Elegance Cake and 3 Years of Recipes!
I have made this cake several times, especially when I need a festive dessert without complicated steps. I discovered it during a very hectic time when it seemed like I had no time for anything, so I liked that I could make the layers one at a time and take care of the rest while they cool. The white chocolate decoration is not complicated and, if you organize yourself, it goes quite quickly. Every time I make it, I notice that the cake is light, not too sweet, and suitable for festive occasions. Quick Info Total time: about 2.5 hours (including cooling and decorating) Effective preparation time: 45 minutes Baking time: 3 x 15 minutes for layers Servings: 10-12 Difficulty: medium Occasion: festive cake, birthdays, anniversaries Ingredients Cake (for 3 layers): - 250 g flour - 2 tablespoons cocoa - 1 packet baking powder - 1 egg - 1 packet vanilla sugar - 175 g sugar - 250 ml lukewarm milk - 90 ml oil - 100 g chocolate (melted and then slightly cooled) - 1 vial rum essence Cream: - 450 ml liquid cream Glaze: - 200 g milk chocolate - 50 ml liquid cream Decoration: - 200 g white chocolate Syrup: - 200 ml water - sugar to taste (about 2-3 tablespoons) - rum essence Preparation Method 1. White chocolate decoration Break the white chocolate into small pieces and place them in a small bag. Submerge the bag in a bowl of warm water and let it melt completely. Cut a small corner of the bag. On a tray lined with baking paper, create shapes or simple designs – lines, circles, whatever you like. Place the tray in the fridge to harden, ideally for at least 30 minutes. 2. Whipped cream Whip the liquid cream until it is well set. Refrigerate, covered, until you use it for assembly and decoration. 3. Cake layers In a large bowl, mix the flour, cocoa, and baking powder. Add the egg, vanilla sugar, granulated sugar, oil, and lukewarm milk. Mix briefly until homogeneous. Then pour in the melted chocolate and rum essence and mix a little more. You will get a fluid mixture. Divide the batter into 3 equal parts (eyeballing is fine too). Line a 26 cm round baking pan with baking paper. Pour in the first part of the mixture and level it. Bake each layer separately at low heat (160-170°C) for 10-15 minutes. Check with a toothpick – if it comes out clean, the layer is ready. Remove the layers onto a rack and let them cool completely. Repeat with the remaining batter. 4. Syrup Put the water and sugar in a small saucepan and bring to a boil. Turn off the heat, let it cool slightly, then add rum essence to taste. 5. Assembly Place the first layer on a platter and soak it with 1/3 of the syrup. Spread an even layer of whipped cream (use about 1/3 of the total). Place the second layer, soak it, and cover with another layer of whipped cream. Add the last layer, soak it, and cover the entire cake with a thin layer of whipped cream (keep a little for decoration). Refrigerate the cake while you make the glaze. 6. Chocolate glaze Melt the milk chocolate in a bain-marie. When it is completely melted, add the liquid cream (50 ml) in several batches, mixing well after each addition. Let the glaze cool for 5-10 minutes (it should be fluid but not hot). Remove the cake from the fridge and pour the glaze over it, quickly spreading it over the entire surface and edges of the cake with a spatula. Wait a few minutes for it to set slightly. 7. Final decoration Decorate with the remaining whipped cream and the white chocolate shapes. Put everything in the fridge for at least 1-2 hours before serving, to let the layers settle. Why I make this recipe often The cake has a balanced taste, is easy to adapt to preferences, and does not require complicated techniques. It assembles quickly if you have everything prepared, and the result is consistent and not too sweet. It keeps well for 2-3 days. Tips and Variations Tips - Use natural liquid cream, not plant-based alternatives, for better taste. - Do not exceed the baking time for the layers; otherwise, they will turn out dry. - Melt the white chocolate in warm water, not hot, or it may seize. Substitutions - You can use dark chocolate in the batter if you prefer a more intense flavor. - The cream can be replaced with mascarpone cream whipped with a little cream