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–+ servings

Donauwellen Cake

A traditional sheet cake that is popular in both Germany and Austria. It has been called several different names: Danube waves, or Schneewittchenkuchen, Snow White cake, and Schneewittchentorte, referring to the color scheme of black, white and red, as in the character of Snow White in the Brothers Grimm's fairy tale.
This cake consists of several layers forming "waves" if you will as they are layered. It is made with two layers of pound cake: vanilla and then a chocolate later. This pound cake layer is then covered in well drained and pitted sour cherries. Then the cherry layer has the buttercream pudding mix poured and smoothed out on top of it.
Finally the melted chocolate is poured on top of it and smoothed and if you have time before it sets up to create a wave pattern in the chocolate with a fork or something similar.
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Prep Time 3 hours
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 3 hours 30 minutes
Course Dessert
Cuisine German
Servings 16 servings
Calories 440 kcal

Equipment

  • 1 Stand mixer or hand mixer
  • 1 Small mixing bowl
  • 2 medium to large mixing bowls
  • 1 Casserole dish (I used a 10.5" x 14.75")

Ingredients
  

Buttercream pudding layer

  • 3.4 oz vanilla pudding mix
  • 2¼ c milk (separated)
  • 1½ sticks butter
  • 2 T sugar
  • 1 t vanilla extract

Cake batter

  • 3 c flour
  • a pinch salt
  • 2 tsp baking powder
  • 4 Eggs
  • 1 c granulated sugar
  • 1 t vanilla extract
  • ¾ c vegetable oil
  • ¾ c milk
  • 1 Tbsp cocoa powder
  • 1 Tbsp milk
  • 2 cans pitted, drained canned sour cherries or 2 cups

Chocolate glaze layer

  • 7 oz semi-sweet dark chocolate (crumbled, shredded, melting wafers)
  • 1 oz coconut oil/coconut fat

Instructions
 

Buttercream pudding layer

  • In a small bowl mix the pudding, sugar and 2 Tbsp of milk together.
  • Pour the rest of the milk in a saucepan over medium heat and bring to a low boil.
  • Remove from the heat and add the pudding powder mix and return to the heat stirring until well combined.
  • Heat until the pudding mixture thickens and then pour from the saucepan into a bowl.
  • Cover the pudding with cling wrap directly on to the pudding. No air between the cling wrap and the pudding and set aside to cool completely.

Cake Batter

  • Mix four, salt, and baking powder in a bowl and stir and set aside.
  • With the stand mixer or hand mixer whip the 4 eggs and sugar for 4 minutes.
  • Add in the vanilla and oil and then add in 1/3 of the flour mix followed by half of the milk.
  • Then another 1/3 of the flour mix and the last half of the milk and finally the last 1/3 of the flour mix.
  • Pour half of the batter into a lightly greased casserole dish and spread evenly.
  • Stir in 1 Tablespoon of milk and 1 Tablespoon of cocoa powder and mix until well combined.
  • Pour the chocolate cake mix over the vanilla cake mix.
  • Cover the cake mix layers with the pitted and drained cherries and bake at 350 deg. F for 25 - 30 minutes.
  • Remove from the oven and cool completely.

Back to Buttercream pudding mixture

  • Now that the pudding mix has cooled completely we can finish it up.
  • Whip the room temperature butter in your mixer and add in the cooled pudding mix. Blend it together completely and chill until the cake is cooled completely.

Back to the cake

  • Once the cake has cooled completely, pour on the pudding layer and smooth over the cake.

Chocolate glaze layer

  • Melt your chocolate in either a double boiler, fondue pot, or microwave and stir in the coconut oil.
  • Pour over the cake, spread out, and if you have time before it hardens use a fork and draw waves in the chocolate.
  • Let the chocolate layer harden completely before serving.

Notes

The total time is an estimation since too of the steps require parts of the cake to cool completely before moving on to the next step. The only baking time is 25-30 minutes but the pudding is cooked and also is required to cool completely. 
**NUTRITIONAL DISCLAIMER The nutritional information shown is an estimate, and is determined from online calculators. 

Nutrition

Serving: 1servingCalories: 440kcalCarbohydrates: 46gProtein: 5gFat: 28gSaturated Fat: 13gPolyunsaturated Fat: 7gMonounsaturated Fat: 7gTrans Fat: 0.4gCholesterol: 28mgSodium: 179mgPotassium: 105mgFiber: 2gSugar: 25gVitamin A: 342IUVitamin C: 0.01mgCalcium: 94mgIron: 1mg
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