Vikalinka

She laughs without fear of the future. And she cooks.

Frostbitten Raspberry Cake

This Frostbitten raspberry cake is the cake for any celebration in any season!
Frostbitten Raspberry Cake

What is Frostbitten Raspberry Cake?

I love all cakes I bake but some more than others. This raspberry cake is off the scale magnificent! I can’t even begin to describe the greatness of this vanilla sponge cake filled with mascarpone and raspberry compote and frosted with white chocolate buttercream. It’s glorious.

After I took the first bite I was not at all resentful that I’d spent a good portion of Christmas Eve fussing over this raspberry cake to get it done in time for my birthday on Christmas.

I have to apologise for the lack of process pictures as this cake was made in the evening with no light available to take any decent pictures. I did make up for it in taking loads of the “final result” photos.

Frostbitten Raspberry Cake

I like baking my own birthday cakes, partially because I am picky and won’t eat just any cake and it’s difficult to get a good cake on Christmas Day, and also because it’s just fun for me. Last year I baked Meringue Mascarpone Cake and LOVED it!

I agonised over what cake to bake this Christmas birthday for ages. I have hundreds of cakes pinned on Pinterest that are patiently waiting to appear on my table so zeroing in on “the one” is nearly impossible!

Making the decision was difficult, so even when I had all my ingredients out I was unsure on the details!

In the end I had to draw on my Russian roots and the cake I made was  reminiscent of the ones I ate as a child baked by my dad.

That’s right, he was the cake maker in the family-an engineer by day and a baker and photographer by night, especially on holidays and special occasions. I guess this hobby does come from somewhere!

Frostbitten Raspberry Cake

The recipe for this raspberry cake is a mix of things: the sponge is Russian “biskvit”- my dad’s recipe, the raspberry mascarpone filling was inspired by Sweetapolita.

And finally the white chocolate buttercream frosting was my own invention/experiment that tasted very similar to my dad’s frosting.

Frostbitten Raspberry Cake

My children declared it “THE BEST RASPBERRY CAKE EVER” and I agreed. Make it for your New Year’s celebration and see for yourself.

It looks so  wintery!

Frostbitten Raspberry Cake

Frostbitten Raspberry Cake

Frostbitten Raspberry Cake

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Prep Time: 1 hour
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
Course: Dessert
Keyword: raspberry cake
Servings: 8 -10
Author: Julia Frey of Vikalinka

Ingredients

For the Cake

  • Eggs room temperature- 5 large
  • Sugar- 1 cup
  • Vanilla- 2 tsp.
  • Flour- 1 cup

For the Syrup (for soaking the sponge layers)

  • Raspberry liqueur- 1/4 cup
  • Simple syrup-1/4 cup

For the Mascarpone Cream

  • Mascarpone- 250 gr/ 1 cup
  • Whipping Cream- 250 ml/ 1 cup
  • Icing Sugar- 1/4 cup
  • Gelatine- 2 tsp.
  • Water- 2 tbsp.
  • Vanilla - 2 tsp.

For the Raspberry Compote

  • Raspberries fresh or frozen (I used frozen)-1 1/2 cups
  • Sugar- 1/2 cup
  • Water-2 tbsp.
  • Fresh Raspberries- 1 cup

For the White Chocolate Buttercream

  • White Chocolate chopped (not chocolate chips)- 5 oz/150 gr
  • Whipping/Double Cream- 1/4 cup
  • Unsalted Butter softened- 4 tbsp.

For decoration

  • Rosemary sprig-1
  • Raspberries- 1/4 cup
  • Icing sugar for dusting

Instructions

For the Cake

  • Preheat the oven to 350F/180C.
  • Grease 3 8" cake pans and line them with parchment paper. (Russian sponge is very delicate so it's important to use parchment paper for easy removal.)
  • Crack 5 eggs at room temperature to a bowl of a stand mixer and add sugar and vanilla, beat at high speed for 5 minutes until the mixture is pale and triples in volume.
  • Fold in flour through a sifter in 5-6 additions blending it in gently after each addition. Your goal is to keep the volume of the egg mixture so be very careful in this step of the process.
  • Divide your cake batter among 3 pans and bake for 25-30 minutes until cake tester or tooth pick comes out clean and the cakes have risen to the top of the pan. (I baked 2 layers and then 1 later).
  • Cool for 10 minutes and then run a knife around the edges of your pans to release the cakes and flip them over on a wire rack to cool completely.
  • (After your cakes have cooled you can individually wrap them in plastic wrap for later use. You can bake you sponge layers a day ahead.)

For Raspberry Compote

  • Combine 1 1/2 cups of raspberries and sugar with water in a small saucepan and cook on low heat until thick and mixture coats the back of a spoon. It will take about 15 minutes.
  • Remove from heat and process in a food processor or a blender until smooth.
  • Push through a fine sieve to get rid of the seeds.
  • Combine the compote with fresh raspberries and set aside.

