Frankfurter Wreath Cake

5 from 1 vote

Prep Time45

Cook Time1

Total Time2 45

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: German

Servings: servings

Calories: 681kcal

1 16 oz white cake mix I used Betty Crocker Super Moist + cake mix required ingredients
2 Tbsps rum or liqueur of your choice I used Amaretto
zest of 1 lemon optional

1 13 oz jar cherry preserves or other seedless jam/jelly
1 3 oz pkg vanilla pudding & pie filling
1 ¼ cups unsalted butter room temperature
¼ cup + 2 Tbsps rum or liqueur divided (use whatever you used in the cake batter)
1 cup icing sugar
14 whole, pitted cherries I used frozen Black Cherries

Spray a tube pan or layer pans with cooking spray. 3 layers is classic but you can do 2 layers. Fit bottom(s) with parchment paper.
Make cake according to manufacturer's instructions but replace 2 Tbsps of liquid called for with 2 Tbsps rum or liqueur of your choice. Stir in the lemon zest and mix well. Bake cake for the format you have chosen according to manufacturer's directions.
Allow cake to cool. If using a tube pan cut the cake into 3 equal layers.

Lay parchment paper on a sheet pan.
Crumble the almond slices roughly with a rolling pin. Spread nuts over a metal pie plate and toast in a 350 degree oven for about 7 minutes until they are golden. Allow nuts to cool while you make the caramel syrup.
Melt butter in a non-stick pot and add sugar and water. Cook over medium high heat, stirring constantly until the mixture is golden. Stir in nuts.
When mixture is golden brown pour out onto the parchment paper and allow to cool. When cool, break it up into fine crumbles.

Make the pudding with the 2 ¾ cups milk (slightly less than what is called for on the package) according to the manufacturer's instructions. I cooked mine in the microwave for about 8 minutes, stirring after every minute, until it was thick.
Cover the pudding with plastic wrap pressed directly on to the surface so it doesn't form a skin. Allow pudding to cool to room temperature. Set your bowl inside a larger bowl of ice or cold water if you want to speed it up. Stir periodically.
Beat the butter and icing sugar until blended and add the ¼ cup of rum or liqueur. Add the cooled pudding 1 spoonful at a time, beating all the while.
Cut the cake into 3 layers if using a tube pan. Spread the cherry preserves on the bottom layer of the cake. Top with the next layer. Transfer about ½ a cup of butter cream to a piping bag with a large tip and reserve. Spread ½ the remaining butter cream over the second layer. Place the top layer of the cake. Spread the remaining butter cream evenly over the top and sides as well as the inside hole if you used a tube pan.
Sprinkle the top and sides of the cake with the Krokant. Pipe 12 rosettes of butter cream evenly around the top of the cake. Place 1 cherry in each rosette.
Keep cake chilled until ready to cut and serve.

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