Daring Bakers’ challenge: the prinsesstarta cake

Today is an exciting and nerve wracking day.  I am baking a cake.  Normally, baking a cake doesn’t lead to such dramatic emotions.  It’s usually fairly relaxing.  But this is different for three reasons. 1) It’s a cake I’ve never made before. 2) It looks really difficult. 3) It is my first challenge for the Daring Bakers’ challenge!

  If you don’t know about the Daring Bakers, picture it like this: a group of amazing bakers around the world decide to all make the same thing, and then show it to each other on the same day.  Of course, I have wanted to be part of this since the moment I heard about it!

  My first challenge is the prinsesstarta cake.  I have never even heard of this before.  First made in Sweden in the 1930’s, it’s layers of sponge cake with vanilla custard, raspberry jam, topped with a dome of whipped cream and covered in marzipan fondant. This does not sound easy.  But even if it’s a bust, it will probably still be delicious.

  So start by making the custard.

ingredients for vanilla custard:

• 1 c. heavy cream
• 4 large egg yolks
• 2 tbl. cornstarch
• 2 tbl. sugar
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract
• 1 vanilla bean

Whisk egg yolks, sugar and cornstarch in a bowl.  Gradually whisk in 1/2 c. of the heavy cream until smooth.

Meanwhile, pour remaining 1/2 c. heavy cream in a medium saucepan on the stove.  Cut vanilla bean in half and scrape the seeds into the cream.  Add the vanilla bean.  Heat on medium and bring just to a boil.

Once it has just reached a boil, take pan from stove and remove the vanilla bean.  Slowly whisk the hot cream into the egg mixture.

Put the mixture back in saucepan and cook over medium-low heat, whisking constantly.  It should become thick like pudding and just reach a boil.  Be careful not to overcook it! This is what it looks like if you overcook it:

Remove form heat, whisk in vanilla extract and put into a clean bowl.  Cover the surface with plastic wrap and chill in the fridge until cold.

While it’s chilling, make the sponge cake.

ingredients for sponge cake:

• 4 large eggs, at room temperature
• 1 c. sugar
• 1/2 c. (60g.) unbleached flour, plus a little more for the pan
• 1/2 c. (65g.) cornstarch
• 1 tsp. baking powder
• 1/8 tsp. salt

Move rack to lower third of the oven and pre-heat to 350°.  Butter the bottom and sides of  a 10″ springform pan(the DB recipe calls for a 9″ pan, which I don’t have.  So my cake is going to be wider and flatter.   If you use the 9″ pan, adjust cooking time to about 40 minutes).  Line the bottom of the pan with parchment paper, then butter paper.  Lightly flour the bottom and sides of the pan.

  Put eggs and sugar into the bowl of an electric stand mixer with the whisk attachment.  Beat on medium high until eggs have tripled in volume and light and fluffy about 5 minutes.  Egg mixture should fall from whisk in thick ribbons.

  While your eggs are beating, sift flour, cornstarch baking powder and salt into a bowl.  I like to measure my flour by weight, since scooping it into a measuring cup can lead to very different measures depending on how firm it’s packed.  I put my bowl and sifter on a kitchen scale and spoon the flour in.

Once your eggs are ready, sift your flour mixture into the bowl.  Use a large whisk to fold the flour into the eggs, trying to incorporate as much air in the batter as you can. Pour into your springform pan, and bake 25-30 minutes, until top is a golden brown, springs to the touch and a toothpick comes out with a few crumbs attached.

  Let the cake cool in the pan for 5 minutes.  Run a knife along the side of the pan to help release the cake.  Open the springform clip, remove the ring. Invert onto a plate, remove the parchment paper, and invert onto a wire rack to cool completely.

While everything is cooling, make the whipped cream and fondant.  Whip cream is easy.  Just put 2 cups of heavy cream into an electric stand mixer, add some confectioner’s sugar(I used about 1/4 cup since the cake was going to be very sweet already).  Add a teaspoon of vanilla extract.  Use the whisk attachment and whip on medium high until firm.  You want the whip cream firm enough to hold the cake layer.

  I couldn’t find marzipan in my grocery store, so I made traditional fondant. I used the cook duke’s recipe.  This makes a fondant that actually tastes pretty good!  It is an arm workout, though.

ingredients for fondant:

• 1 tbl. unflavored gelatin
• 1/4 c. of cold water
• 1 tsp. almond extract
• 1/2 c. light corn syrup
• 1 tbl. glycerin
• 2 lb. confectioners’ sugar
• 1/2 tsp white vegetable shortening

Follow the cook duke’s instructions for mixing the wet ingredients.  Pour the wet mixture into the dry, mix together, and form a ball.

To add color to your fondant, make  a well in the middle of your bowl, then add gel food coloring.  Start with a few drops and knead together, adding more color if you want. Knead for about 5 minutes to get the color uniform. Save a small piece to make the pink fondant for the rose.

Ok, everything’s made and it’s time to put this cake together!  Start by cutting the cake into three layers.  Put the bottom layer on a cake stand or plate and spread a thin layer of raspberry jam on top. Spread 1/2 your custard on top of the jam. Hopefully, your custard is smooth and pourable, unlike mine.  Still tastes good, though.

Add your top layer of the cake on top of the custard(save the middle piece for the top of the cake).  Spread remaining custard on top.  Set 1/2 c. whipped cream aside and pile the rest on top of cake.  Use an offset spatula to form into a dome.

Put the remaining cake layer on top of the whipped cream.  Use the remaining whipped cream to form a thin layer all over the cake.  Chill in the fridge while you roll out the fondant.

To roll out the fondant, put a piece of parchment paper on the counter.  Sprinkle with cornstarch.  Use a rolling pin to roll fondant out to about  a 1/4″ thickness.  Use a measuring tape to measure the sides and top of cake(10″ round plus 3″ sides means my fondant needs to be at least 16″ across). Use the parchment paper to lift the fondant onto the top of your cake.

Smooth out the fondant starting at the top middle of the cake and work your way down the sides. Trim the excess fondant off the bottom.  Add another drop of food coloring to the excess and roll out.  Cut out leaf shapes.  Take your pink fondant and roll out into a long rectangle, about a foot long.  Slightly flatten one side.  Roll up the fondant tightly at first, then gradually getting looser to form the rose.  Make the flattened side the top petal part of rose.  When it’s big enough, cut off any remaining fondant, and trim the bottom.  Place leaves and rose on the top of your cake and you’re done!

  Thanks to Korena In The Kitchen from the Daring Bakers for the fantastic recipe!  I can’t wait for next month’s challenge!