For the Mascarpone Cream

  • Mix gelatine with water in a small bowl. Let it sit for 5 minutes until it goes spongy.
  • Heat the gelatine mixture in a microwave for 10 seconds until runny and smooth.
  • Combine mascarpone, whipping cream, sugar and vanilla in a bowl of a stand mixer.
  • Start whipping on medium speed until combined.
  • With the motor of a stand mixer still running drizzle your gelatine mixture over the cream and whip for 2-3 minutes until well combined.

For the Syrup

  • Combine raspberry liqueur with simple syrup (water and sugar mixed in equal parts).
  • Drizzle over the cake layers. (Russian sponge really benefits from being drizzled with a flavoured syrup since there is no fat mixed into the batter and it can taste on the dry side without the syrup.)

How to assemble the cake

  • Load your mascarpone cream in a large piping bag with a plain round tip.
  • Pipe a border around the first drizzled with syrup layer, it will keep your raspberry compote from leaking out of the sides.
  • Fill with half of your raspberry compote. ( It won't cover the entire layer, the berries will be spread sparsely.)
  • Then pipe in the mascarpone cream in the empty spaces and smooth it out with a spatula. You shouldn't have any gaps.
  • Top with another layer and repeat the process.
  • Finish with the third layer.

For the White Chocolate Buttercream

  • Heat 1/4 cream in a saucepan until it just simmers but not boiling.
  • Take off the heat and pour over chopped white chocolate in a medium sized bowl.
  • Let it sit for a couple of minutes and then stir until chocolate is melted into the cream.
  • Cool for 10 minutes and then start whipping in a stand mixer or with a hand mixer. (Hand mixer works better here because of the small amount).
  • Mix for 10 minutes until light and fluffy, then start adding softened butter by a tablespoon, mix well until entirely incorporated into the frosting after each addition. (You will have enough frosting for a thin layer around the cake. If you like more frosting on your cake simply double the recipe but it will make a very sweet cake.)
  • Spread 1/2 of the buttercream over the cake and let it chill in the fridge for 20 minutes.
  • Coat your chilled cake with the other half of the frosting and decorate with rosemary and raspberries.
Tried this recipe?Mention @vikalinka or tag #vikalinka!

 

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Yang says

    February 22, 2019 at 1:02 am


    Beautiful cake, Julia! My mom’s birthday is coming up soon, and this cake seems perfect for her birthday. I still have enough time to perfect my cake baking skills and cake frosting skills, but I will do my very best to replicate this beautiful cake. Thank you so much for sharing this awesome recipe!

    Reply

  2. Santini says

    February 13, 2019 at 4:55 am


    This is incredible fantastic! I love raspberries so much and this recipe is what I’ve been looking for. Thank you so much for sharing!

    Reply

  3. Glory says

    November 16, 2018 at 11:21 pm


    This cake was a happy surprise! It is almost exactly the same cake as the sponge my Slovakian Grandmother would make for her strawberry shortcake. Alas, my mother lost her copy of the recipe years ago. So, you can imagine my excitement when I started using your recipe and realized it seemed vaguely familiar in execution to my Grandmother’s sponge. I ended up happily talking to my Grandmother (she passed several decades ago) as I was baking away and my husband was busy rolling his eyes.

    The cake came out lovely. I have my own rosemary bush, so decorating it was even quite easy. We are not really that much of a cake family, but everyone loved it and it disappeared rather quickly. I think it has now a permanent place on the holiday menu…..and for strawberry shortcake also!

    Reply

    • vikalinka says

      May 1, 2018 at 4:21 pm

      The only substitute I would use is cream cheam but it will not have the same lightness as mascarpone. I would use the same measurement as in the recipe.

      Reply

  6. CakenGifts.in says

    July 11, 2017 at 10:43 am


    I’m going to try this recipe today. I expect it comes out as well as everyone else’s appears to have. I’m very excited. I’ll keep you posted!

    Reply

    • vikalinka says

      December 27, 2016 at 1:59 pm

      Hi Sunita, as I have replied to other commenters with a similar question, this particular sponge, known as Genoise, relies on eggs beaten for at least 5-7 minutes at high speed until they triple in volume, all that air that you beat into them will be responsible for a rise once the sponge is in the oven. This cake takes a little bit of effort but it is well worth it as you get a light and airy sponge that is basically a blank canvas and is a starting point for hundreds of flavour combinations. Its origin is in Italy and nowadays is used as a building block in French patisserie. I haven’t added any baking powder to the cake simply because this classic sponge recipe doesn’t need it.

