Sorceress Cake

The Sorceress Cake is familiar to every aspiring pastry chef and even some home cooks. Despite its popularity, finding a step-by-step recipe for this cake can be difficult, even in culinary literature. That’s why every pastry chef creates their own perfect recipe, adding a touch of creativity. Below, you’ll find a recipe for the Sorceress Cake with a traditional sponge base and custard filling.

We use an 18 cm (7-inch) baking pan for the sponge.

Calories: 345 kcal per 100 g.

Preparation time: 6 hours.

Yield: 8 servings.

Cuisine: Soviet.

Ingredients

For biscuit:

• 100 g flour;
• 110 g of sugar;
• 1 tsp baking powder;
• 3 eggs.

For cream:

• 1 egg;
• 160 g butter;
• 20 g corn starch;
• 70 g sugar;
• 250 ml milk;
• 8 g vanilla sugar;
• 1/2 tsp salt.

For glaze:

• 50 g butter;
• 1 bar of dark chocolate (90-100 g).

Cooking

1. In a mixing bowl, beat the eggs and sugar together. There’s no need to separate the yolks and whites in this recipe. Use a mixer until the mixture becomes pale. You can check readiness by observing the trail left in the batter when lifting the mixer beaters.

2. Gradually add the flour mixed with baking powder into the whipped eggs. Gently fold the batter from bottom to top to keep the airiness.

3. Line the bottom of the baking pan with parchment paper and pour in the batter. Swirl the pan a few times to level the surface. Bake in a preheated oven at 180°C (350°F) for 30–40 minutes. Test for doneness with a toothpick – if it comes out clean, the sponge is ready. Let it cool slightly in the pan, then transfer it to a wire rack to cool completely.

4. Make the custard. Mix cornstarch with half of the sugar. If you don’t have cornstarch, you can use potato starch or regular flour. In another bowl, lightly whisk the egg and mix in the sugar-starch blend. If the mixture is too thick, add a little cold milk from the total amount.

5. Pour the milk into a saucepan, add the remaining sugar, vanilla sugar, and salt. Bring to a boil, ensuring the sugar dissolves completely.

6. Slowly pour some of the hot milk into the egg mixture while stirring continuously. Then, pour the combined mixture back into the saucepan and return it to the stove.

7. Cook over low heat, stirring constantly, until the custard thickens. Once it starts to set, continue cooking for another minute to fully activate the starch. Add 50 g of butter to the hot custard and mix until smooth. Transfer to a bowl, cover with plastic wrap touching the surface, and let it cool completely.

8. Let the remaining butter soften at room temperature. Beat it for 4–5 minutes until fluffy. Gradually add the cooled custard while mixing. For a smooth, lump-free cream, ensure both components are at the same temperature before combining.

9. Assemble the cake. Ideally, let the sponge rest for 3–4 hours before cutting it into layers. To prevent dryness, prepare a simple syrup by boiling 3 tbsp water with 2 tbsp sugar for 2–3 minutes. Let it cool, and optionally add 1 tbsp brandy.

10. Place the top sponge layer at the bottom (as it’s usually uneven). Soak it with syrup, adjusting to your taste. Spread all the custard evenly over the layer. Soak the second sponge layer and place it on top. Refrigerate for a few minutes.

11. Prepare the glaze. Melt the chocolate and butter together over a double boiler or in short intervals in the microwave, stirring frequently to prevent overheating. If the glaze is too thick, add a little heavy cream.

12. Pour the warm glaze over the cake and smooth it out with a spatula or knife. Refrigerate for 5–6 hours to set.

13. Serve. The hardened chocolate topping may crack when sliced. To avoid this, heat a knife in hot water, make light scores on the glaze, then cut the cake into portions. This simple yet delicious dessert is sure to brighten your day!