Note: In general the recipes in this section call for Basic Sponge Cake, Chocolate Sponge Cake, or Meringue Cake. This is why the recipes for these types of cakes are placed at the top of this section

1. Basic Sponge Cake

Ingredients:

• 1 cup of flour

• 3/4 cup of sugar

• 5 large eggs

• 1 tablespoon of unsalted butter for greasing the form

• Unflavored breadcrumbs for sprinkling the form

 

Note: You can use an 8-inch or 9 ½-ich spring form pan. You can also use or a large flat pan (approximately 14-inch x 14-inch), depending on the cake you want to make. For example: for a small cake, cut into three layers, use 8” diameter form, for a larger cake cut into two layers use 9 ½” diameter form. For a roulade cake, use a large, flat baking pan. 

 

Preparation:

Step 1:

Separate egg whites from yolks.

Prepare a spring form pan by greasing it with a thin layer of butter and sprinkling it with a thin layer of unflavored breadcrumbs.

 

Step 2: In a mixer whip egg whites until stiff. Then add gradually sugar while continue running the mixer at a medium speed. It is very important to add sugar gradually in small portions. Add approximately 4 tablespoons of sugar at 4 minutes intervals, depending on the speed of the mixer. If you add sugar too quickly, the mass will become too liquidy.

 

Step 3: In a separate bowl whip yolks just to turn them into a uniform mass. Gently fold yolks and flour into the whipped whites. Transfer the mass to the prepared baking form, smooth the top. Bake in oven preheated to 350°F. Put it on the middle rack for about 40 to 45 minutes until golden.

 

2. Chocolate Sponge Cake 

 Ingredients:

• 2/3 cup of flour

• ¾ cup of sugar

• 5 eggs

• 1/3 cup of unsweetened cocoa (good quality such as Dutch Droste or Van Houten)

• 1 tablespoon of unsalted butter for greasing the form

• Unflavored breadcrumbs for sprinkling the form

 

Note: You can use an 8-inch, or 9 ½-ich , 10 ½-ich spring form pan. You can also use or a large flat pan (approximately

14-inch x 14-inch), depending on the cake you want to make. For example: for a small cake, cut into three layers, use 8” diameter form, for a larger cake cut into two layers use 9 ½” diameter form. For a roulade cake, use a large, flat baking pan.

 

Preparation:

Step 1:

Separate egg whites from yolks.

Prepare a spring form pan by greasing it with a thin layer of butter and sprinkling it with a thin layer of unflavored breadcrumbs.

 

Step2:

In a mixer whip egg whites until stiff. Then gradually add sugar while continue running the mixer at a medium speed. It is very important to add sugar in small portions. Add approximately 4 tablespoons of sugar at 4 minutes intervals, depending on the speed of the mixer. If you add sugar too quickly, the mass will become too liquidy.

 

Step 3:

In a separate bowl whip yolks just to turn them into a uniform mass. Gently fold yolks and flour into the whipped whites. At the end gently fold sifted cocoa powder. Transfer the mass to the prepared baking form, smooth the top. Bake it in oven preheated to 350°F. Put it on the middle rack for about 40 to 45 minute

 

3. Meringue

 

Ingredients:

• 1 ½ cups of sugar

• 8 egg whites

• Powdered sugar for sprinkling the pan

• Parchment paper

 

Note: This recipe can be used for making flat cake panels used for merengue mocha round cake or for merengue raspberry nests or hearts.

 

Preparation:

Step 1:

In a mixer at a medium speed whip egg whites until stiff. Gradually add sugar in small quantities. Make sure all sugar is well dissolved in the mass before adding another portion of sugar. Add approximately 4 tablespoons of sugar at 4 minutes intervals, depending on the speed of the mixer. This is very important and needs to be followed strictly; otherwise the merengue will be too soft and chewy. For mocha or other merengue cakes use rectangular shaped panels baked in rectangular pans.

 

Step 2:

Spread the mass evenly in two rectangular baking pans layered with a parchment paper and sprinkled with powdered sugar. The layer should be approximately 1” thick. For merengue nests or hearts, the mass should be formed with a pastry bag into the desired shape. Bake the meringue in oven preheated to 220°F. Put it on the middle rack and bake for approximately 6 hours. The mass has to be hard when touched. The nests or hearts usually require less time, approximately 4 hours.

 

4. Mocha Meringue Cake

 

Note: This recipe is for a small 8” diameter cake. You can increase the amount of ingredients proportionally for larger size cake. For a medium size 9 ½” add another half of ingredients; for a large 10 ½” diameter cake double the amount of ingredients.

 

Ingredients: 

For meringue:

• 1 ½ cups of sugar

• 8 egg whites

• Powdered sugar for sprinkling the pan

• Parchment paper

 

For cream:

• 24 tablespoons of unsalted butter

• 1/2 cup of heavy whipping cream

• 3 egg yolks

• ½ to ¾ cup of powdered sugar 

• 1 package of vanilla sugar (8g/0.28 oz.) vanilla flavor extract

• 1/3 cup of very strong espresso

• 1 teaspoon of ground coffee

• 2 teaspoons of cocoa

• 2 tablespoons of dark rum

• A few drops of rum flavor

 

For decoration:

• 1 cup of heavy whipping cream

• 2 teaspoons of powdered sugar

• ¼ teaspoon of vanilla sugar or couple of drops of vanilla flavor extract

• Fresh raspberries, blueberries, kiwi, canned mandarins

• ¼ teaspoon of ground coffee

 

Preparation:

Step 1: Cake

Make merengue according to Recipe 3 Meringue. Form two rectangular shaped cakes.

