International Recipes
French Ring Cake (Savarin)
This is traditionally served with fresh fruit in France.
Ingredients
Cake
- 1 package active dry yeast
- 1/2 cup warm water (105 to 115 degrees F)
- 3/4 cup butter, softened
- 4 eggs, beaten
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup apricot preserves
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
Savarin Syrup
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 cup water
- 1/4 cup brandy, rum or orange-flavored liqueur
Instructions
Cake
- Dissolve yeast in warm water in a 3 quart bowl.
- Stir in butter, eggs, 2 tablespoons sugar, the salt and 1 cup of the flour. Beat until smooth.
- Stir in remaining flour until smooth. Beat 25 strokes.
- Spread batter evenly in a well-greased 8 cup metal ring mold or 10-inch tube pan.
- Cover; let rise in a warm place until almost double, 50 to 60 minutes.
- Heat oven to 375 degrees F.
- Bake until golden brown, 25 to 30 minutes. If top is browning too quickly, cover loosely with aluminum foil.
- Cool in mold for 10 minutes.
- Remove from mold; cool slightly on wire rack.
Savarin Syrup
- Heat sugar and water to boiling; reduce heat. Simmer uncovered for 2 minutes; cool to lukewarm. Stir in brandy.
- Place cake on serving plate.
- Poke holes in cake with a fine skewer.
- Slowly drizzle syrup on cake until all syrup is absorbed.
- Press apricot preserves through strainer.
- Heat preserves and 2 tablespoons sugar to boiling, stirring constantly; reduce heat. Simmer uncovered until slightly thickened, 1 to 2 minutes.
- Cool for 10 minutes.
- Spread apricot glaze over cake.
- Cake can be served with fresh berries or peaches and sweetened whipped cream if desired.
Notes
Baba au Rhum
Stir 1/2 cup raisins into Savarin batter. Spread in well-greased 8- or 9-cup metal mold or 9-cup Bundt cake pan. Bake until golden brown, about 30 minutes. Use rum in the syrup and omit apricot glaze if desired.