Quark and Nut Bundt Cake

Place the oven rack in the lower third so the Gugelhupf bakes evenly.

Also grease the grooves of the pan well so the cake releases cleanly after baking.

For an even result, don't cut the pieces too large so they distribute well throughout the batter.

Make sure the bowl and whisk are completely grease-free; this makes the egg whites more stable.

Soft butter and room-temperature eggs give a particularly airy batter.

Mixing the dry ingredients first distributes the baking powder evenly and helps the cake rise better.

Don't overmix to keep the Gugelhupf tender.

Use a spatula with large folding motions to retain as much air as possible in the batter.

Tap the pan a few times on the work surface to release any air bubbles.

Near the end of baking, check with a wooden skewer: it should come out dry.

If it sticks, turn the pan gently and tap lightly—don't pull on the cake.

The pattern looks best if you sift the powdered sugar and cocoa through a fine sieve.