This Frostbitten raspberry cake is the cake for any celebration in any season!
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.
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!
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.
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!
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.
Yang says
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!
Santini says
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!
Glory says
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!
vikalinka says
This has got to be one of my favourite comments! Thank you, Glory!
Cat | Curly's Cooking says
This looks amazing. I love mascarpone with raspberries and your decoration looks so sophisticated and elegant.
vikalinka says
Thank you, Cat! Mascarpone is my favourite way to fill a cake!
Tanya says
What would be a substitute for the mascarpone cheese ? Like exact measurements per 1 cup ?
vikalinka says
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.
CakenGifts.in says
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!
vikalinka says
Sounds great!
Carla says
Just made this today! It was a hit (my 11 year old said, “This may have been the best cake I ever ate!”). Delicious!
vikalinka says
When kids approve my recipes, it’s the most satisfying thing ever! Thanks for sharing, Carla!! 🙂
Sunita says
Hi, I have question. Y haven’t you added baking powder to the cake batter
vikalinka says
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.
Julia says
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.
vikalinka says
Thanks for reporting back, Julia!
Humach says
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!!!!
vikalinka says
Thank you for your feedback, Humach. I am so pleased to hear you loved the cake. Happy Eid!
Anny says
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?
vikalinka says
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.
Jillian N. says
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).
vikalinka says
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. 🙂
Sara says
Could I make the compote the day before? Thanks!
vikalinka says
Absolutely, Sara!
sofia says
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
vikalinka says
Well done on making your own raspberry liquor, Sofia! You can use any berry flavour you can find or vanilla will work too!
Mm says
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.
vikalinka says
Thank you so much, Mary for leaving your feedback! The cake is one of our favourites as well. Happy birthday to your husband!
nubia says
The flour is all purpose or flour cake?
vikalinka says
All purpose flour, Nubia.
Dawn Pedroza says
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!
vikalinka says
Happy Birthday, Dawn! I hope this cake is everything you’d hoped for!!
Jason says
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!
Roseanna says
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.
vikalinka says
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!!
Roseanna says
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.
Beth says
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!
vikalinka says
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! 🙂
Stacy says
Is it safe to have kids eat this since your aren’t cooking the liquor but just mixing it with the syrup?
vikalinka says
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.
Elisabeth Siapin says
how many days ahead can I make this cake?
vikalinka says
I wouldn’t recommend longer than a day ahead, Elisabeth, as all baked goods this cake is best eaten fresh.
Elisabeth Siapin says
Ok, thank you. I was only thinking of making a day ahead. so excited to try it out. thanks!
vikalinka says
Perfect, do let me know how it turns out!
Elisabeth Siapin says
After the sponge cakes are baked, how tall should they be?
vikalinka says
Each layer is about 1 1/4″ tall.
Melissa says
Hi Julia, can the sponge cakes be made far in advance ? If so, how far? I was thinking of making it 3 days in advance. Thanks 🙂
vikalinka says
If you are making them so far in advance, I would wrap them up in cling wrap and freeze them, Melissa. Otherwise these sponges get dry quickly as they are very delicate and don’t have any butter or oil in them. I hope this helps!
Lisa says
Hi! Are All the ingredients for the cake is listed? No baking powder/soda, butter/oil??
The cake is made only with those ingredients ?
vikalinka says
Yes, all ingredients are listed.
Thuy says
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.
vikalinka says
I can’t say for sure because I don’t know what it tastes like but you can probably safely substitute it. Good luck!
Mojca says
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
vikalinka says
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.
Hana says
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.
vikalinka says
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!
Valerie says
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.
Evie says
My buttercream icing came out runny. Was that as intended?
vikalinka says
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.
Valerie says
Water content varies across brands of butter. I would guess you used a brand with high water content.
Julia says
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!
vikalinka says
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. 🙂
Gabriela says
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!!!
vikalinka says
I have absolutely no experience with freezing cakes, Gabriela so can’t really tell either way.
Keisha says
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
vikalinka says
Keisha, this cake needs to be refrigerated because it’s filled with mascarpone, which can spoil. 🙂
Anne says
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!
vikalinka says
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!
Sarah says
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.
Stephanie says
Do u think using black raspberry liquer instead would taste good ?
vikalinka says
Absolutely, Stephanie!
Ale says
Also, I would recommend to read all the comments hahaha so you can learn from others mistakes （≧∇≦）
Ale says
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!! (*^^*)
vikalinka says
Great advice, Ale, thank you for sharing!! And way to persevere and overcome! 🙂
Sierra Torres says
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
vikalinka says
That’s so great to hear. Also, pound cake is always dense so don’t blame yourself, Sierra.
Alexa says
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!
vikalinka says
You can use simple syrup with some vanilla added for flavour, Alexa.
Afifa says
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?
vikalinka says
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!
Kim says
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.
vikalinka says
I am so pleased to hear you enjoyed it, Kim! Happy belated birthday!
Kelsie says
Hello!
I’m wondering if the batter would hold up I’m the refrigerator as I only have one 8″ pan to bake the cake.
vikalinka says
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?