      Reply

  9. Julia says

    December 5, 2016 at 4:33 pm


    Thanks for the great recipes! I confess I didn’t make the cake itself since I was crunched for time and wouldn’t have had the time to make another cake should the first one not have risen. I still used a sponge cake, but I whipped the egg parts separately. I admit, I was uncertain that the white chocolate buttercream was going to work, but it was delicious. Definitely requires a very high quality of white chocolate, or it would get cloyingly sweet very fast. My mascarpone filling “broke” the first time I tried to make it, but I think the cheese might’ve been old. It got all chunky and gross. I also made more of the compote so that there could be a solid layer of filling. I wasn’t able to try the finished product, but the mini trifles I made with the scraps of cake and the leftover fillings and frostings were delicious. Thanks again.

    Reply

  10. Humach says

    September 13, 2016 at 6:19 am


    I love your cake! I made it for my daughters birthday. It was a huge hit. I loved the masacarpone filling and white chocolate frosting. It’s nice and creamy opposed to overly sweet as I find with most frosting. I will be making this many more times.
    As a matter of fact I am making it right now for Eid celebration. Just don’t have mascarpone at home, so either I will use cream cheese paired with strawberries or run to the stores to get Mascarpone.

    Thank you for your recipe!!!!

    Reply

  11. Anny says

    June 20, 2016 at 9:03 pm


    Made this one winter a few years ago and still remember it being my favorite cake. I was trying to figure out now how to lighten it up a bit/redecorate to make it appropriate for a summer birthday BBQ. Any thoughts?

    Reply

    • vikalinka says

      June 21, 2016 at 6:01 pm

      I am so glad the cake made an impression, Anny! I wouldn’t change too much to make it suitable for a summer season as the cake fits all seasons. I would use a mixture of fresh berries and a lot of them on top to showcase summer goodness and leave out the rosemary twig.

      Reply

  12. Jillian N. says

    May 1, 2016 at 7:12 pm


    I was very excited to make your cake! My first attempt didn’t rise, and neither did the second. I’ve made quite a few sponges before, and so I am not entirely sure what happened. I did not over incorporate the flour, yet when they were done they were flat and tough. I loved the raspberry compote and mascarpone combination. I would make again, but use a sponge that contains ingredients that rise or have a fat content (like a Victoria w/baking powder and butter).

    Reply

    • vikalinka says

      May 2, 2016 at 8:27 am

      First of all, I am sorry to hear the sponge didn’t work for you, Jillian. I know how frustrating kitchen fails could be. I had my own share of flat sponges early on but this recipe is so traditional in Russian and all former Soviet Union republics everyone eventually masters it. Secondly, the rise in this sponge relies on the eggs, which is the old method before other rising agents were invented. The fat content also comes from the eggs and that is why there are so many of them in the recipe. The eggs and sugar have to be beaten on high for at least 5 minutes until they literally triple in volume, then the flour is folded gently with a spatula, taking care not to deflate the batter. If the volume of the batter reduces after the flour addition the sponges will not rise. And finally, the temperature in the oven has to be even and consistent. I hope this helps. 🙂

      Reply

  14. sofia says

    March 23, 2016 at 2:37 am


    Hello!
    I couldn’t find any raspberry liquor in my city in Mexico. I made my own but it is going to take 2 months to be ready.
    And I wonder if I can substitute for other liquor that won’t compromise the sabor.

    Thanks

    Reply

    • vikalinka says

      March 23, 2016 at 6:59 am

      Well done on making your own raspberry liquor, Sofia! You can use any berry flavour you can find or vanilla will work too!

      Reply

  15. Mm says

    January 31, 2016 at 11:13 pm

    My husband found this cake on Pinterest and asked me to make it for his birthday. I followed the instructions as written. The only deviation I did was double the frosting recipe as we are big frosting fans. The cake turned out beautifully and we decorated it just like yours. Your frosting recipe is super. Will do this again. Cousins are already asking us to show them how to make this cake. Thanks.

    Reply

  16. Dawn Pedroza says

    December 31, 2015 at 3:14 am

    My birthday is New Years Eve and this is going to be my birthday cake this year. We are working on it now. So excited!

    Reply

  17. Jason says

    December 26, 2015 at 2:29 am


    Very easy recipe to follow. It turned out exactly as it did in the picture. I only had one 8″ cake pan so I removed the caked immediately and cooled the pan in cold water and had no trouble with the batter deflating. I made it the day before and decorated it right before serving and it turned out great. I definitely recommend increasing the frosting amount to 1.5x. This was just the right amount for me to coat in a thin even layer. I did not blend the compote and only pushed the mix through a sieve which ultimately left it thinner and made for another moistening agent. The cake turned out perfectly moist and not too rich. Overall a very good cake and not too hard. Wish I could share the pictures!

    Reply

  18. Roseanna says

    December 24, 2015 at 7:54 am

    the cake turned out well. I haven’t been able to tast it yet. I only made two thick layers I barely had few tablespoons of compote though. I am confused about how many whole berries to Combine with the compote. Next time I will triple the recipe for the compote it’s a great cake really because the cake can be varied with different fillings. And the filling is heavenly. It can be used for other desserts. It would be great to use in a Buch de Noel with mini chips thrown on.

