A plain, golden loaf cake made from equal weights of butter, sugar and eggs with a flour-and-starch mix. The cornstarch makes the crumb unusually fine and tender, so it melts on the tongue with a delicate, sandy crumble. Makes 1 loaf in about 2 hr 35 min.
Prep20 min
Cook65 min
Cooling1 hr 10 min
Total
2 hr 35 min
Servings
12
Ingredients
Adjust yield
servings
Scales from a half to a double batch; give a bigger batch a little more time.
Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Butter the loaf pan and line it with a parchment sling.
Beat the very soft unsalted butter with the granulated sugar, vanilla extract, lemon zest and salt until very pale and fluffy, 5 to 6 minutes; this long creaming gives the cake its fine crumb.
Beat in the eggs one at a time, beating about 1 minute after each so the batter stays smooth and emulsified.
Sift the all-purpose flour, cornstarch and baking powder together and fold them into the butter mixture on low speed or by hand just until no dry streaks remain.
Scrape the batter into the pan and smooth the top. Draw a shallow line lengthwise down the middle with a buttered knife so the cake splits neatly as it rises.
Bake until deep golden and a skewer inserted in the center comes out clean, 55 to 65 minutes. Cover loosely with foil after 40 minutes if the top darkens too quickly.
Cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then lift out and cool completely on a rack, about 1 hour. Dust with the powdered sugar before slicing.
Tips
All ingredients must be at room temperature, or the batter curdles and the crumb turns coarse.
Sandkuchen slices best the next day, wrapped, when the crumb has settled.
Weigh the flour and cornstarch; too much starch makes the cake dry and crumbly rather than sandy.
Good with a cup of Earl Grey tea.
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How long does it take to make sandkuchen (german sand cake)?
Plan on 20 minutes of prep and 1 hour 5 minutes of cooking, plus 1 hour 10 minutes to rest. The recipe makes 1 loaf (12 servings).
How should I store sandkuchen (german sand cake)?
Wrap tightly and keep at room temperature for up to 5 days, or freeze up to 2 months.
Can I make sandkuchen (german sand cake) ahead?
It is at its best the day it is made; prepare it a few hours before serving.
Can I use a different form of vanilla?
Yes. This recipe uses 1 tsp vanilla extract (5 ml). Each teaspoon of pure vanilla extract can be swapped for 1 teaspoon of vanilla bean paste, the seeds of half a vanilla bean, or 1/2 teaspoon of vanilla powder. Paste and seeds add the classic dark specks.
Serve it with a cup of Earl Grey tea.
Variations
Orange-zest version: replace the lemon zest with 2 tsp (4 g) finely grated orange zest; bake time unchanged.
Chocolate glaze: instead of powdered sugar, cover the cooled cake with 3.5 oz (100 g) melted dark chocolate mixed with 1 tsp (5 g) neutral oil.
Individual portions: bake in 12 paper-lined muffin cups for 20 to 25 minutes, until a skewer comes out clean.
Rum-scented: replace the vanilla extract with 1 tbsp (15 ml) dark rum.
Estimated · per serving
Nutrition
Per serving = 1 of 12 servings this recipe makes.
307Calories / serving
16.9gFat
35.8gCarbs
3.3gProtein
19.7gSugar
Whole recipe (12 servings):
~3684 cal ·
203g fat ·
430g carbs ·
40g protein ·
236g sugar
Estimated values per serving, calculated from standard ingredient data. Not verified Nutrition Facts; actual values vary with brands, measurements, and preparation.
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