Dafne says
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!
vikalinka says
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!
Dafne says
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!
Rachael says
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!
vikalinka says
Rachael, thank you for a good question. You are absolutely right to use vanilla extract. That’s what I use too, I never use artificial vanilla. I have no idea why I wrote vanilla “essence” there, I might’ve done it absent-mindedly! Here is the stuff that I use for all of my baking. http://www.amazon.co.uk/Nielsen-massey-Pure-Vanilla-Extract-118/dp/B0000VLU1W/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1419191302&sr=8-3&keywords=vanilla+extract
SandyH says
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!
vikalinka says
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.
Alyssa says
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!
vikalinka says
Thank you, Alyssa. Let me know when you do, sounds like a worthy cause. 😉
Katie says
This looks wonderful! Can I assemble the cake a day early? Will it keep well enough overnight to eat the next day?
vikalinka says
Absolutely, Katie. I would keep it chilled though since it’s filled with mascarpone. 🙂
Misty says
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!!
vikalinka says
So happy to hear it, Misty! Thank you for sharing and check out the newest cake I just posted yesterday! 🙂
Jessica says
Thanks for the great recipe! I just wonder if I could replace the white chocolate with dark chocolate? Will the steps be the same?
vikalinka says
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. 🙂
Jessica says
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.
vikalinka says
You can definitely use simple syrup, it won’t have the same complex flavour as raspberry liqueur but it will do.
Tracy says
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.
vikalinka says
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!
Mary Ann says
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!
vikalinka says
Hi Mary Ann, you can try a vegetarian gelatin, depending on where you live different things might be available. Here is the link to your options.http://www.thekitchn.com/vegetarian-alternatives-to-gelatin-189478 That being said, I think you can just skip gelatin altogether. I think that whipped mascarpone is thick enough to hold its shape without it, it just needs to be whipped really stiff. Let me know how you get on. 🙂
Hailee says
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.
Lady v says
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?
vikalinka says
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! 🙂
Sarah says
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.
Keren says
Looks Amazing!!!
defiantly going to make this one.
A tbsp of butter it`s about 10 gr?
vikalinka says
Hi Keren, a tablespoon is 15 ml.
Keren says
Thank you!
I made it and it came out really great!
vikalinka says
So happy to hear it, Keren!
Nataliya says
Did u use only 5 eggs for whole cake?
vikalinka says
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.
Jessica says
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
vikalinka says
I am so pleased to hear that, Jessica! Thank you for sharing. 🙂
Vanessa says
This looks amaaazing! Gorgeous cake 🙂
http://cafecraftea.blogspot.com
vikalinka says
Thank you, Vanessa. 🙂
Jessica says
Can you make this cake a day in advance will it get soggy if it is put in the fridge
vikalinka says
Jessica, it will not get soggy because buttercream will keep it sealed, so yeah, go ahead! 🙂
Alexis says
How about 2 days ahead?
vikalinka says
I am not sure it will stay as fresh, Alexis. Maybe try making the sponges and freezing them until needed? Let me know!
Kelly - LEFT SIDE OF THE TABLE says
This cake is gorgeous lady! Wonderful layers. My favorite cakes have layers, fruit and cream cheese or mascarpone frosting. Sooo guess I’ll be making this soon 🙂 Definitely pinning this! Thanks so much!
vikalinka says
Your favourite cakes sound like my favourite cakes, Kelly! Thank you for pinning. 🙂
Yana says
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!
vikalinka says
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! 🙂
Christie says
Would you recommend ap flour or cake flour? The cake is beautiful!
vikalinka says
Thank you Christie, I usually use all-purpose flour.
Christie says
Do you think cake flour would negatively affect cake?
vikalinka says
I don’t think so but I haven’t tested it with cake flour so I can’t be certain. 🙂
Kiran Gill says
In the UK all purpose flour is plain flour is that what you mean? If so, will the cake still rise or should I add some baking powder?
Many thanks,
vikalinka says
Hi Kiran, yes plain flour. You don’t need to add baking powder. The whipped eggs give this sponge a rise.
laurasmess says
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!
Maggie says
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!
vikalinka says
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.
Olivia says
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.
vikalinka says
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.
Ryan says
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!
vikalinka says
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.
Maggie says
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.
Linda says
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!
vikalinka says
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!
Janet says
Looks very delicious! FYI 150 grams is more like 5.3 ounces, for the white chocolate. Will be making this for my son’s birthday!!
vikalinka says
You are absolutely right, Janet! I am not sure where 12oz came from! It’s corrected. 🙂
Rhonda says
I was wondering if the raspberry liqeuor can be substituted and what you would suggest.
vikalinka says
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.
Laura Minx says
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?
vikalinka says
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.
Laura Minx says
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 (Tutti Dolci) says
Beautiful cake, Julia! I love the raspberry and mascarpone pairing. Hope you had a wonderful birthday!
Laura Minx says
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?
vikalinka says
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
Teresa says
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
vikalinka says
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.