    Reply

    • vikalinka says

      December 24, 2015 at 10:17 am

      Thank you, Roseanna, I completely agree that the filling is so versatile! To answer you question, you should have more than a few tablespoons of compote. If you look in the ingredient list it says that you need 1 1/2 cups of raspberries to make the compote and then add another cup of fresh raspberries once it’s done. Also, the compote doesn’t cover the cake layers entirely. You should drop the compote in a few places and then fill the rest with mascarpone cream. The filling would be leaking out is you spread the compote over the entire layer. One of those days, I will make a video to clear up all the technical difficulties. 🙂 Have a lovely Christmas!!

      Reply

      • Roseanna says

        December 24, 2015 at 4:35 pm

        Thanks for your reply on what is probably a busy day for you. I use an apple corer to take a small plug from the middle of my cakes to taste and the cake is still great tasting. I just placed a few berries atop the frosting to solve my misstep.

        Reply

  19. Beth says

    November 24, 2015 at 10:08 pm


    I made this cake for my daughter’s birthday and it was amazing! Although it’s small, it is so rich that it was more than enough for the 10 of us. We felt it could easily serve 12. I loved learning new techniques with the cake and the frosting. I did double the frosting, with the intention of using some for decoration. I did discover that you shouldn’t chill the frosting with the idea of using it later. It wouldn’t smooth out again after being in the fridge even after I let it warm up, so I couldn’t pipe it. Ah well. It was still gorgeous. For the mascarpone cream, I think it helps to have the cheese a little warmer than straight from the refrigerator. Another tip – if you don’t want to buy a whole bottle of raspberry liquor, you can get the tiny “travel” bottles in the states that are almost enough for the recipe.

    Thanks for a great recipe!

    Reply

    • vikalinka says

      November 24, 2015 at 10:41 pm

      Thank you so much for your feedback, Beth! If you refrigerate the frosting, let it come to a warm temp and then whip it, this way it should be nice and smooth again! 🙂

      Reply

    • vikalinka says

      September 4, 2015 at 6:56 am

      Stacy, feel free to skip alcohol if you are concerned, however the minuet amount that would be consumed, since it’s diluted and get spread over the entire cake, is not substantial to cause any damage.

      Reply

  22. Lisa says

    July 27, 2015 at 7:24 pm

    Hi! Are All the ingredients for the cake is listed? No baking powder/soda, butter/oil??
    The cake is made only with those ingredients ?

    Reply

  23. Thuy says

    July 4, 2015 at 9:10 pm


    Your cake looks beautiful!! Do you think if I were to change the cake to a white butter cake, it would taste okay with the raspberry and mascarpone cream? Planning on making this yummy looking cake for a babyshower.

    Reply

    • vikalinka says

      July 5, 2015 at 9:01 am

      I can’t say for sure because I don’t know what it tastes like but you can probably safely substitute it. Good luck!

      Reply

  24. Mojca says

    June 22, 2015 at 9:14 pm

    Can i make the cake if i have only one 8″ pan, also have such a small oven for one pan? Can i bake one layer by one layer? Thank you

    Reply

    • vikalinka says

      June 23, 2015 at 6:22 am

      It’s fine to bake one layer at a time, Mojka. However, it would be too difficult to use the same pan as you need to wait till the cake cools to remove it and then fill with more batter. I am afraid it would take too long and the batter might deflate.

      Reply

      • Hana says

        February 19, 2016 at 8:51 am

        I actually just did this – I only have one cake pan but really wanted to try this cake. I was super worried about the batter deflating but it wasn’t that bad! I just covered the bowl with a tea towel in between. I think it deflated a little, but all the layers were still super light once they were baked. It did help that I have one of those cake pans where the base and sides separate, and I lined the pan with baking paper each time, so it was very easy to remove each layer while it was still warm.

        Reply

        • vikalinka says

          February 20, 2016 at 10:22 am

          You can definitely bake this as one layer if you have a springform pan that is 9″ or 10″ in diameter and then slice it. I am happy to hear you experimented, Hana!

          Reply

  25. Valerie says

    June 13, 2015 at 11:14 pm

    I love to make my own birthday cakes too!!! Although, I am challenged when it comes to making it look pretty. Anyway…..I’m going to make this for my birthday this year….next week.

    Reply

    • vikalinka says

      June 2, 2015 at 6:52 am

      Evie, no I wouldn’t say so. It’s supposed to have a typical/spreadable buttercream consistency. Perhaps your butter was too warm? It can solidify when cooled.

      Reply

  27. Julia says

    March 31, 2015 at 12:15 pm


    Madethis cake for my friends and family and everyone loved it!!! I havent tried it myself but it looked fabulous!
    One of my friends even asked me to make this cake for his wedding, so I will have to make it as a 2-3 tier cake!
    The reciepe was clear and easy to follow. Im completely no friends with gelatine, so had to avoid using it!
    Thank you!

