Mascarpone and Raspberry Cake
Description
Perfect with tea and coffee. Raspberry purée can be bought at the store, but choose one without sugar or with no more than 10% sugar. It can also be made from fresh or frozen berries. If everything is done correctly, the sponge will be 6 to 8 centimeters tall when measured from the side, without the raised top. The sponge can be wrapped in plastic wrap and stored in the freezer for up to one month. The cake ends up approximately 12–14 centimeters tall and weighing about 2 kilograms. Serve warm or chilled. Perfect with tea.
Instructions
- 1
Step 1
Prepare all the ingredients for the sponge cake, soaking syrup, raspberry layer, and cream.
- 2
Step 2
Break the eggs into a bowl, add 1/3 of the sugar and a pinch of salt. Beat with a mixer for one minute.
- 3
Step 3
While continuing to beat, add the sugar in portions. Beat until you have a fluffy, light mixture. This will take about 7–8 minutes. If you draw a spoon across the surface, the groove should slowly fill in.
- 4
Step 4
Combine the wheat flour with the baking powder and sift through a fine sieve. Add one-third of the flour mixture to the beaten eggs and fold gently but briefly until smooth. Add the remaining flour the same way, folding gently so the batter stays light and airy.
- 5
Step 5
Pour the milk into a saucepan and add the butter. Place the saucepan over medium heat and heat until the butter melts, to about 75 degrees.
- 6
Step 6
While gently stirring the dough, pour in the hot milk with butter in a thin stream and mix until smooth, but the dough should stay light and airy.
- 7
Step 7
Line a baking sheet with foil and set a removable pastry ring on it. Place a ring 16 centimeters in diameter and at least 10 centimeters high on sturdy foil, lift the edges, and press them tightly against the outside walls. Transfer the batter into the removable ring and place it in a hot oven. Bake the sponge cake for 35–40 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Without removing it, turn the finished sponge cake upside down onto a wire rack and cool completely. Then remove the sponge cake, wrap it in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 8 hours.
- 8
Step 8
For the raspberry layer, rub the raspberries through a fine sieve and transfer the purée to a heavy-bottomed saucepan; add the sugar. Place the saucepan over medium heat and bring to a boil. Cook, stirring, for 1–2 minutes, until the sugar dissolves.
- 9
Step 9
Dissolve the starch in cold water and, stirring the mixture, pour it into the saucepan in a thin stream.
- 10
Step 10
While stirring the purée, cook for 2 minutes until thick and the cloudiness disappears. Transfer the raspberry mixture to a piping bag, let cool, and refrigerate for 8 hours to stabilize.
- 11
Step 11
After 8 hours, remove the plastic wrap from the sponge cake and level the top by trimming off the dome. Cut the main sponge into three equal layers, each 2–2.5 cm thick.
- 12
Step 12
For the cream, heat the cream to 70°C and remove from the heat. Add the white chocolate to the cream and stir with a spatula until smooth.
- 13
Step 13
In a bowl, place the mascarpone, powdered sugar, vanilla essence, and pour in the cream with chocolate. Beat briefly on medium speed until fluffy. Transfer the cream into two pastry bags in equal portions.
- 14
Step 14
For the soaking syrup, combine the milk with the sugar, bring to a boil, remove from the heat, and cool completely. Place the springform ring on a board or base and line the inside with acetate strip. Regular plastic wrap will not work for this purpose. Place the first sponge layer inside. Divide the soaking syrup into three portions and use one portion to soak the sponge over the entire surface.
- 15
Step 15
From the first bag, spread most of the mascarpone cream onto the sponge cake and smooth it out. With the remaining cream, form a border around the edge of the sponge cake, and spread half of the raspberry filling in the center and smooth it out. Place the second sponge cake on top and repeat the layering order. Place the final sponge cake on top and soak with the remaining soaking syrup. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 8–12 hours.
- 16
Step 16
Prepare all the ingredients for smoothing the cake. Take the butter out ahead of time so it softens.
- 17
Step 17
Place the butter and powdered sugar in a bowl. Beat on medium speed until light and fluffy. Add the cream cheese and beat on low speed, preferably without the whisk attachment, until smooth, but not for long. The mixture should not incorporate too much air, or the frosting will not spread evenly. Mix the finished frosting well with a spatula until smooth and the bubbles are gone. Transfer the frosting to a piping bag and apply it to the top and sides of the cake.
- 18
Step 18
Using a pastry spatula, smooth the sides and top of the cake. Refrigerate it for two hours to set. After that, decorate the cake as you like and serve.
- 19
Step 19
Remove from the oven and serve warm or cooled.