Guguluf (Romanian sour cherry ring cake)

Name: Guguluf (Romanian sour cherry ring cake)
Ingredients: 3 large eggs; 255 g sugar; 100 ml milk or water; 100 ml oil; 1 packet baking powder; 240 g flour; 1 teaspoon vanilla extract (optional); 1 teaspoon grated lemon zest (optional); 1 teaspoon grated orange zest (optional); 200 g pitted sour cherries; 1 teaspoon oil for the pan; 1 tablespoon vanilla-flavored powdered sugar

Dessert - Guguluf (Romanian sour cherry ring cake) by Speranta D. - Recipia

Guguluf, a Romanian sour cherry ring cake, is baked at 180°C, with the pitted fruit arranged on top of the batter. It makes a soft-crumbed sour cherry cake, denser than pancake batter, dusted with vanilla sugar once cool. I cut it into thick slices and eat it just as it is. Preparation: 15 minutes. Cooking: 45 minutes. Rest: 30 minutes. Total time: 90 minutes. Servings: 10. Approximately 320 kcal and 5 g protein per serving.

Ingredients

3 large eggs
255 g sugar
100 ml milk or water
100 ml oil
1 packet baking powder
240 g flour
1 teaspoon vanilla extract (optional)
1 teaspoon grated lemon zest (optional)
1 teaspoon grated orange zest (optional)
200 g pitted sour cherries
1 teaspoon oil for the pan
1 tablespoon vanilla-flavored powdered sugar

Preparation

1. Heat the oven to 180°C. Beat the eggs with the sugar until frothy. 2. Add the milk or water, 100 ml oil and the baking powder, then gradually mix in the flour. Finally, add the extract and grated zest if using. The batter should be smooth and a little thicker than pancake batter. 3. Grease an approximately 22 cm Bundt pan with 1 teaspoon oil. Pour in the batter, arrange the sour cherries on top and bake for 45 minutes, until nicely golden. 4. Leave the guguluf to cool gradually in the pan for 30 minutes, then dust with the vanilla sugar.

Notes

I slice it alongside a cup of black tea; the texture is like a plain cake, with sour cherries dotted through each slice. Keep it covered at room temperature and eat within 3 days; you can bake it a day ahead and dust it just before serving. For flavor, choose vanilla extract, lemon zest or orange zest. Drain fresh sour cherries well after washing; if they’re very juicy, pat them dry before arranging them on the batter. An approximately 22 cm Bundt pan gives the batter room to rise, while a smaller, deeper one may change the baking time. Cooling is the part many people rush: wait until the pan is no longer hot before turning the cake out. Contains gluten and eggs; if you use milk, it also contains dairy.