Giulia Cake
When I need a cake that I can make without any hassle, but that looks good when cut on a platter, I often return to this Giulia cake. I especially prefer it when I have plain biscuits, jam, and a bit of whipped cream at home. I combine the biscuit, cocoa sponge, and the two creams with little effort. It can be easily adapted based on what I have on hand.
Quick Info
Total time: approx. 3 hours (including cooling the cake in the fridge)
Preparation time: 40 minutes
Baking time: 20 minutes
Servings: 12 slices (medium-sized tray)
Difficulty: easy
Recipe type: cake with biscuits and cream, suitable for homemade dessert
Ingredients
Sponge:
4 eggs
4 tablespoons flour
4 tablespoons cocoa
100 g sugar
1 packet baking powder
2 tablespoons oil
Biscuits:
500 g plain biscuits
Cream 1:
250 ml whipped cream (for whipping)
100 g apricot jam (or any other jam you prefer)
Cream 2:
250 ml whipped cream (for whipping)
100 g chocolate cream or melted dark chocolate, cooled
Syrup:
4 teaspoons jam dissolved in 200 ml water
80-100 g sugar
(optional) vanilla essence
For decoration:
Melted dark chocolate (with 2-3 tablespoons of milk)
Preparation Method
1. Sponge
Break the eggs into a large bowl, add the sugar, and beat with a mixer or whisk until the mixture becomes light in color and creamy. Add the flour, baking powder, and cocoa, and mix well to avoid lumps. Finally, pour in the 2 tablespoons of oil and briefly mix until combined.
Prepare a tray lined with baking paper or greased and floured. Pour in the mixture and level it out. Bake the sponge in a preheated oven at 180°C for 20 minutes. Check with a toothpick if it's baked. Remove the sponge and let it cool completely.
2. Syrup
Put the water, sugar, and 4 teaspoons of jam on the heat. Let it boil for 2-3 minutes until the sugar and jam are completely dissolved. You can add vanilla essence when you turn off the heat. Let the syrup cool.
3. Creams
Whip 250 ml of cold whipped cream for the first cream until it thickens. Add 100 g of apricot jam and mix briefly, so it doesn't soften too much. If you use another jam, the texture might change slightly, but that's okay.
For the second cream, whip the remaining 250 ml of whipped cream separately. Then mix it with 100 g of chocolate cream or melted chocolate (cooled). If using plain chocolate, melt it in a double boiler and let it reach room temperature before adding it to the whipped cream to prevent the cream from curdling.
4. Assembly
Trim the edges of the sponge if you want it to be perfectly straight, but it's not mandatory. Place the sponge on a platter or on baking paper. Generously soak it with half of the syrup. If you have time, let it sit for 10-15 minutes to absorb well.
Spread the first cream (the one with jam) over the sponge as evenly as you can.
Place a layer of plain biscuits on top of the cream, briefly soaked in the remaining syrup. Don’t let them soak too long, or they will disintegrate. Arrange the biscuits as compactly as possible.
Spread the second cream, the chocolate one, over the biscuits.
Melt the dark chocolate for decoration with a little milk in a double boiler, then let it cool and pour it over the cream. It doesn’t need to be a complicated pattern, just evenly covered or drawn with a few lines.
Refrigerate the cake for at least 2-3 hours for the creams to set well and for easy slicing.
Why I make this recipe often
I like that it’s simple and doesn’t require expensive or hard-to-find ingredients. It assembles quickly, and the combination of sponge-biscuits-cream is always appreciated. I can use any jam or chocolate cream I have at home; nothing gets ruined if I improvise a bit. The cake keeps well in the fridge and slices beautifully after a few hours.
Tips and Variations
Tips
Use natural whipped cream, not vegetable, for a better taste.
Let the chocolate cool completely before adding it to the whipped cream to avoid curdling the cream.
If the biscuits are very dry, soak them quickly, just enough to moisten the surface.
For a cleaner cut, use a knife dipped in hot water and wiped dry.
