Ruehrkuchen (Stirred Cake)

Ruehrkuchen, literally stirred cake, is the everyday German cake found in home kitchens across the country. The name says it all: there is no fussy folding or whipping, you simply stir the batter together, which makes it one of the most forgiving cakes a beginner can bake.

The crumb is tender and buttery, brightened with lemon and a dash of rum, the classic German flavor pairing that keeps it from tasting plain.

What turns this simple cake into something special is the filling. The buttercream here is German-style: a thick vanilla pudding made with milk and sugar, then beaten spoonful by spoonful into softened butter. The result is lighter and less sugary than American buttercream, silky and custardy rather than cloying.

The baked cake gets sliced into layers, generously filled, and topped with the same cream. Add the pudding slowly to keep the buttercream smooth and avoid splitting.

Pro Tips

• Bring the pudding and the butter to the same cool room temperature before combining; a temperature mismatch curdles and splits the buttercream.
• Beat the pudding into the butter a spoonful at a time, fully incorporating each addition, for a smooth, silky cream.
• Let the cake cool completely before slicing and filling, or the buttercream melts.
• Zest the lemon as well as juicing it for the brightest citrus flavor in the batter.

Variations

• Use chocolate pudding for a chocolate buttercream filling.
• Add a thin layer of fruit jam between the cake and the cream.
• Dust the top with powdered sugar or cocoa instead of more buttercream.