    Reply

    • vikalinka says

      March 31, 2015 at 1:47 pm

      Thank you for your feedback, Julia. I’ve had other readers make it as a wedding cake. It will have to be reinforced with special equipment like dowels or it will collapse from its own weight as it’s pretty delicate. 🙂

      Reply

  28. Gabriela says

    March 31, 2015 at 2:05 am

    Hi,

    I was wondering if you have ever tried freezing this cake once finished? I want to make it a couple of weeks in advance and then defrost , but j don’t have experience with this type of filling and cake.

    Thanks!!!

    Reply

  29. Keisha says

    March 21, 2015 at 11:08 am

    I making this for my boyfriends birthday. My question does the cake have to be refrigerated at? I’m wanting to put it in a cake plate with cover and make it a day in advance so it’s ready the day of his party

    Reply

  30. Anne says

    February 21, 2015 at 5:47 am

    I haven’t read through all the comments, so maybe someone else already suggested this! 🙂 It would be really helpful if you could add pictures and a description of what the eggs and sugar should look like after you beat them in step #3. I’m not a spatial thinker, so “tripling in volume” doesn’t mean much to me! Knowing what I should look for would have been really helpful during my first try at this sponge cake!

    Reply

    • vikalinka says

      February 21, 2015 at 4:09 pm

      Hi Anne, I understand that some visual guide would’ve been helpful but this recipe was posted over a year ago and there isn’t much I can do at this point. The eggs and sugar will look white and will form a thick foam. I hope that helps!

      Reply

  31. Sarah says

    February 19, 2015 at 9:59 pm


    Where to start… I couldn’t find mascarpone cheese so I had to sub a mixture of cream cheese, whipping cream, and sour cream. If you want this cake well covered, I’d triple the icing recipe. Make completely sure that you whip the heck outta the eggs or it’ll end up too dense. I wouldn’t recommend this for a beginner due to the cake being a sponge cake. The recipe did work though, and looks amazing. I made this for my mother’s birthday cake and she seems impressed.

    Reply

  34. Ale says

    January 21, 2015 at 7:34 am

    Hi! I had this love-hate relationship with this cake. At first I couldn’t prepare the cake per se properly, it came out as flat as pita bread LOL. The next day I gave it a second chance because I saw what I was doing wrong and I learnt from my mistakes. The result: an amazing cake in which you really need to pay attention to the instructions or it will come out as a great failure. My advice? Stick to the recipe and you will have an amazing cake!! (*^^*)

    Reply

  35. Sierra Torres says

    January 19, 2015 at 5:02 pm


    I was stunned by the beauty of this cake when I found this recipe. I made a similar cake. For the pound cake I whipped the egg mixture and then folded in the sifted flour with a spatula by hand. The cake still came out a little dense but it was probably from my end. I did not have raspberry liqueur so I used Amaretto (almond liqueur) and it wasn’t too strong. More of a subtle flavor enhancer. I made the raspberry compote and cooked it down with less sugar. I also put less sugar in the mascarpone filling. Overall it came out great! Wish I could post a picture some how. Thanks for the great recipe

    Reply

      • Alexa says

        February 23, 2019 at 1:55 am

        Hi Vikalinka,

        I would like to make this cake for a baby shower, but was wondering what I could use instead of Raspberry liqueur? I need something without alcohol so the mother to be can enjoy it! Any suggestions welcome! I’m very excited to make this and can’t wait for everyone to try it!

        Reply

  36. Afifa says

    January 15, 2015 at 12:40 am

    The cake looks absolutely scrumptious! I’m not a baker, all I can make is a pound cake. I don’t own a stand mixer, and with the amount of baking I do, it doesn’t make sense for me to buy one. Is electric hand mixer okay to use? Since you mention mixing everything in stand mixer so much, I thought maybe it changes the texture, depending on mixers :/ Does it?

    Reply

    • vikalinka says

      January 15, 2015 at 8:03 am

      You can absolutely use your hand mixer, Afifa, just make sure you mix the batter for the amount of time stated until it triples in volume. It takes a while using a hand mixer but it is definitely possible. Good luck!

      Reply

  37. Kim says

    January 11, 2015 at 8:57 pm


    I also made this cake for my own birthday. It took a while but it was worth it – it’s a really luxurious cake. It tastes a little like raspberry trifle but it’s not soggy or damp. Fantastic recipe. the whole cake was gone in a day! Thankyou.

    Reply

    • vikalinka says

      December 31, 2014 at 2:44 am

      Hi Kelsie, I haven’t tried but I wouldn’t recommend refrigerating it. I think it might work but I would just leave it out on the counter. Can you perhaps borrow another pan from a friend?

