Recipe for Kuchen, a German Dessert Cake

If you are in need of a dessert recipe for tomorrow’s Easter dinner, look no further! Our chefs at Grizzly Grill assure us their recipe for Kuchen, a German cake, is a crowd pleaser. Check out the Zoo’s blog for all the details.

Kuchen

Topping Ingredients:
1 pt. half and half
3 T flour or cornstarch 1/2 cup sugar
1 cup cultured sour cream

Topping Directions:

Mix together half and half, flour, sugar and cook until thick
Remove from heat and fold in 1 cup sour cream
Let stand [about 2 hours] until Kuchen comes out of oven

Dough Ingredients:

1-1/2 cups milk 1/2 cup sugar
2 tsp. salt
1/2 cup shortening 2 T dry yeast
1/2 cup warm water 2 eggs
7 to 7-1/2 cups flour
2 cups fruit* [apples, prunes, cherries] or use 1 can pie filling 

Dough Directions:
Heat milk, sugar, salt, and shortening until milk is lukewarm
Dissolve yeast in warm water
In separate bowl, beat eggs with fork
Add the yeast mixture to the eggs. Then add milk mixture
Add 1/2 flour and mix with spoon
Gradually add remaining flour mixing and then kneading in flour
Let rise until double about 1 to 1-1/2 hours
Pat dough in bottom of 9” x 13” x 2” cake pan

After Topping and Dough is Made:
Place cooked fruit on top of raw dough
Let rise until double in size
Bake in 350 oven for 20 to 30 minutes – Will be lightly browned and inserted knife comes out clean
Spread the prepared topping on Kuchen as soon as it is removed from oven
Sprinkle lightly with cinnamon

Keep leftovers refrigerated!

Giraffe Head Band

We all know that a giraffe’s neck is super long, but did you know they have the same number of neck bones as we do? Your child’s neck may be short, but it’s still fun to pretend it’s a bit longer with our giraffe head band and activity! 

Materials

• Ear and Ossicone (horn) template
• Yellow construction paper for head band
• Glue and stapler
• Crayons

Procedure

1. Cut and color ear and ossicones from the template.
2. Cut two stripes of yellow construction paper (long ways) and staple together to fit around head.
3. Glue ears and ossicones to the headband.
4. Add spots as a final touch