Prepare to wow your guests with the “Michel” multilayer cake! Despite its intricate appearance, crafting this cake is surprisingly easy. The secret lies in preparing the sponge cakes and jelly in advance.
This cake is not only visually stunning but also exceptionally moist, holding its shape flawlessly. It strikes the perfect balance between sweetness and a subtle tartness from the cherry jelly.
Ingredients for “Michel” Cake:
Vanilla Sponge Cake:
- 3 chicken eggs
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
Chocolate Sponge Cake:
- 100g (about 7 tablespoons) softened butter
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 2 chicken eggs
- 1/2 cup kefir or natural yogurt
- 60g (2 oz) chocolate
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 tablespoons cocoa powder
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- A pinch of salt
Cherry Jelly:
- 400g (about 2 cups) pitted frozen cherries
- 30g gelatin
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 cup water
Vanilla and Chocolate Cream:
- 2 chicken eggs
- 350ml milk
- 4 tablespoons cornstarch (levelled)
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 100g chocolate
- 500ml heavy cream (33-35% fat)
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
Additional:
- Baking pan (22-20 cm or equivalent)
- 250ml cup
- Chocolate bar for decoration
How to Make “Michel” Cake:
Vanilla Sponge Cake:
- Beat egg yolks with half the sugar and vanilla extract until fluffy.
- In a separate bowl, beat egg whites until soft peaks form. Add the remaining sugar and beat until stiff peaks.
- Sift flour and cornstarch into the yolk mixture, then carefully fold in the beaten egg whites.
- Pour the batter into a prepared pan and bake at 170°C (338°F) for 30 minutes.
Chocolate Sponge Cake:
- Sift together all dry ingredients.
- Beat softened butter with sugar and vanilla until white. Melt the chocolate.
- Gradually add eggs to the butter mixture, incorporating the melted chocolate.
- Alternately add kefir and dry ingredients, mixing thoroughly.
- Pour the batter into a prepared pan and bake at 180°C (356°F) for approximately 40 minutes.
Cherry Jelly:
- Cook cherries, sugar, and water until boiling; then simmer for 15 minutes.
- Strain the mixture, preserving the juice. Puree the cherries.
- Dissolve gelatin in the cherry juice, let it sit for 10 minutes, then heat until fully dissolved.
- Combine the gelatin mixture with the cherry puree and refrigerate overnight.
Vanilla and Chocolate Cream:
- Mix cornstarch, sugar, and eggs until homogeneous.
- Heat milk, gradually add the egg mixture, and cook until thickened. Cool.
- Whip 300ml of cream and mix with 2/3 of the cooled vanilla cream.
- Whip the remaining 200ml of cream, mix with the remaining chocolate cream.
Assembling the Cake:
- Cut both sponge cakes into 2 layers.
- Place a chocolate layer on a serving plate, add a layer of vanilla cream, and repeat.
- Finish with cherry jelly, then vanilla cream, white sponge, cream, and top with the chocolate sponge.
- Cover the entire cake with chocolate cream and decorate with chocolate shavings.
Enjoy your culinary masterpiece!