 

Step 2: Cream Filling

Prepare a very strong espresso and cool it. Whip egg yolks, powdered sugar, and vanilla sugar in a mixer until mixture turns white. Use medium high speed.

Slowly add pieces of softened butter and continue mixing until the mixture is uniform and fluffy.

Gradually add cold whipping cream in small amounts and continue mixing. Add slowly in small portions cold espresso coffee. It is very important to do this slowly; otherwise the liquid will separate from butter. At the end add rum, rum flavor, cocoa and ground coffee.

If the cream is a little bit loose, put it in the refrigerator for a couple of hours.

 

Step 3: Making Round Cake   

Cut merengue cake into approximately 2”x 2” pieces. They do not have to be even. Place one layer of the merengue pieces in the spring form pan. Put a layer of mocha cream on the on the top of the merengue layer. Using a decorating spatula press the cream into all the spaces between the merengue pieces.

Put another layer of the merengue pieces and then the layer of the cream and again press it very tight. Repeat this to fill up the spring form to the top.

To finish it off, spread a thin layer of the cream and smooth it out with a decorating spatula. Put it in the refrigerator overnight.

 

Step 4: Finishing and Decorating

With a knife dipped in warm water, cut the cake around and remove the band. For serving you can keep the cake on the bottom part of the spring form pan. If you want you can transfer the cake to a serving plate. Make sure the cake is very cool, put underneath two wide spatulas and transfer it carefully to the serving dish.

Wash and drain the fruit selected for decoration.

Whip cream with powdered sugar and vanilla sugar. Decorate the cake with whipped cream using a pastry bag.

Arrange the fruit according to your desire and sprinkle the cake with ground coffee.

 

5. Raspberry Meringue Nests

Ingredients:

For meringue:

• 1 ½ cups of sugar

• 8 egg whites

• Powdered sugar for sprinkling the pan

• Parchment paper

 

For cream filling:

• 2 cups of raspberries and a few for decoration

• ¾ cup of powdered sugar

• 1 cup of heavy whipping cream

• 1½ small packages of unflavored gelatin (10 - 12 g)

• 1 package of vanilla sugar (8g/0.28 oz.) or a few drops of vanilla flavor extract

 

 

Note: This recipe is good for 14 to 16 nests  

 

Preparation:

Step 1: Meringue Nests or Hearts

 

Use Recipe 3 Merengue to prepare merengue cake. Shape nests or hearts with a pastry bag.

 

Step 2: Cream Filling

Mix raspberries with powdered sugar and vanilla sugar in a mixer on low speed.

Dissolve gelatin by first soaking it in a small amount of cold water and then warming it up and mixing with a spoon until uniform liquid is obtained.

In a separate bowl whip cream in a mixer.

Add the gelatin into raspberries mixture and mix it thoroughly with a spoon. Then gently fold into the mixture whipped cream. Put the cream in the refrigerator until it starts settling but is not completely solid. At that moment you can start using the cream for decorating hearts and nests. 

 

Step 3: Finishing and decorating

Fill in the nests or hearts with the cream using a pastry bag. Decorate with raspberries and mint leaves.

 

6. Strawberry or raspberry cake

 

Note: Portion for small cake 8” basic sponge cake

 

Ingredients: 

As for Basic sponge cake:

• 1 cup of flour

• ¾ cup of sugar

• 5 large eggs

• Butter for greasing the form

• Unflavored breadcrumbs for sprinkling the form

 

For cream filling:

• 24 tablespoons of unsalted butter

• 3 egg yolks

• ½ cup of heavy whipping cream

• Vanilla sugar (8g/0.28 oz.) or a few drops of vanilla flavor extract

• 1 cup of raspberries or strawberries cut into pieces

 

For moistening the cake:

• 1 cup of water

• Lemon juice squeezed from one lemon

• 1 teaspoon of sugar

• 1 tablespoon of white rum (optional)

 

For decoration:

• 1 cup of heavy whipping cream

• 3 tablespoons of powdered sugar

• 1/2 teaspoon of vanilla sugar or a few drops of vanilla flavor extract. 

 

Preparation:

Step 1: Cake

Use Recipe Basic Sponge Cake

 

Step 2: Cream Filling

Mix egg yolks, powdered sugar, and vanilla sugar in a mixer until the mixture turns white. Use medium speed.

Slowly add pieces of softened butter and continue mixing until the mixture is uniform and fluffy. Gradually add cold whipping cream in small amounts and continue mixing.

Gradually add raspberries or strawberries, a few at a time.

It is very important to add fruit slowly because released juice might cause the mixture to separate. If the mixture starts separating, add more butter and keep mixing until the mass gets smooth again.

 

Step 3: Finishing and Decorating

Cut the cake alongside in three even layers. For the bottom layer use the top of the cake and for the top layer use the bottom.

Mix together all the ingredients for moistening the cake. Divide your cream filling in three parts: two equal parts and one smaller part that will be used for decoration.

Moisten the bottom layer of the cake and spread the first layer of the cream filling, smooth it out and put the middle layer of the cake. Moisten the middle layer and spread the cream filling on it. Moisten the top layer of the cake (the side that is cut) and cover the cake. Make sure that all the layers lined up and adjust them gently if needed. Spread the cream on the sides and the top, smooth out the surfaces with a decorating spatula.

Whip the cream, rinse and dry the fruit 

Decorate the cake with whipped cream and fresh fruit.