      Reply

  39. Dafne says

    December 24, 2014 at 6:31 am


    Hi there! I’m so excited about this cake.I bought all the ingredients and was planning on baking it tomorrow ( Christmas eve). However, since I only had a 9′ pan I decided to start tonight with the cake part. The first layer came out a little more golden brown than I expected and was kind of crunchy looking. I baked the other two less time respectively. But they don’t look spongy or soft like your photos. I live in Denver, maybe the altitude? Do you have any suggestions? I’m willing to start from scratch, but I could always use what I got, I’m sure it’d still taste pretty good even if the texture is off.
    Thanks for your help!

    Reply

    • vikalinka says

      December 24, 2014 at 4:42 pm

      Hi Dafne, hmmm…first of all, if you are using an 9″ pan I would only do 2 layers and not 3, they were probably too thin to start with and dried out too much. Another thing to watch for is your oven temperature. I never trust my oven temp and have an oven thermometer I purchased and placed inside to make sure the temp is what it’s supposed to be. You’d be surprised by the difference…mine is off by 20 degrees! Lastly, do make sure you whip your eggs and sugar until they triple in volume, sometimes it can take up to 8-10 minutes depending on the power of your mixer. The sponge is pillowy soft when it first comes out of the oven, it shouldn’t be crunchy at all. I hope this helps. Please, let me know how you get on! Merry Christmas!

      Reply

      • Dafne says

        January 5, 2015 at 4:01 pm


        Thanks for replying! The cake turned out delicious and it was a great success. I realized about not having the right pans when it was too late and I did not have time to run to the store. So I went ahead and used what I had. I figured that the texture might not be what your cake was meant to be but at least it would still be delicious. The fact that you have a syrup to moisten the cake helped mine tremendously.
        So thanks again!

        Reply

  40. Rachael says

    December 21, 2014 at 7:15 pm

    So pretty! I intend upon making this on x-mas eve to enjoy as dessert on x-mas day. I have a question for you though… I notice that the mascarpone cream calls for “vanilla essense” opposed to “vanilla extract…” Typically, I use vanilla extract. So, I googled vanilla essense and found a few different definitions. One stated that vanila essense is merly a synthetic version for vanilla exract. Another definition said it is 2-3x’s stronger than extract. Therefore, I am at a standstill and decieded it would be in my best interest to consult the author of the receipe to clarify. HELP! 😉 Thank you!

    Reply

  41. SandyH says

    December 12, 2014 at 7:21 pm

    This cake is stunning and seems perfect for Christmas Eve. I am an experienced cake baker, but have never made this particular type. My only concern is the fact that there’s only one cup of flour for three layers…I’m wondering how it can bake up such tall layers!

    Reply

    • vikalinka says

      December 12, 2014 at 11:31 pm

      Sandy, the cake is only 8″ in diameter but it is tall. In order to get tall layers you have to whip eggs and sugar until it triples in volume, which is key to this particular sponge.

      Reply

  42. Alyssa says

    December 4, 2014 at 9:54 am


    This looks delicious and gorgeous! I love the rich, festive look of the creamy ivory frosting, forest green rosemary, and deep crimson raspberries with a light dusting of sugary snow. I’m currently working on figuring out how this would translate into cupcakes! I can’t wait to try it out!

    Reply

  44. Misty says

    November 3, 2014 at 10:10 pm

    I made this cake for a dessert bar at a friend’s wedding and it was absolutely delicious! It disappeared about 20 minutes after the first slice was taken. Friends are still raving about this cake weeks later…thank you for the recipe, I will definitely be making this again!!

    Reply

  45. Jessica says

    September 30, 2014 at 1:49 am

    Thanks for the great recipe! I just wonder if I could replace the white chocolate with dark chocolate? Will the steps be the same?

    Reply

    • vikalinka says

      September 30, 2014 at 12:57 pm

      Jessica, white and dark chocolate react slightly differently when heated. I haven’t tried this recipe with dark chocolate so I can’t be certain. If you want to use dark chocolate instead of white I would go for a dark chocolate ganache. Here is the recipe-https://vikalinka.com/2014/09/13/autumn-mississippi-mud-pie/ or you can experiment with dark chocolate if you feel brave. Good luck. 🙂

      Reply

      • Jessica says

        September 30, 2014 at 5:54 pm


        Thanks for the advice. I guess I will just stick to the original recipe with white chocolate 🙂 Also, I don’t have raspberry liqueur, could I replace it with something else that is not liqueur ( I cannot buy liqueur ) , or use only simple syrup for soaking the cake layers? Thank you.

        Reply

  46. Tracy says

    September 28, 2014 at 10:32 pm


    Hi, thanks for the great recipe. I love your cake, it looks so wonderful!!!
    I want to make one for my crush’s birthday. He likes raspberry, and he loves basketball, so I’m thinking of making this cake, but decorate it with orange and brown reese’s pieces (instead of raspberry) to make it look like a basketball ( like this cake : http://clementinebean.files.wordpress.com/2013/03/178-2.jpg?w=529&h=352 ). I don’t know if that will affect the flavor of the cake? Does it taste weird with raspberry inside and chocolate butter candies on top? I haven’t made any cake before, and this would be my first experience baking something, so I’m really worried. I’m thinking of confessing to him on his birthday too, so I don’t want to screw up with anything 🙂
    Also, I think he doesn’t like super sweet stuffs, so how could I make it less sweet? Could I change the recipe somewhere? Please give me some advice, thank you very much 🙂 Have a nice day.

