground cinnamon is a key part of the coffee cake flavor.
How to make Coffee Cake Gugelhupf
Yeasted Dough
- In a medium bowl, stir together the flour, yeast, and warmed milk.
- Stir until the flour is fully mixed in. Then, cover the bowl and place somewhere warm to proof for 30 minutes
Streusel
- In a medium bowl combine the flour, sugar, butter, and cinnamon. Use a fork or your hands to rub the butter into the dry ingredients until they are all fully hydrated with the butter.
Creamed Dough
- In the bowl of a stand mixer, cream the butter, sugar, almond flour, cinnamon, and salt together until light and fluffy on medium/high speed. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl as well as the paddle attachment.
- Add in all 3 eggs, then beat again until smooth; scraping down the sides of the bowl as necessary.
- Pour the flour into the mixing bowl all at once and mix again on medium/low speed until just combined.
Combine the Doughs
- Add the now proofed, yeasted dough into the bowl of the stand mixer with the creamed dough. Use the dough hook attachment to knead the two together on low speed for 10 minutes.
- Scrape down the sides of the bowl as necessary.
Bake the Gugelhupf
- Preheat the oven to 350 F (or 325 F if baking on convection – this is optimal). Place the oven rack just below the center level.
- Line a Gugelhupf pan or a bundt pan with a baking spray or butter and flour. *See tips for more info.
- Scoop out 1/3 of the kneaded dough and spread it out evenly into the bottom of the pan. Try to make it as evenly distributed as possible.
- Crumble half of the streusel mixture on top of the first layer of dough and press down gently so that it sits in the dough.
- Then, divide the remaining dough in half and use half to make another layer on top of the streusel in the pan.
- Top the dough with the remaining streusel and finish it off with the last portion of dough. Don’t be afraid to push down on the dough at this stage.
- Cover the pan with plastic or inside of a large bag, and place it somewhere warm for 20-30 minutes until the dough is about 1/2″ away from the top of the pan.
- After it is done proofing, place the cake into the oven and bake for 40 minutes rotating it halfway through. It should grow and become golden brown.
- When it is finished baking, remove it from the oven and place on a wire rack to cool for five minutes.
Finishing touches
- While the cake is cooling, combine the sugar and cinnamon to make the cinnamon sugar. Then, melt the butter.
- After the cake has cooled or 5 minutes gently, turn the cake out (be careful the pan is hot!) onto a second wire rack.
- Immediately, brush the cake with the melted butter and then sprinkle heavily with cinnamon sugar until it stops soaking in.
Coffee Cake Guglehupf
Equipment
- Stand Mixer
Ingredients
Yeasted Dough
- 200 grams ap flour
- 18 grams instant yeast 2 packets
- 225 ml milk lukewarm
Streusel
- 70 grams ap flour
- 70 grams granulated sugar
- 1 tsp cinnamon ground
- 70 grams butter softened
Creamed Dough
- 250 grams butter softened
- 50 grams almond flour
- 100 grams granulated sugar
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1 tsp cinnamon ground
- 3 eggs room temperature
- 300 grams ap flour
Topping
- 60 grams butter melted
- 50 grams granulated sugar
- 1 tsp cinnamon ground
Instructions
Yeasted Dough
- In a medium bowl, stir the ingredients for the yeasted dough together until fully combined.
- Cover the bowl and place somewhere warm to proof for 30 minutes.
Streusel
- In a medium bowl, add in all streusel ingredients.
- Use your hands or a fork to rub the butter into the dry ingredients until they have all been hydrated with the butter and the streusel is dark and will clump together.
Creamed Dough
- In the bowl of a stand mixer, add butter, sugar, almond flour, cinnamon, and salt.
- Cream together using the paddle attachment on medium/high speed until light and fluffy. About 4-5 minutes.
- Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl as well as the paddle.
- Add in all 3 eggs at once and mix on medium speed until the eggs are incorporated and the mixture is smooth and light.
- Scrape the bowl again and add in the flour. Mix again on medium/low speed until the dry ingredients are fully incorporated.
Combining Doughs
- Scoop the now proofed, yeasted dough, into the stand mixer bowl with the creamed dough.
- Use a dough hook to knead the two doughs together on medium/low speed for 10 minutes. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed.
Assemble the Gugelhupf
- Preheat the oven to 350 F or 325 F if baking convection. Place an oven rack just below the middle level.
- Line a gugelhupf or bundt pan as explained in the Tips section above.
- Scoop out 1/3 of the combined dough and place it into the prepared pan. Make sure the dough reaches all the way around and creates and smooth, flat layer.
- Sprinkle the dough in the pan with 1/2 of the streusel mix and press it gently into the dough.
- Then, add another 1/3 portion of the dough (half of what is left in the bowl) and place it around the pan, covering the streusel.
- Add on the remainder of the streusel and then top it with the remaining dough.
- Cover the gugelhupf pan with plastic wrap, a towel, or a plastic bag and place it somewhere warm to proof for 20-30 minutes.
- Check the cake starting at 20 minutes, it should only rise to 1" below the top of the pan.
Baking
- After the dough is proofed, uncover the pan and bake it in the preheated oven for 40 min, making sure to rotate it halfway through to ensure even browning.
- Once baked, remove the pan from the oven and leave it to cool for 5 minutes on a wire rack.
Finishing Touches
- While it cools, make the cinnamon sugar by stirring the cinnamon and sugar together. Then melt the butter.
- After the cake has cooled for five minutes, carefully tip it out onto a second wire cooling rack.
- Immediately brush the cake with the melted butter and then generously sprinkle with the cinnamon sugar.
Notes
Nutrition
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