Substitutions
Apricot jam can be replaced with peach, plum, sour cherry jam, or any kind of fruit you prefer.
In the chocolate cream, you can use milk chocolate if you don’t want an intense cocoa flavor.
Petit Beurre biscuits work well, but other types of plain biscuits can also be used.
Variations
You can add pieces of fruit from compote or fresh fruit to the first cream if you don’t want jam.
If you want a lighter cake, reduce the amount of sugar in the syrup or sponge.
For decoration, you can add almond flakes or crushed walnuts over the layer of melted chocolate.
Serving Ideas
It’s perfect as a dessert for family meals or with coffee with friends.
It cuts better if it sits in the fridge for a few hours.
It’s also good the next day when the flavors have settled.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. What biscuits do I use for this cake?
Plain biscuits, like Petit Beurre, work best. It’s important that they are not too sweet or filled with cream.
2. Can I use vegetable whipped cream?
You can, but the taste will be different. I prefer natural whipped cream for a nicer texture.
3. How long should the cake stay in the fridge?
Ideally, it should be 2-3 hours, but it can also stay overnight; it actually becomes easier to cut.
4. Can I use a different type of jam?
Yes, any jam or even fruit preserves will work. It also goes well with fruit from compote, but don’t add the syrup, just the pieces.
5. Can the cake be frozen?
I do not recommend it, as the whipped cream creams lose their texture after freezing.
Nutritional Values
Estimation for one serving (out of 12):
Calories: ~350-380 kcal
Proteins: 4-5 g
Carbohydrates: 45-50 g
Fats: 16-18 g
These are approximate values; the data varies depending on the jam or whipped cream used and the type of biscuits. It’s quite a filling cake.
Storage and Reheating
It keeps very well in the fridge, covered, for 2-3 days. There’s no point in reheating it; it’s only good cold. The biscuits become softer as it sits. If you slice it and leave it at room temperature, don’t leave it for more than a few hours because the whipped cream can become too soft.
When I need a cake that I can make without any hassle, but that looks good when cut on a platter, I often return to this Giulia cake. I especially prefer it when I have plain biscuits, jam, and a bit of whipped cream at home. I combine the biscuit, cocoa sponge, and the two creams with little effort. It can be easily adapted based on what I have on hand.
Quick Info
Total time: approx. 3 hours (including cooling the cake in the fridge)
Preparation time: 40 minutes
Baking time: 20 minutes
Servings: 12 slices (medium-sized tray)
Difficulty: easy
Recipe type: cake with biscuits and cream, suitable for homemade dessert
Ingredients
Sponge:
4 eggs
4 tablespoons flour
4 tablespoons cocoa
100 g sugar
1 packet baking powder
2 tablespoons oil
Biscuits:
500 g plain biscuits
Cream 1:
250 ml whipped cream (for whipping)
100 g apricot jam (or any other jam you prefer)
Cream 2:
250 ml whipped cream (for whipping)
100 g chocolate cream or melted dark chocolate, cooled
Syrup:
4 teaspoons jam dissolved in 200 ml water
80-100 g sugar
(optional) vanilla essence
For decoration:
Melted dark chocolate (with 2-3 tablespoons of milk)
Preparation Method
1. Sponge
Break the eggs into a large bowl, add the sugar, and beat with a mixer or whisk until the mixture becomes light in color and creamy. Add the flour, baking powder, and cocoa, and mix well to avoid lumps. Finally, pour in the 2 tablespoons of oil and briefly mix until combined.
Prepare a tray lined with baking paper or greased and floured. Pour in the mixture and level it out. Bake the sponge in a preheated oven at 180°C for 20 minutes. Check with a toothpick if it's baked. Remove the sponge and let it cool completely.
2. Syrup
Put the water, sugar, and 4 teaspoons of jam on the heat. Let it boil for 2-3 minutes until the sugar and jam are completely dissolved. You can add vanilla essence when you turn off the heat. Let the syrup cool.