    Reply

    • vikalinka says

      September 29, 2014 at 6:58 pm

      Tracy, I am not sure what you can do to make it less sweet. If you decorate it with reese’s pieces it will be very sweet. The only thing I can suggest is to leave them out. Good luck!

      Reply

  47. Mary Ann says

    August 30, 2014 at 11:16 pm

    Hi, I would love to try this but am a vegetarian and won’t use gelatin. Is it necessary? If so, can you recommend a substitution? Thank you!

    Reply

  48. Hailee says

    July 23, 2014 at 12:35 pm

    What a strange cake recipe! No baking powder/soda, butter, nor any oil for fat? I wonder how that works, but it’s probably delicous, since after quickly scamming the reviews I see no complaints.

    Reply

  49. Lady v says

    June 19, 2014 at 9:11 pm

    I really want to make this cake but I am an amateur when it comes to executing sucha beautifull cake. do you have any literature recommendations?

    Reply

    • vikalinka says

      June 21, 2014 at 1:08 pm

      Hi there, I am so happy to hear you’d like to make this cake, unfortunately I don’t have any books to recommend. This cake is really not difficult to make as long as you follow the instructions. Best of luck! 🙂

      Reply

    • Sarah says

      February 19, 2015 at 10:02 pm


      Try a regular white cake or a pound cake. If you don’t mix this cake right in it’s current recipe it may turn out way too dense and flat.

      Reply

    • vikalinka says

      May 15, 2014 at 6:32 am

      Yes, only the sponge requires eggs and this cake is just one recipe but baked in 3 8″ pans. It rises quite a bit and with mascarpone filling it looks incredibly tall.

      Reply

  52. Jessica says

    April 26, 2014 at 1:54 am


    I made this cake on Easter for my sister-in-laws birthday it was amazing and very yummy I did have to change the layers of cake I had 9 inch round cake pans so I sliced the cake in thin layers and took the simple out cause of the kids but the thin layers made it moist it was so yummy that mascarpone cream Is to die for thanks so much

    Reply

  56. Yana says

    March 1, 2014 at 6:27 pm

    Stunning cake! I love Biskvit it’s my favorite type of cake. Question: how much water & sugar is needed for the simple syrup. I’m not sure how to make it. Also, do you think I can use corn syrup instead of the simple syrup. Corn syrup is after all water with sugar.

    Thanks!

    Reply

    • vikalinka says

      March 1, 2014 at 6:44 pm

      Thank you, Yana. I wouldn’t recommend using corn syrup, it’s much thicker than simple syrup which is very easy to make. Just mix hot water and sugar in equal parts. For example- 1 cup water to 1 cup sugar. Whenever I use simple syrup I usually add some type of flavouring to it-vanilla, rum essence etc. Hope it helps! 🙂

      Reply

  58. laurasmess says

    January 6, 2014 at 12:31 am

    What a beautiful cake Julia! Love the name too, frostbitten raspberry… gorgeous. I know what you mean about cooking in the evening. I do the same thing frequently, it’s frustrating not to have the right light for photographs. Your finished product photos are absolutely gorgeous though. LOVE the dusting of powdered sugar on the raspberries. Thanks for a wonderful recipe!

    Reply

  59. Maggie says

    January 5, 2014 at 11:06 pm

    This cake looks absolutely scrumptious! I will have to make it for a friends birthday coming up in February, she will love it! Do you think I could use champagne/wine instead of the water for the mascarpone cream?
    Also, is it the white chocolate that is giving the frosting a yellow/orange color, or just the lighting? It’s very pretty to say the least! Cannot wait to try this out!

    Reply

    • vikalinka says

      January 5, 2014 at 11:22 pm

      Maggie, I used water to dilute gelatine, I’ve never done it with wine but I would think all you need is liquid so it will probably work with champagne as well. That being said I cannot vouch for what it will taste like, it might be a step too far because it already has raspberry and vanilla but if you go for it I would love to hear how it turns out. The frosting colour is true colour and yes,it does come from white chocolate. You can use a regular buttercream if you want it white but I really don’t like the taste. 🙂 I hope you enjoy the cake.

      Reply

  60. Olivia says

    January 1, 2014 at 10:57 pm

    I normally never leave negative comments, but this is not a recipe I enjoyed. It came out flat like a pancake and the cream mixture was a little sour so the mix tasted weird to me. With two bites my stomach started to hurt. I guess this is more of a cultural recipe that natives enjoy more, because I know of some other recipes that don’t travel across cultures too well. I’m sorry. If I ever do this again, I will have to make a lot more adjustments.

