Cake
Description
Delicious baking for the whole family. The incredibly tasty and beautiful “Spiced Cherry” cake can be made almost year-round, since you can use either fresh or frozen cherries. It is straightforward to make, but it needs time for everything to turn out just right. Bake the cake layer ahead of time, and the rest is very simple. A step-by-step recipe will help you through the process. Serve warm or chilled. Perfect with tea.
Instructions
- 1
Step 1
Prepare the ingredients.
- 2
Step 2
First, prepare the sponge cake. You can do this ahead of time—for example, the day before assembling the cake. For the sponge, you will need eggs, sugar (150 grams), flour, cocoa, spice mixture, and salt.
- 3
Step 3
Preheat the oven to 180 degrees. Separate the egg whites and yolks into different bowls. To the yolks, add sugar, a pinch of salt, and spice mix. Whisk with a whisk until smooth.
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Step 4
Sift the cocoa into the egg yolk mixture and mix.
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Step 5
Beat the egg whites until light and fluffy.
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Step 6
In 2 or 3 additions, fold the egg whites into the yolk mixture. Do this gently to keep it light and airy.
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Step 7
Prepare a 20–22 cm baking tin. Grease it with butter, dust lightly with flour, and shake off the excess flour.
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Step 8
Put the dough in the pan. Place in an oven preheated to 180°C. Bake for 30–35 minutes and test doneness with a wooden skewer.
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Step 9
Cool the finished sponge cake completely.
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Step 10
It will be perfect if you let the sponge cake rest and set. To do this, wrap it tightly in plastic wrap, put it in the refrigerator for at least 4–6 hours, or leave it for up to 24 hours.
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Step 11
To make the cream, take sour cream, powdered sugar, and 250 grams of dark chocolate.
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Step 12
Whisk the sour cream with powdered sugar until fluffy.
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Step 13
Break the chocolate into pieces and melt it in a water bath or in several stages in the microwave.
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Step 14
Stir the chocolate until smooth, then cool slightly.
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Step 15
Fold the melted chocolate into the whipped sour cream.
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Step 16
Whip the chocolate cream until it is fluffy and smooth. Chill in the refrigerator for a while.
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Step 17
To make cherry syrup, take water, sugar (200 grams), cherries, vanilla extract, and a spice blend.
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Step 18
Add the sugar to a saucepan, pour in the water, add 1/2 tsp spice blend and 1/2 tsp vanilla extract. Heat, stirring until the sugar dissolves.
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Step 19
Add the cherries and simmer the syrup with the cherries for 3–5 minutes.
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Step 20
Remove the cherries from the syrup, drain the syrup separately, and cool to room temperature.
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Step 21
Cut the sponge cake layer into 3 parts.
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Step 22
Place a ring mold on the plate where you will assemble the cake. Lay the sponge layer on the bottom and soak it with syrup.
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Step 23
Spread cream on the cake layer to a thickness about the same as the layer itself. Spread half of the cherries on the cream. Use about half of the cream for the cake filling; the remaining cream will go on the sides and top of the cake.
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Step 24
Place the second cake layer, soak it with syrup, spread the cream over it, and arrange the second half of the cherries on top.
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Step 25
Soak the bottom of the third sponge layer with syrup on the table, then place it on top. Put the cake in the refrigerator to soak through and set for 2–3 hours.
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Step 26
Remove the pastry ring, spread cream on the sides and top of the cake, smooth evenly, and refrigerate for 20–30 minutes.
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Step 27
To make chocolate glaze, melt 50 grams of chocolate in a double boiler or in the microwave. Then add vegetable oil in portions (not all at once!), stirring after each addition.
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Step 28
Once you have reached the right flowing consistency—not too thin, but not too thick either—apply chocolate drips to the cake. While the chocolate is still soft, you can decorate the cake with berries or fruit, pieces of chocolate, or anything you like that you have on hand.
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Step 29
Let the chocolate glaze stabilize a little longer, and the “Spiced Cherry” cake is ready to serve. It turned out incredibly tasty and very moist, thanks to the cream and cherry soak.