Stracciatella cake
Stracciatella cream cake, red sponge and chocolate glaze I prepared this cake for my daughter Alexandra's birthday. The sponge is naturally colored with concentrated beet juice, and after baking, it retains a pleasant reddish hue. The white cream with chocolate flakes contrasts with the sponge, and on top, the cake is covered with chocolate glaze and decorated with strawberries kept with their stems. The sponge is not soaked, which maintains a clearer contrast between the three layers and the chocolate cream. Quick info Total time: not specified in the original recipe; includes preparation time, baking, cooling, and cooling of the cream. Preparation time: not specified. Baking time: approximately 30 minutes. Oven temperature: 180 degrees Celsius. Servings: not specified; the cake has a diameter of 22 cm. Difficulty: medium, as the recipe has several stages and involves preparing a cream with gelatin and a glaze. Recipe type: birthday cake with chocolate, strawberries, and stracciatella cream. Ingredients Sponge 235 g flour 250 g sugar 15 g cocoa 8 eggs 50 g butter Natural coloring obtained from two pieces of pre-cooked beetroot Cream 150 g butter, taken out of the fridge in advance to reach room temperature 150 g powdered sugar 200 g chocolate flakes 100 g whipped cream, which is well beaten 400 ml cooking cream, with 32% fat 15 g gelatin Glaze and decoration 150 g couverture chocolate 9 strawberries Note about the butter for the sponge: the ingredient list includes 50 g of butter, but the original recipe does not specify the exact moment to add it. To avoid changing the recipe, the amount is kept here as in the original source. Preparation method 1. Prepare the natural coloring from beetroot Use two pieces of pre-cooked beetroot and boil them again to extract the necessary reddish color for the sponge. After boiling, cut and strain the beetroot. Keep the obtained liquid. It is important that the liquid is as concentrated as possible. A large amount is not used, just enough to color the mixture. If the liquid is too diluted, it will not contribute well to the sponge's color. 2. Prepare the eggs for the sponge Separate the egg whites from the yolks. Beat the egg whites until they start to foam, then gradually add half of the sugar. Continue mixing until you obtain a firm foam that retains its shape. Separately, mix the yolks with the remaining sugar. Whisk until the sugar dissolves. Then add the sifted flour and cocoa. 3. Form the sponge mixture Pour the concentrated liquid obtained from the beetroot over the yolk mixture and homogenize. Do not add too much liquid; for color, a smaller but concentrated amount is preferable. Finally, fold in the beaten egg whites. Mix gently from bottom to top to retain as much air in the mixture as possible and to prevent the sponge from collapsing. The original recipe also mentions the 50 g of butter for the sponge, but the incorporation step is not detailed. The amount should be kept according to the initial list. 4. Bake the sponge Preheat the oven to 180 degrees Celsius. Pour the mixture into a 22 cm diameter round pan and bake the sponge for approximately 30 minutes. After baking, remove the sponge and let it cool. Do not cut it while it is warm, as it may break more easily. 5. Prepare the stracciatella cream The butter for the cream should be taken out of the fridge in advance so that it reaches room temperature. Beat it together with the powdered sugar until you obtain a cream. Separately, whip the 100 ml of whipped cream until it thickens. Soak the gelatin in a little cold water. Add the cooking cream over the butter cream and mix. Then fold in the well-beaten whipped cream. If you used a food processor, transfer the cream to another bowl and add the chocolate flakes. Put the soaked gelatin in the microwave for a few seconds, just until it becomes liquid. Pour the gelatin over the cream and mix well for an even distribution. Put the cream in the fridge for 30 minutes. This time helps it gain consistency before assembling the cake. 6. Cut the sponge After the sponge has completely cooled, arrange it and cut it into three layers. These should be handled carefully, especially if the sponge is soft. The sponges are not soaked. The cream is spread directly over each layer. 7. Assemble the cake Remove the cream from the fridge and spread it between the layers. Put cream on the top of the cake, covering the top layer as evenly as possible. At this stage, there is no need to add syrup. The cream is sufficient to bind the layers, and the sponge remains better defined if not soaked. 8. Prepare the glaze Melt the couverture chocolate in a bain-marie. After melting, temper the chocolate, then let it cool until it reaches a suitable consistency for pouring. Place a baking tray underneath, and put a metal rack on top. Place the cake on the rack so that the dripping glaze can be collected in the tray. Pour the glaze over the cake and let it flow over the entire surface. Keep a small amount of glaze for the strawberries. 9. Decorate with strawberries Wash the strawberries and cut them in half, keeping the green stems. Put a little glaze on them, then place them in the center of the cake, forming a bouquet. Let the cake stabilize before cutting it. When sliced, the reddish sponge, the white cream with chocolate flakes, and the glaze on top will be visible. Why I make this recipe often I love this combination for birthday cakes because it doesn't require complicated decoration. The color of the sponge, the cream with chocolate flakes, and the strawberries on top are enough for a neat appearance. Furthermore, the cake slices beautifully into layers, and the cream is easily noticeable in each slice. Tips and variations Tips The beetroot must be turned into a liquid as concentrated as possible. If you use too much liquid, you can alter the texture of the sponge mixture. The egg whites should be incorporated at the end with gentle bottom-to-top movements. Vigorous mixing can release the air accumulated during beating. The sponge must be allowed to cool before cutting. Patience at this step matters for three layers, as a warm sponge can crumble. The butter for the cream should be soft, at room temperature. If it is cold, the cream will be harder to combine. The gelatin is heated just enough to become liquid. It is not necessary to heat it excessively. Substitutions In this recipe, pre-cooked beetroot is used for the natural color of the sponge. A substitution is not indicated in the original steps, as changing the coloring agent alters the main characteristic of the sponge. Couverture chocolate is used for the glaze, while chocolate flakes go into the cream. The two components have different roles in the texture and appearance of the cake. Variations You can place the strawberries only in the middle of the cake, as described in the recipe, or you can group them more compactly, keeping the bouquet shape. It is important to keep the strawberries with their green stems for the final appearance. For a simpler result, the cake can be left with the glaze spread over the surface and decorated only with the nine strawberries. The recipe does not provide for other decorative elements. Serving ideas The cake is served cold, after the cream has set and the glaze has stabilized. Cut slices so that the three layers of sponge and the cream between them are visible. Frequently asked questions Is the sponge soaked? No. The original recipe clearly states that the sponge is not soaked. The cream is spread directly between the layers and on top. How long is the sponge baked? The sponge is baked for approximately 30 minutes in a preheated oven at 180 degrees Celsius. The time may vary depending on the oven, but the duration in the recipe is about 30 minutes. How long should the cream stay in the fridge? The cream is left for 30 minutes in the fridge before assembling the cake. This time is included in the recipe steps to allow it to gain consistency. Can I use raw beetroot? The recipe uses pre-cooked beetroot, which is boiled again to obtain the colored liquid. To keep the original steps, use pre-cooked beetroot. When are the chocolate flakes added? The flakes are added after the whipped cream has been incorporated, and the cream has been transferred from the food processor to another bowl. The liquid gelatin is added after the chocolate flakes.
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