    Reply

    • vikalinka says

      January 1, 2014 at 11:08 pm

      So sorry to hear that, Olivia. It’s, of course, difficult for me to say what went wrong with the execution as you can see in my pictures the sponge is far from being flat. The eggs and sugar need to be whipped for at least 5 minutes for the sponges to rise well. As far as cream mixture tasting sour and your stomach not feeling well, I’d guess either mascarpone or whipping cream were off. Mascarpone is an Italian cheese that tastes like very thick cream, not sour at all, and is widely used all over the world in desserts.

      Reply

      • Ryan says

        February 27, 2017 at 6:03 pm

        Your recipe says to grease the cake pans. The pans should not be greased for a Russian sponge. We figured this out last night after the 3rd try. The batter needs the sides to hold onto as it rises. When the pans are greased the cakes slip off the sides and it collapses.

        Also, the egg/sugar mixture needs to be whipped a minimum of 5 minutes, but more like 8-10. I’m excited to finish the recipe tonight!

        Reply

        • vikalinka says

          February 27, 2017 at 6:12 pm

          Thanks for your feedback, Ryan. The method actually does work with greased pans. I have made this Russian sponge hundreds of times and sometimes I grease the sides but once in a while I don’t with the same result. My Russian father, who baked this cake always greased the cake pans, so I tend to follow his method. When it comes to the length of time for the egg/sugar mixture, it really depends on how powerful your mixer is, that is why the instructions state “until it triples in size”. Thanks.

          Reply

    • Maggie says

      January 5, 2014 at 11:01 pm

      You may have used ingredients that went bad, the could’ve been past their expiration date, or the may not have been kept at the right temperature at the store or your fridge (might want to check the temperature of the fridge). But the ingredients here wouldn’t give you a stomach ache from a bite or two unless you have an intolerance/allergy, this is definitely a sign of an ingredient gone bad, especially since something tasted sour. Like she said, mascarpone isn’t sour, and actually has a lighter taste than cream cheese. And as a baker with a business, for sponge cake you definitely need to beat the egg mixture for at least the amount of time stated. You need to aerate it, like if you were making a meringue, but this includes the egg yolks.

      Reply

  61. Linda says

    December 31, 2013 at 12:43 am


    I made this for my son’s birthday yesterday. it was delicious. I didn’t frost with the white chocolate buttercream but put a third layer of the mascarpone cream on the top with a mixture of raspberries, blueberries and strawberries on top. It looked beautiful. Wish I could send a photo. Everyone wants me to make it again. Thank you!

    Reply

    • vikalinka says

      December 31, 2013 at 9:42 am

      You are so welcome! So glad you all enjoyed the cake. I would’ve liked to see the picture. You can always post it on my Facebook page. 🙂 My family is asking me to make it again as well!

      Reply

    • vikalinka says

      December 29, 2013 at 9:29 pm

      Rhonda, you can substitute it with a raspberry syrup or a simple syrup (sugar and water in equal parts) and maybe a splash of vanilla or rum essence if you want it alcohol free.

      Reply

      • Laura Minx says

        December 8, 2017 at 5:02 pm

        I have a question,the marscapone I used cream cheese,sour cream and cream.I added the powdered sugar. and vanilla.I think I whipped it too much. does it need the gelatin? as it looks firm?

        Reply

        • vikalinka says

          December 8, 2017 at 6:48 pm

          I think you can safely skip gelatin if it looks firm, Laura. I don’t actually add gelatine anymore as I fine mascarpone I use here in the UK is stable enough.

          Reply

          • Laura Minx says

            December 17, 2017 at 12:24 am


            ok Also I have another question,I love this cake.I want to make this again for more people.Can I double the recipe and use a 3-9 inch pans? I could pour in a 9inch but not good at slicing layers. ?

    • Laura Minx says

      December 16, 2017 at 2:49 am

      I love this cake,I made the 8inch version .I want to make this cake for more people. So if I use 3- 9inch pans can I just double the ingedients from the 8inch recipe?

      Reply

      • vikalinka says

        December 16, 2017 at 11:15 am

        Hi Laura, I would increase the recipe by a third rather than doubling it, at least for the sponge. I am afraid doubling it would cause the layers to overflow when baking. Let me know how it goes! Best Julia

        Reply

        • Teresa says

          February 20, 2018 at 3:41 pm

          Hi
          Such an impressive cake. I am looking forward to trying it this weekend after having pinned it ages ago!
          Should i use white cooking choc or will any white choc do?
          Congrats on such a masterpiece btw
          Teresa

          Reply

          • vikalinka says

            February 20, 2018 at 3:46 pm

            Hi Teresa, I tend to not use baking chocolate as I don’t like the taste. I use regular white chocolate of the best quality I can afford as it really affects the overall taste in the buttercream.

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