Herman The German Christmas Cake
You must try this amazing sour-dough cake. Based on the Herman the German Friendship cake- this is my festive twist on the old recipe. The original calls for you to split the starter mix amongst friends and share the love, which very much encapsulates the Christmas spirit to my mind, so I have kept that instruction in there.
Serves: Minimum 12
Prep: 20 Mins (+10 days!)
Cooking Time: 1-2hours
Ready In: 2 Hours
Herman Starter Mix:
- 1 packet instant yeast (7g)
- 55ml warm water
- 150g plain flour
- 225g caster sugar
- 275ml warm milk
For the cake
- 1 Herman the German Starter Mix
- 225g Caster Sugar
- 300g Self-Raising Flour
- 160ml Sunflower Oil
- 2 Large Eggs
- 2 tsp Vanilla Extract
- 2 Cooking Apples, peeled, cored and cut into small chunks
- 100g Raisins
- 100g Cranberries
- 1/2 tsp Mixed Spice
- 1 1/2 tsp Cinnamon
To Make the Starter Mix
- Mix 1 packet yeast with 55ml warm water. Then add 150g plain flour, 225g caster sugar, and 275ml warm milk . Cover with a clean cloth, and leave 24 hours. Then start a 10 day cycle.
- DAY 1, 2 & 3: Stir every day and keep covered.
- Day 4: Feed Herman! Add 150g plain flour, 225g sugar and 240ml milk and stir.
- Day 5,6,7,8: Stir every day and keep covered.
- Day 9: Feed Herman Again: Add 150g plain flour, 225g sugar and 240ml milk and stir.
- Day 10: Split your mix into 4 eqqual pieces. Donate 3 to other families so they can start their own 10 day cycle and cook your Herman cake (or donate 2, keep one for another 10 day cycle and still cook one Herman!)
To Make the Cake:
- Add all your ingredients to a mixing bowl and stir until thoroughly combined. Pour into a lined 25cm cake tin.
- Bake in the oven at 170C/Fan150/Gas3 for 45 minutes, cover with some foil and continue to bake until cooked. My Herman took about an extra 45 minutes, but check after 20minutes with a skewer. If it comes out clean it is cooked.
- Leave to cool in the tin slightly before turning out onto a wire rack to cool completely. Dust with icing sugar if you want.
Method
To Make the Starter Mix
- Mix 1 packet yeast with 55ml warm water. Then add 150g plain flour, 225g caster sugar, and 275ml warm milk . Cover with a clean cloth, and leave 24 hours. Then start a 10 day cycle.
- DAY 1, 2 & 3: Stir every day and keep covered.
- Day 4: Feed Herman! Add 150g plain flour, 225g sugar and 240ml milk and stir.
- Day 5,6,7,8: Stir every day and keep covered.
- Day 9: Feed Herman Again: Add 150g plain flour, 225g sugar and 240ml milk and stir.
- Day 10: Split your mix into 4 eqqual pieces. Donate 3 to other families so they can start their own 10 day cycle and cook your Herman cake (or donate 2, keep one for another 10 day cycle and still cook one Herman!)
To Make the Cake:
- Add all your ingredients to a mixing bowl and stir until thoroughly combined. Pour into a lined 25cm cake tin.
- Bake in the oven at 170C/Fan150/Gas3 for 45 minutes, cover with some foil and continue to bake until cooked. My Herman took about an extra 45 minutes, but check after 20minutes with a skewer. If it comes out clean it is cooked.
- Leave to cool in the tin slightly before turning out onto a wire rack to cool completely. Dust with icing sugar if you want.
Ingredients
Herman Starter Mix:
- 1 packet instant yeast (7g)
- 55ml warm water
- 150g plain flour
- 225g caster sugar
- 275ml warm milk
For the cake
- 1 Herman the German Starter Mix
- 225g Caster Sugar
- 300g Self-Raising Flour
- 160ml Sunflower Oil
- 2 Large Eggs
- 2 tsp Vanilla Extract
- 2 Cooking Apples, peeled, cored and cut into small chunks
- 100g Raisins
- 100g Cranberries
- 1/2 tsp Mixed Spice
- 1 1/2 tsp Cinnamon
Additional Information
This does need a bit of TLC over several days, but it is worth it I promise, and the kids will love having a 'pet cake' living on the side! We started making this in my office years ago, based off an old recipe someone had found online, and even the adults loved the task of sharing the starter mix.
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