Šakotis

Lithuanian šakotis or raguolis ("tree cake"; literally "branchy"), Polish sękacz, Belarusian bankukha ( be, банкуха)Торт банкуху из Свислочского района могут внести в список культурного наследия
- BelTA, 30 April 2019. Quote: ''В поселке Порозово, что на самом краю Беловежской пущи, сохранили мастерство приготовления банкухи. До сих пор не известно, откуда был привезен рецепт. Похожий пирог под название сэнкач выпекают в Польше, а в Литве такой торт известен как шакотис.'' [In the village Porazava on the edge of the Bielaviezha Forest, the art of making the bankukha is still preserved. It is still unknown where the recipe came from. A similar cake called sękacz is made in Poland, while in Lithuania this cake is known as šakotis] is a Polish cuisine, Polish, Lithuanian cuisine, Lithuanian and Belarusian cuisine, Belarusian traditional spit cake. It is a cake made of butter, egg whites and yolks, flour, sugar, and cream, cooked on a rotating spit in an oven or over an open fire.

History

The cake became popular during the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth (1569–1791). Its origins are attributed to either the Polish Queen Bona Sforza or the Baltic tribe of Yotvingians. The Yotvingians, first mentioned in 5th century B.C. as ''neuri'', well known as great warriors and hunters, while Bona Sforza is known to have implemented many agriculture, infrastructure and manufacture reforms.

Its name means "branched tree" or "tree with many branches" due to its distinctive shape (it is often conical, like a pine tree, and with the drips as branches). It is baked in a time- and labor-intensive process, by painting layers of batter onto a rotating spit in a special open oven or over an open fire.

It can be decorated with chocolate and flower ornaments, but it is often served plain. ''Šakotis'' is one of the most important desserts in Lithuanian celebrations, especially at weddings or other special occasions such as Christmas. It was the sweet chosen to represent Lithuania in the Café Europe initiative of the Austrian presidency of the European Union, on Europe Day 2006.

In May 2015, in Druskininkai, Lithuania the record of the biggest šakotis was broken with height and weight.

In 2006, Masurian ''sękacz'' was included in the list of traditional products of the Warmian-Masurian Voivodeship in Poland.

In 2019, the ''bankukha'' recipe from Porazava was included in the official list of historical and cultural heritage of Belarus. In north-western Belarus, bankukha is known as a wedding cake made of 60 egg yolksГУРМАН. Что такое банкуха, и как ее приготовить
OURMET. What is a bankukha and how to make it- Minsknews.by, 16 June 2019

Other regional varieties

* Austria – ''Prügelkrapfen''
* Belarus – ''bankukha'' (derived from the German word ''Baumkuchen'' meaning "Tree cake")
* Czech Republic – '' Trdelnik''
* France – ''Gâteau à la broche''
* Luxembourg – ''Baamkuch'' has become a traditional dish served mostly on special occasions, such as weddings, christenings, etc. Yet, the cake is available all year around in certain supermarkets.
* Poland – ''Sękacz''
* Lithuania – ''Šakotis'' or ''Raguolis'' (known as Bankuchenas in Western Lithuania, the word is borrowed from German ''Baumkuchen'') is a similar cake also cooked on a spit, normally over an open fire
* Sweden – '' Spettekaka'' with the protected geographical indication (PGI) registered by the EU
* Hungary – ''Kürtőskalács'' is a similar cake also cooked on a spit
* Slovakia – '' Skalický trdelník'' with the protected geographical indication (PGI) registered by the EU
* Turkey – '' Makara tatlısı'' is a similar cake also cooked on a spit.
* Indonesia – ''Spekkoek (kue lapis legit or spekuk）'' was developed during colonial times in the Dutch East Indies. The firm-textured cake is an Indo (Dutch-Indonesian) version of the European multi-layered spit cake.

Gallery

File:Sękacz.JPG, Preparation of Sękacz in Podlachia, Poland
File:031 Baumkuchen-Sakotis, Sanok 2013.JPG, Plain, low types of soft Šakotis
File:Lithuanian Cake - Šakotis.jpg, Šakotis decorated with chocolate chips and coconut shavings
File:Šakotis.JPG, Tall Šakotis, decorated with flowers
File:Sakotis 2.jpg, The cake (center) served onto plates (right and left) showing characteristic cake layers resembling growth rings of trees

See also

* Lithuanian cuisine
* Podlaskie cuisine
* List of desserts
* List of Polish desserts
* List of spit-roasted foods

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Sakotis

Lithuanian desserts
Polish desserts
Belarusian desserts
Spit cakes