There are probably as many variations of onion cake as there are onion slices on them. If you're in Germany, you'll quickly realize where someone is coming from when you ask them what they mean by onion cake. While the classic Swabian onion cake is baked in a round pan and in southern German cuisine the onions and bacon are fried first, people in East Germany prefer their onion cake with a raw surface and in a rectangular shape. In this article we will introduce you to recipes on how you can prepare some variations of sheet pan onion cake.
In this recipe, the onion is left raw, but the diced tofu is fried - but not for too long, otherwise it will burn in the oven. By adding a pinch of cumin, the onion cake from the tray not only becomes tastier, but also healthier.
Vegan onion cake from the tray - ingredients for the yeast dough:
- 500 g Flour
- 1.5 teaspoons active dry yeast
- 350 ml warm water
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1.5 tablespoons olive oil
Vegan onion cake from the tray – ingredients for the topping:
- 600g red onions
- 200g smoked tofu
- 1 teaspoon soy sauce
- 400 g Seidentofu
- 3 tablespoons cornstarch
- 3 tablespoons chickpea flour
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- Vegetable oil for frying
- Salt
- Pfeffer
- nutmeg
- Chives for serving
Instructions for preparing the recipe
- Add active dry yeast, sugar and warm water to the bowl of your stand mixer fitted with the dough hook attachment, stir and let the dough rest until it bubbles on the surface, about 10 minutes.
- Mix flour and salt. Gradually add the flour mixture to the yeast mixture while mixing on low speed. Once the flour is fully incorporated, add the olive oil. Mix and knead on medium speed until incorporated and a sticky dough forms, about 5-10 minutes. Cover the bowl with a kitchen towel and let the dough rest in a warm place until the dough has doubled in size, about 1 hour.
- In the meantime, peel the onions and cut them into fine rings. Finely dice smoked tofu and mix with soy sauce. Heat vegetable oil in a pan and fry the tofu for 3 – 4 minutes. It doesn't need to be super crispy as we don't want it to burn in the oven.
- Place the silken tofu, cornstarch and chickpea flour in a measuring cup and puree it with a hand blender. Season generously with salt, pepper, nutmeg and cumin. Mix the red onions, silken tofu mixture and half of the smoked tofu and stir well.
- Grease a baking tray with a little oil and put the yeast dough in it. Gently stretch it into all corners of the pan, but if you find it's difficult, let the dough rest for a few minutes and then try again. Once the dough covers the entire tray, let it rest for 10 minutes and preheat the oven to 200°C.
- Pour the onion and silken tofu mixture onto the dough and sprinkle with the remaining smoked tofu. Bake the cake at 200°C for about 40 minutes, or until the onion cake is golden brown. Serve with chopped chives.
Also read:Caramelize onions: Super easy, but incredibly tasty!
Vegetarian onion cake recipe without yeast
This vegetarian onion cake consists of simple ingredients and impresses with its unique taste.
Ingredients for the onion cakefrom the tray without yeast:
- 6 tablespoons sour cream
- 120 g Flour
- 150 g Gouda
- 90 g processed cheese
- 150 g Butter
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- 3 onions
- 2 Owner
- Salt, to taste
Vegetarian onion cake recipe – preparation:
- Knead 100 g of soft butter with 3 tablespoons of sour cream, flour, baking powder and salt into a dough.
- Using your hands, spread the dough evenly onto a greased baking sheet
- Place in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.
- Cut the onion into half rings.
- Fry the onion in a pan with butter until soft and let it cool.
- Mix the eggs with 3 tablespoons of sour cream.
- Add the melted cheese to the egg and cream mixture and mix again.
- Distribute the onions evenly over the cake.
- Pour the egg, cream and cheese mixture over the cake.
- Sprinkle the cake with coarsely grated Gouda.
- Bake the onion cake in the oven at 180°C for 35-40 minutes until golden brown.
Tipp: The onion cake from the tray can be enjoyed both warm and cold. The savory tart tastes great for breakfast, is a hearty snack or can be served for dinner.
Also read:Onion tart with puff pastry: You should definitely try this simple recipe
This is how you make Swabian onion cake from the tray
Swabian onion cake from the tray - ingredients for the yeast dough:
- 1 packet of active dry yeast
- 160 ml milk, lukewarm
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 240 g Flour
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 60g butter, at room temperature
Swabian onion cake from the tray - ingredients for the filling:
- 120 g bacon, diced (preferably smoked, lean, thick-cut)
- about 2-3 medium sized onions
- 2 tablespoons butter (for cooking the onions) + 1 tablespoon butter (for the optional topping before baking the cake)
- 1 tablespoon flour
- 2 Owner
- 120 ml heavy cream
- 1 teaspoon salt (or to taste)
- a pinch of nutmeg (optional)
- caraway seeds, to taste
Instructions for preparing the yeast dough
- In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine the yeast, sugar and about half the milk. Stir and leave to activate in a warm place. Depending on your needs, between 5 and 20 minutes.
- Attach the dough hook to the mixer and add the flour, salt and remaining milk to the activated yeast. Knead on low speed for a minute, then stop and add the butter. Knead again until a soft ball of dough forms. Cover the dough with plastic wrap and let it rise in a warm place until it has doubled in size.
- On a clean, lightly floured surface, roll out the dough into a round or rectangular shape that will fit in your baking dish.
Filling instructions
- Fry the diced bacon in a skillet over medium heat until most of the fat has been lost. Remove to a plate lined with paper towels and allow to cool. Pour the excess fat from the pan, leaving a layer or so.
- Peel and cut the onions into thin slices. In the same pan, melt 2 tablespoons butter, add the onions and fry until soft. Partially cover the pan with a lid to allow them to sweat. Once soft, add 1 tablespoon of flour, mix and continue cooking for 1 minute. Remove from heat and let cool.
- Assemble the filling only after you have rolled out the dough and are ready to place it in the baking dish.
- Preheat the oven to 200 C.
- Whisk eggs and cream in a bowl and season generously with salt. Add nutmeg if desired. Fold in the cooked onions and most of the bacon (reserving about 1 tablespoon).
- Line your baking dish with parchment paper, place the rolled out dough in it, adjusting it around the edges (how high the edges will be depends on the size of the dish), and pour in the filling. Sprinkle with caraway seeds, the reserved bacon and add a few pats of butter.
- Bake the pie for 35 to 45 minutes, until the filling is nice and cooked through and the crust is golden brown. Let the onion cake cool a little, cut it into slices and serve it warm.
Tipp: The onion cake is also an ideal picnic snack. What else you can prepare for a walk in the warm autumn days,see here!
