I need a completely wow-tastic cake recipe for my friend's memorial service :(

[Jacksmania]

Lovely friend passed away yesterday. JM promises not to start sniffling again. Memorial service next Tuesday. We've been asked if we could bring some baking for the reception after.

I need a fantastic cake recipe. Something that can be sliced and eaten by hand with just a napkin for crumbs (so no crumbles or stuff that needs a plate and fork).

Does anyone have a mind-blowingly awesome cake recipe?
My friend was originally from the north of Germany, so something from that area might be nice, but not mandatory. And fantastic cake will do.

Thanks in advance. .

You could do an apple and cinammon cake, maybe? I don't have a recipe though, sorry - I tend to just make them up.

Otherwise, Nigella's Guinness Cake is awesome.

So sorry to hear about your friend.

Apple cake would seem the obvious candidate, if you have apples. I have never done an actual German one, but there is an apple cake recipe (adapted from a Mary Berry one) which I posted in recipes which could pass as German if there are not too many actual Germans there and meets your other criteria.

Does anyone have a wicked marble cake recipe?

I think Nigella might have a marble cake recipe in 'Feast' but tbh, I find marble cake a bit dry and uninspiring.

Do you know anyone currently making a german friendship cake? It's a really nice idea, but you'd need to have started it already - we seem to get one at least once every three months.

You feed the mix for ten days, then split into 4, cook one and share the rest out to three friends to do the same, you could all keep it going in her memory.

I don't have any good recipes, but I'm sorry about the loss of your friend.:(

Mary Berry marble cake

So sorry to hear you lost your pal

OP I think you are looking for Kugelhopf. I have never made it myself but there are lots of recipes online.

Sorry to hear of your loss. Some yummy German cakes are:
Donauwelle - we made this on Sunday and it was fab, will link recipe tomorrow as on IPod now.
Kaesekuchen - baked cheesecake, possibly with cherries in.
Apfelstreuselkuchen - a pastry base with apple filling and crumbly mixture on top
Sacher torte - a very rich dark chocolate cake.
Maulwurfkuchen - make round chocolate cake and hollow out, keep crumbs. Fill chocolate base with whipped cream and make a mound, then crumble chocolate cake crumbs over cream. Name means mole cake and it should look like a molehill.
Sorry once more, recipes will follow.

Thanks Darrowby and everyone, also for your condolences. It's been such a tough couple of days. She was lovely mum with two little girls :(:(:(:( - ack, better not, I'll start dripping again :(

Oops, just re-read my OP - any fantastic cake recipe will do.

Oh, jacksmania, it's terrible when that happens . A death is always awful, but when it's a parent of small children...

Here's the promised Donauwelle recipe - it's basically a cake mixture on the bottom, first light then dark, then a jar of cherries on top (not glace cherries) and baked for 40 minutes, then a custardy creamy mixture over it and set in the fridge, then a choccy layer on top and you make wave shapes in the choc with a fork (the name means Danube Wave), then set. It's truly scrumptious.

Here's the Apfelstreuselkuchen - apple tart with a crumb topping.

Here's the Maulwurfkuchen - the molehill cake. Might be nice for those poor little girls

And even the BBC has a recipe for Sachertorte. It's a very rich, dark chocolate cake from Vienna.

I hope one of those might appeal - if there are German relatives around they will certainly be familiar with all of them. I think it's a lovely gesture, and I wish you lots of strength for getting through it.