Violet Tuesday & Miniature Marzipan Bundts

Around here we celebrate Veilchendienstag today which literally translates to Violet Tuesday. In other parts of the world, it is also referred to as Shrove Tuesday, Fat Tuesday, Mardi Gras, or Pancake Day. Violet Tuesday is also the day before Ash Wednesday and usually falls between February 3 and March 9.

The origins of this flowery name are not quite clear. Historians assume that the expression evolved because the day before Violet Tuesday is often referred to as Rose Monday, therefore, it was natural to be looking for a similar name with a flower in its designation.

Whatever the historic origins of the name, Violet Tuesday is not only referred to by various names but it is also observed in many different ways worldwide. But no matter what you call it in your neck of the woods, or how you celebrate today, the day before Ash Wednesday has long been a time for eating and merry making as people prepare for the long Lenten fast that begins tomorrow and covers a period of approximately six weeks before Easter Sunday.

And what better day than Violet Tuesday to be baking Miniature Marzipan Bundts with an light violet sugar icing and incredibly delicious candied violets as decoration

And to be enjoying these tiny Bundts alongside a cup of tea called Earl Grey´s Lady Violet. This is a wonderfully fragrant black tea from Darjeeling, with cornflower blossoms and natural bergamot oil to which we like to add some pretty white rock candy.

Miniature-Marzipan-Bundts

Ingredients for the Mini Bundts

• 2 eggs (L), free range or organic
• 100 grams unsalted butter, room temperature – plus some for greasing the molds
• 4 tbsp, super fine baking sugar
• 2 tsps, pure vanilla sugar
• 1/8 tsp fine sea salt
• 100 grams baking marzipan (with at least 50 % almonds – I like to use baking marzipan with 56 % almonds) - in the States marzipan or almond paste is available form the Danish company Odense here
• 4 heaping tbsps. flour (use wheat or spelt flour here) - plus some for dusting the molds

In addition

• mini Bundt baking tray (12 molds)
• a pastry brush with soft bristles
• powdered sugar
• a few drops of violet food-coloring (optional)
• candied violets (optional)

Preparation of the Mini Bundts

1. Preheat your oven to 175 °C.
2. Butter and flour your mini Bundt cake molds and shake out the excess flour. Set aside.
3. Grate the marzipan finely – if the marzipan is too soft, place it in the freezer for 15 minutes or until it is firm enough to grate easily. Bring to room temperature before continuing with the recipe.
4. Add all the ingredients except the flour to the beaker of your hand-held blender and mix together until you have a smooth batter.
5. Then add the flour and mix some more. 
6. Add the batter to a piping bag with a small nozzle and fill the moulds 2/3 full. Carefully tap the filled molds on the counter once to get rid of any air bubbles.
7. Bake the mini Bundts in your pre-heated oven for about ten to twelve minutes.
8. Transfer to a cooling rack. Let the mini cakes cool for a few minutes and then turn out onto the cooling racks. Cool completely.
9. Decorate as desired with either just powdered sugar or a sugar icing and candied violets.

These charming little cakes seem perfect for a Violet Tuesday celebration but would also make a wonderful afternoon tea treat any day. Or bring them along to your next  picnic, in your snack box, or as gifts.

Enjoy the last day of the Carnival celebrations and Happy Baking on this Violet Tuesday!