if you want a denser cream. - The glaze can also be made with dark chocolate but will be less sweet. Variations - If you don’t have time to bake three layers, you can make a single thicker layer and cut it into three after baking, but cooling takes longer. - For decoration, use fresh fruits or nuts if you don’t want to complicate things with white chocolate. Serving Ideas - Serve the cake cold, sliced with a knife dipped in warm water. - It pairs well with coffee or a glass of cold milk. Frequently Asked Questions 1. Can I use a different size pan? Yes, but you need to adjust the baking time and the thickness of the layers. In a smaller pan, the cake will be thicker and need a few extra minutes. 2. Can the cream be sweetened? If you want it sweeter, you can add 1-2 tablespoons of powdered sugar while whipping it, but it’s fine without sugar because the glaze and the cake are already sweet. 3. Can the layers be made in advance? Yes, they can be baked a day in advance and kept in the fridge, wrapped in foil. 4. The glaze doesn’t spread well, what should I do? If the glaze thickens too quickly, add another tablespoon of liquid cream and mix to make it more fluid. 5. How do I know when the cream is whipped enough? It should be firm but not starting to curdle or become grainy. Nutritional Values Estimate for one slice (out of 12): Calories: approx 350-400 kcal Carbohydrates: 40-45 g Proteins: 5-6 g Fats: 18-20 g Values depend on the type of chocolate and how much syrup you use. It is a rich dessert but lighter than many cakes with dense creams. Storage and Reheating The cake can be stored in the fridge, covered, for up to 3 days. The layers easily absorb moisture, so the texture remains pleasant. Freezing is not recommended, and reheating is unnecessary – it is served cold. This is a festive cake, quite easy to make at home and suitable for any family celebration.
Preparation
I started with the decorations and whipped cream so that they would be just right for decorating. We break the white chocolate into pieces, put it in a bag, and immerse it in a pot of warm water until the chocolate is completely melted. We line a baking tray with parchment paper. We cut the tip of the bag and create the shapes on the parchment paper. When we are done, we put the tray in the fridge to let them harden well. We whip the cream well for a few minutes until it thickens nicely and put it in the fridge until we prepare the layers. Base: In a bowl, we mix the flour with the 2 tablespoons of cocoa and the baking powder. We add the egg, vanilla sugar, granulated sugar, oil, and warm milk and mix. We also add the chopped chocolate along with the rum essence and continue mixing until well combined. We divide the mixture into 3 equal parts and bake 3 layers. We line a round tray (26 cm diameter) with parchment paper, put the first part of the mixture, and bake it in the oven on low heat for about 10-15 minutes. We check with a toothpick. We do the same with the other 2 layers. We let them cool. They will cool immediately. (A single layer can also be made from the obtained mixture, but it will not cool as quickly as the layers.) After the layers have completely cooled, we start assembling the cake. We place the first layer on a platter, soak it with the syrup made from water, sugar, and rum essence. We add a layer of whipped cream, place the second layer, soak it as well, and add the last layer which we also soak. We cover the cake with a thin layer of whipped cream. We keep some whipped cream for decoration. Glaze: We melt the chocolate in a bain-marie and gradually pour in the liquid cream, mixing continuously until the chocolate is completely melted. We set it aside and let it cool slightly. We then cover the cake with the chocolate glaze and decorate it with the remaining whipped cream and white chocolate decorations.
Tags
Categories
Appetizers
Beverages
Celebrity chefs
Chef in the city
Children
Coffee
Conserve
Cook and smile
Culinary Games
Culinary School
Dessert
Diverse
Doughs and pastries
Drinks
Fish
Healthy Delights
International
Jakob Hausmann
Jam
Jamie Oliver
Meat
Miscellaneous
Over
Pasta/Pizza
Pickles
Plague
Salad
Sandwiches
Sauces
Savory
Season
Sezon
Slow cooking
Soups
Star Recipe
Syrup
Translated
Various
Vegan
