German Countess Cake or Komtess Kuchen

You may have not heard about this cake, the Countess Cake or “Komtess Kuchen” in German.  We searched the history why this cake has this unusual name but could not find anything about it.
We only know that Komtess means “Countess”. The cake is a delicious combination of an orange flavored dough and chocolate. And it looks “aristocratic” indeed with the fine rectangle chocolate stripes. It is a very special cake for  your special occasion. We recommend that you are somewhat experienced with baking in order to make this cake. Happy Baking!

Ingredients Countess Cake

zest of 1 organic orange
250 g unsalted butter, soft at room temperature
175 g sugar
5 eggs
250 g flour
100 g potato starch
2 tbsp baking powder
4 tbsp Cointreau (Apricot liquor)
300 g dark or semi sweet chocolate for the glaze and filling
1 pound cake form 30 cm or 12 inches long
butter and breadcrumbs for the form

Baking Instructions Countess Cake Part I

– Wash the orange thoroughly under hot water and grate the peel. Juice it.
– Add orange zest to the butter and mix it until creamy.
– Slowly add the sugar and one egg after the other.
– Mix flour, starch and baking powder and with a spoon add it to the dough.
– Grease a rectangle pound cake form with butter and sprinkle it with bread crumbs all over.
– Fill in the dough and smooth the surface.
– Bake it in pre-heated oven for on 325 F for 50-60 minutes on lower level (use a skewer or tooth pick to test if cake is done, if no dough sticks on the pick the cake is done).

Baking Instructions Part II
– Get the cake out of the form and let it cool off for some hours to one day, so it can be cut)
– Cut the cake horizontal 5 times with a sharp knife (carefully, so it won’t break).
– Place the slices next to each other and with a spoon drip apricot liquor on each slice.
– Melt chocolate by using the double-boiler method.
– With a baking brush add the chocolate on each cake slice. Place wax paper under each slice.
– Place the slices together again until the chocolate is soft.
– Brush remaining chocolate all over the cake, and let it dry completely on a baking rack.

German Countess Cake or Komtesskuchen

Cut the cake horizontal 5 times with a sharp knife (carefully, so it won’t break).

Place the slices next to each other and with a spoon drip apricot liquor on each slice.

With a baking brush add the chocolate on each cake slice. Place baking paper under each slice.

Put the slices together again until the chocolate is soft.

Brush remaining chocolate all over the cake, and let it dry completely on a cooling rack.