Footnote, p. 171

Etymology of Kugelhupf

Though “Kugel” does indeed mean ball today the origin is more likely with “Gugel” an old word meaning a bonnet or hat. That said hupf most certainly does not mean head! Rather it means to jump.  According to the etymological dictionary first started by the Grimm brothers (yes, that was their day job) and since updated, the “ball” refers to the round shape of the mold and the “jump” to the action of the yeast on the batter.  See http://woerterbuchnetz.de/cgi-bin/WBNetz/wbgui_py?sigle=DWB&lemid=GG31881.  More recent etymologist tie the leaping to a dance where the cake may have featured.