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This decadent and delicious treat comprises thin and crispy cake layers separated by soft cream with frosting over the top. It takes some effort to create all the layers but I found the process methodical and therapeutic. The result is an eye-catching cake that’s perfect for a special occasion.
Ingredients:
For the cake:
600g plain flour
200g sugar
130g honey
100g butter (unsalted, room temp)
3 eggs (lightly beaten)
2 tsp bicarbonate of soda
Pinch of salt
For the cream:
500g double cream
500g sour cream (18-30% fat)
200g icing sugar
7g vanilla sugar
Method:
For the cake layers:
Combine the butter, sugar, honey and eggs in a saucepan over a low heat stirring constantly until all is incorporated, then add the bicarb of soda. The mixture should thicken up and double in size. Pour this into a large bowl, add the flour and salt and then beat until all is mixed together, (you will have a soft, sticky consistency).
Tip the dough onto a floured work surface and divide equally into 10 balls. Wrap these in cling film and refrigerate for 1-2 hours.
Preheat oven to 180c.
On a lightly floured piece of parchment paper roll out 1 ball at a time to a 24cm diameter circle, (I cut around the base of a cake tin). Transfer the paper to a baking tray and bake for appx 8 mins. While this is in the oven roll out the next ball.
Continue like this until all 10 pieces of dough have been baked. Leave each to cool and then transfer to a wire rack.
Keep all the scraps of dough as these will be used to sprinkle on the cake. Keep one cake layer back to crush for sprinkling, put in a zip lock bag and bash with a rolling pin.
For the cream:
In a large mixing bowl, add the double cream, sour cream, icing sugar and vanilla sugar. On a low speed start whisking all ingredients together, then increase the speed and whisk until you have creamy, stiffer consistency.
Starting with one cake layer, evenly spread a layer of cream, then place another cake on top. Repeat this until you have layered all cakes, then spread an even layer of cream on top of the last cake and all around the edges. Using the left over crumbs and crushed cake, sprinkle this around the outside and on top of the cake.
Refrigerate and allow the cake layers to absorb the cream overnight.
Enjoy.
Gaby Van Clarke
None of us know what’s going to take us out. Life’s full of surprises. But we do know that the body starts to degenerate from about age 30 (more cells destroyed than created, barring excess weight gain) and also, crucially, that we can affect the speed of that ageing process.
Introduced by Portuguese merchants in the 16th century, and adapted over time to suit Japanese tastes, this light bouncy sponge is considered a traditional Japanese speciality. More delicate and airy than a regular sponge cake, castella ( カステラ, kasutera) is famous for a fine and moist crumb.
