Prăjitura furnicuță, Romanian wafer-sheet cake

Name: Prăjitura furnicuță, Romanian wafer-sheet cake
Ingredients: 4 eggs; 4 tablespoons sugar; 3 tablespoons ground walnuts; 2 tablespoons flour; 1/8 teaspoon salt; 5 eggs; 5 tablespoons sugar; 3 tablespoons poppy seeds; 3 tablespoons flour; 1/8 teaspoon salt; 250 g butter; 10 tablespoons sugar; 9 egg yolks; 1 teaspoon vanilla essence; 1 tablespoon grated orange zest; 5 tablespoons water; 2 wafer sheets measuring 20 × 28 cm

Dessert - Prăjitura furnicuță, Romanian wafer-sheet cake by Patricia D. - Recipia

Prăjitura furnicuță is a Romanian cake layered between two wafer sheets, with poppy seed and walnut sponge layers. Buttercream with egg yolks, vanilla and orange zest holds them together, and the cut surface looks dotted with tiny specks. For the meringue, I wait until I can’t feel any sugar crystals between my fingers before adding the flour. Preparation: 45 minutes. Cooking: 44 minutes. Rest: 180 minutes. Total time: 269 minutes. Serves: 12. Approximately 340 kcal and 6 g protein per serving.

Ingredients

For the walnut sponge

4 eggs
4 tablespoons sugar
3 tablespoons ground walnuts
2 tablespoons flour
1/8 teaspoon salt

For the poppy seed sponge

5 eggs
5 tablespoons sugar
3 tablespoons poppy seeds
3 tablespoons flour
1/8 teaspoon salt

For the cream

250 g butter
10 tablespoons sugar
9 egg yolks
1 teaspoon vanilla essence
1 tablespoon grated orange zest
5 tablespoons water

For assembly

2 wafer sheets measuring 20 × 28 cm

Preparation

1. Separate the whites from 4 eggs and set the yolks aside for the cream. Beat the whites with 1/8 teaspoon salt, then gradually add the 4 tablespoons sugar. Once the crystals have dissolved and the foam forms stiff peaks, gently fold in the sifted flour and ground walnuts. 2. Line a 20 × 28 cm pan with parchment paper. Spoon in the mixture, level it out and bake the sponge in a preheated oven at 180°C for 18 minutes, until lightly golden. 3. Separate the whites from the remaining 5 eggs and set the yolks aside for the cream. Beat the whites with 1/8 teaspoon salt, gradually fold in the 5 tablespoons sugar, then gently add the sifted flour and poppy seeds. Spread the mixture in the same pan lined with parchment and bake for 18 minutes at 180°C, until lightly golden. 4. Beat the softened butter until creamy. Mix the 9 egg yolks with 10 tablespoons sugar and 5 tablespoons water in a double-bottomed pan. Cook over low heat for 8 minutes, stirring continuously, until the mixture thickens like pudding. 5. Leave the yolk cream to cool for 60 minutes. Add the vanilla essence and orange zest, then gradually beat it into the butter at low speed. 6. Place a wafer sheet on a tray and spread a third of the cream over it. Turn the poppy seed sponge over onto the cream, top side down, then peel off the parchment paper. Spread another third of the cream over it, place the walnut sponge on top in the same way and peel off the paper. Spread the remaining cream over the sponge, then cover with the second wafer sheet. Trim any edges that extend beyond the sheets. 7. Place a weight on top and leave the cake for 120 minutes, so the sheets stick to the cream. Cut into portions with a thin, very sharp knife.

Notes

Slice it thinly and serve with black coffee; the cut surface is reminiscent of a layered cake, but here the poppy seed and walnut specks remain visible. The 20 × 28 cm pan keeps the sponge layers the right size for the wafer sheets. I choose finely ground walnuts, with no large pieces, and smell the poppy seeds first: if they smell bitter, I don’t use them. I grate only the orange part of the peel, since the white layer can make the cream bitter. I don’t rush the sugar in the meringue; if any crystals remain, the sponge surface can become sticky. I don’t cut short the cream’s cooling time either: the butter incorporates more easily when the mixture is no longer warm. For a change, the three tablespoons of walnuts can be replaced with three tablespoons of ground hazelnuts. Contains eggs, gluten, nuts and dairy. Covered and kept in the refrigerator, it will keep for up to three days.

Frequently asked questions

Can I use chopped walnuts instead of ground walnuts?

Yes, if you chop them finely, into pieces about 2 mm in size. Larger pieces make the sponge less even.

Why did the cream split?

The butter and yolk mixture may be at very different temperatures. Warm the outside of the bowl gently between your hands and beat again for 30 seconds at low speed.

Can I bake the sponge layers a day ahead?

Yes. Once cooled, keep each sponge layer covered and separate for no more than 24 hours before assembling.