Why Sauerkraut Is The Genius Ingredient For German Chocolate Cake

Sauerkraut is nothing more than shredded cabbage that's combined with salt and left to naturally ferment. It's a traditional recipe, and yields a tangy, acidic product that is absolutely delicious piled atop your favorite hot dog, or served with classic corned beef. And if you're accustomed to finding this stuff in scenarios like these, you may stop and scratch your head when finding sauerkraut in a recipe for rich and decadent German chocolate cake.

The savory identity of sauerkraut is subverted in this application, but rest assured it's there for good reasons. No, your slices of cake won't be reminiscent of kielbasa casserole. Instead, this slightly tangy ingredient will perform a role in your recipe similar to buttermilk, bringing a touch of balancing acidity — which is a well-known flavor booster – plus a dose of moisture that makes for a tender, fluffy crumb. If you've ever enjoyed a little toasted coconut in your sweet treats, you'll also get a texture that calls that pleasant chewiness to mind. So before you turn the page in your recipe book, you may want to see what this sauerkraut cake is all about.

To put this tip to use, you can use about ¾ cup of sauerkraut per 2 cups of flour in your cake recipe, or about 1 cup for a pre-packed cake mix (13.25 ounces). You'll want to rinse and drain it well, dice it up so it can be well-integrated throughout the batter (a food processor can also be helpful here), then simply mix it in once your wet and dry ingredients are combined. From there, proceed as you typically would with your baking process.

The resulting slices may just wow your treat-seeking friends and family as is (even if you don't tell them the secret ingredient). But you can also customize your creation, adding extracts like almond to the batter for a bit of nutty flavor, topping it with sweet-tart cherries, or coating it with sweetened coconut flakes. You can ice your sauerkraut cake using store-bought frosting (which you can make extra airy with a simple addition), or whip up your own basic but foolproof whipped cream from scratch. But either way, even if you've studied everything you need to know about baking with chocolate, this spin on sweet German chocolate cake may surprise you by quickly becoming a crowd favorite.