3. Creams
Whip 250 ml of cold whipped cream for the first cream until it thickens. Add 100 g of apricot jam and mix briefly, so it doesn't soften too much. If you use another jam, the texture might change slightly, but that's okay.
For the second cream, whip the remaining 250 ml of whipped cream separately. Then mix it with 100 g of chocolate cream or melted chocolate (cooled). If using plain chocolate, melt it in a double boiler and let it reach room temperature before adding it to the whipped cream to prevent the cream from curdling.
4. Assembly
Trim the edges of the sponge if you want it to be perfectly straight, but it's not mandatory. Place the sponge on a platter or on baking paper. Generously soak it with half of the syrup. If you have time, let it sit for 10-15 minutes to absorb well.
Spread the first cream (the one with jam) over the sponge as evenly as you can.
Place a layer of plain biscuits on top of the cream, briefly soaked in the remaining syrup. Don’t let them soak too long, or they will disintegrate. Arrange the biscuits as compactly as possible.
Spread the second cream, the chocolate one, over the biscuits.
Melt the dark chocolate for decoration with a little milk in a double boiler, then let it cool and pour it over the cream. It doesn’t need to be a complicated pattern, just evenly covered or drawn with a few lines.
Refrigerate the cake for at least 2-3 hours for the creams to set well and for easy slicing.
Why I make this recipe often
I like that it’s simple and doesn’t require expensive or hard-to-find ingredients. It assembles quickly, and the combination of sponge-biscuits-cream is always appreciated. I can use any jam or chocolate cream I have at home; nothing gets ruined if I improvise a bit. The cake keeps well in the fridge and slices beautifully after a few hours.
Tips and Variations
Tips
Use natural whipped cream, not vegetable, for a better taste.
Let the chocolate cool completely before adding it to the whipped cream to avoid curdling the cream.
If the biscuits are very dry, soak them quickly, just enough to moisten the surface.
For a cleaner cut, use a knife dipped in hot water and wiped dry.
Substitutions
Apricot jam can be replaced with peach, plum, sour cherry jam, or any kind of fruit you prefer.
In the chocolate cream, you can use milk chocolate if you don’t want an intense cocoa flavor.
Petit Beurre biscuits work well, but other types of plain biscuits can also be used.
Variations
You can add pieces of fruit from compote or fresh fruit to the first cream if you don’t want jam.
If you want a lighter cake, reduce the amount of sugar in the syrup or sponge.
For decoration, you can add almond flakes or crushed walnuts over the layer of melted chocolate.
Serving Ideas
It’s perfect as a dessert for family meals or with coffee with friends.
It cuts better if it sits in the fridge for a few hours.
It’s also good the next day when the flavors have settled.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. What biscuits do I use for this cake?
Plain biscuits, like Petit Beurre, work best. It’s important that they are not too sweet or filled with cream.
2. Can I use vegetable whipped cream?
You can, but the taste will be different. I prefer natural whipped cream for a nicer texture.
3. How long should the cake stay in the fridge?
Ideally, it should be 2-3 hours, but it can also stay overnight; it actually becomes easier to cut.
4. Can I use a different type of jam?
Yes, any jam or even fruit preserves will work. It also goes well with fruit from compote, but don’t add the syrup, just the pieces.
5. Can the cake be frozen?
I do not recommend it, as the whipped cream creams lose their texture after freezing.
Nutritional Values
Estimation for one serving (out of 12):
Calories: ~350-380 kcal
Proteins: 4-5 g
Carbohydrates: 45-50 g
Fats: 16-18 g
These are approximate values; the data varies depending on the jam or whipped cream used and the type of biscuits. It’s quite a filling cake.
Storage and Reheating
It keeps very well in the fridge, covered, for 2-3 days. There’s no point in reheating it; it’s only good cold. The biscuits become softer as it sits. If you slice it and leave it at room temperature, don’t leave it for more than a few hours because the whipped cream can become too soft.