It may be true that eggs and spices are not common in “traditional” stolle today, but in some earlier recipes both are present. It may be that post-wartime shortages in Europe meant that some ingredients were added or left out and stayed that way, or simply reflect today’s more economical bakery production.

Though the inclusion of the rye flour batter is mine, I tried to keep the other ingredients close to the older recipes I have. My reference was J. M. Weber’s “250 Konditorei-Spezialitäten, und wie sie entstehen” (1934) an encyclopaedic volume that focus primarily on German baking. Weber was based in Dresden (but appears to have been world-renowned as his books appeared in English, Spanish and French). The other reference was Adolf Heckmann’s “Neus Grosses Konditoreibuch” (1951)

Weber’s recipes for the Christstollen and Rosinenstollen both contain “30g Stollengewürz”, which he makes from 30g muskatblüte (mace), 15g Kardamom, 15g geriebene Tonkabohnen (grated tonka bean), and 100g Vanillazuker, but no eggs. In Heckmann’s two recipes for Rosinenstollen one contains eggs but no spices, the other spice (mace) and eggs, and the last, Stollen auf Lebziger Art, doesn’t contain eggs or spices. My guess is that Weber was inferring, by the use of the term “Stollengewürz” that there was some general understanding amongst German bakers as to what that meant and that by giving his recipe he was suggesting that there were other opinions as to what constituted “Stollengewürz”.

Dan

About spices I don’t know. Wikipedia doesn’t mention them (for what it’s worth). I do keep reading about one thousand and one varations on “Stollengewürz” (Stollen spize), which rather adds to my confusion.