Princess Cake

Preparation

1. Step 1

   Make the cake: Heat the oven to 350 degrees. Lightly coat an 8-inch round cake or springform pan with cooking spray, then line the bottom with a round of parchment paper and the sides with a strip of parchment. (The spray helps the paper stay in place.)

2. Step 2

   Separate the eggs into two large bowls (if using a stand mixer, use the mixer bowl for the egg whites). Whisk 3 tablespoons/30 grams of the granulated sugar into the yolks, followed by the milk, oil, vanilla and salt. It may appear split at first, but whisk for 30 seconds, until combined and smooth.

3. Step 3

   With an electric hand mixer or a stand mixer with the whisk attachment, whisk the egg whites on medium speed until frothy, 10 to 20 seconds, then slowly add the remaining ¼ cup plus 1 tablespoon/70 grams granulated sugar while beating. Raise the speed to high and whisk until you get a thick, dense meringue with medium-stiff peaks, 2 to 3 minutes. It should look like shaving foam. If you lift the beaters, the meringue will hold its shape, but the tip will droop slightly.

4. Step 4

   Whisk one-quarter of the meringue vigorously into the yolk mixture to lighten it. Sift over the flour and baking powder in one go, then use a flexible spatula to thoroughly combine. You are not trying to retain any air at this stage, so don’t hold back. It will be somewhat thick.

5. Step 5

   Once combined, gently fold in the remaining meringue in three additions, scraping around the outside of the bowl and through the middle in a capital “D” shape while rotating the bowl counterclockwise to maintain the airiness of the batter. Pour the batter into the lined pan and tap the pan firmly against the counter a few times to help spread it evenly.

6. Step 6

   Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, until the cake is golden and feels firm when pressed. Remove from the oven, then drop onto the counter from about a foot in the air three times (be careful, it will be hot!). This may seem crazy, but it helps to prevent the cake from shrinking too much.

7. Step 7

   Let cool on a rack for 5 minutes, then, when the pan is cool enough to handle, invert onto the rack, peel off the paper and turn right-side up to cool completely. (If using a springform pan, remove the sides and base.)

8. Step 8

   While the cake bakes, make the custard: Whisk together the egg yolks, sugar, cornstarch and vanilla in a small saucepan until combined, followed by the milk. Take care to make sure it is well combined, paying extra attention to the edges of the saucepan.

9. Step 9

   Cook the custard over medium heat, whisking continuously, until thickened, 2 to 3 minutes. Once boiling, turn the heat to low and whisk for 30 seconds longer. Turn off the heat, then whisk in the butter. Pour into a heatproof container and press plastic wrap or parchment paper directly against the custard to prevent it from forming a skin. Once cool to the touch, refrigerate to chill, at least 1 hour.

10. Step 10

    Once the cake and custard have cooled, prepare the marzipan coating and decoration: Pinch off ¼ cup/75 grams of marzipan for the flower décor, wrap well and set aside. For the coating, dust your work surface with powdered sugar, then knead the marzipan with one or two drops of green food coloring until it is an even pale mint green. Always start cautiously when adding food coloring: You can always add more, but you can’t take it away. Add more powdered sugar whenever the marzipan is sticky. If it feels dry or starts to crack, moisten your hands slightly (shaking off any excess water) and knead until smooth. The marzipan should be pliable but not sticky throughout the process. When you are happy with the color, form the marzipan into a 5-inch-diameter disk.

11. Step 11

    Remove any marzipan that has stuck to your work surface using a bench scraper. (Marzipan has a memory and will take on any lumps and bumps that it rolls over.) Dust the smooth surface with powdered sugar. Roll out the marzipan disk, turning it a quarter way around between each roll to maintain the circular shape, until 14 inches in diameter and ⅛-inch thick. As you work, dust the marzipan and surface with powdered sugar as needed to prevent sticking. You can also turn the marzipan over to dust and roll both sides.

12. Step 12

    You will build the cake in an 8- to 9-inch diameter bowl. Make sure it is clean and dry. Dust powdered sugar on top of the marzipan circle and rub it in to evenly coat it well and make sure it’s not sticky. (If it’s cracking, moisten your hands slightly, shaking off any excess water, knead the marzipan until smooth and roll again.) Flip it over, then roll it up loosely onto your rolling pin. Unroll it over the bowl, dusted side down. Encourage the marzipan to take the form of the bowl by lifting it and gently pressing it into place. Take your time with this to get it neat and tidy, lining the bowl closely without any overlap. The marzipan needs to overhang the edges of the bowl by about 1 inch or else it will slip down. If you need to start again, you can simply remove the marzipan and re-roll it as before, adding more powdered sugar if it’s too sticky or dampening your hands if it’s too dry. Once finished, cover the bowl with a damp cloth to prevent the marzipan from being exposed to the air and drying out or cracking.

13. Step 13

    Make the mascarpone cream: Whisk all the ingredients together using an electric hand mixer or stand mixer until very stiff peaks form. This is the cement of your cake, so it needs to be stiff enough to provide structure.

14. Step 14

    To finish the custard, beat the cooled custard using an electric hand mixer or stand mixer until smooth. Fold in 1 cup/150 grams of the mascarpone cream until thick and airy. Refrigerate until ready to use.

15. Step 15

    Assemble the cake: Pile 2⅓ cups/350 grams of the remaining mascarpone cream into the marzipan-lined bowl, smoothing it with a spoon or offset spatula. Spread an additional scant cup/125 grams of cream evenly up and around the walls of the marzipan, going all the way to the top.

16. Step 16

    Using a serrated knife, cut your spongecake evenly in half to form two rounds. Place the top half, cut side up, over the cream into the bowl. It might warp or bend slightly depending on the dimensions of your bowl. That’s OK! Spread the raspberry jam on top of the cake, followed by all of the custard, smoothing it all the way to the edges.

17. Step 17

    Place the remaining cake half, cut side down, onto the custard. Using the remaining ⅔ cup/100 grams mascarpone cream, fill in any gaps around the sides of the cake. If there aren’t any, spread it all over the top of the cake.

18. Step 18

    Trim the marzipan lining with scissors or a sharp knife so that there is an approximate ½-inch border once it’s folded up and over onto the cake. (Use any excess marzipan to make more décor.) Lift and fold the marzipan onto the cake, using the palms of your hands to smooth the curved edge around the base to form a very pleasing shape.

19. Step 19

    Place a serving platter upside down onto the cake and, gripping the bowl and plate at the same time, confidently flip it over. Carefully lift the bowl off to reveal your beautiful princess cake. Use the palms of your hands to gently pat the cake into shape, especially if you’ve used a bowl with an angular base.

20. Step 20

    Use a dry pastry brush to dust off any excess powdered sugar, then wet the brush for a final touch up, brushing to erase any last bits of dusty sugar. Refrigerate the cake for at least an hour before serving.

21. Step 21

    To fashion a rose to decorate the top, color the reserved marzipan with pink food coloring, kneading it in as before. Pinch off ½-inch blobs, then roll each into longer strips. Roll the first one up to form the center of your spiral, then place each subsequent strip around to form petals, pinching at the base to hold the flower together. Stick the flower onto the center of your cake using a little water to act as glue. Use any excess green marzipan to create leaves or other decorative flourishes.

22. Step 22

    The finished princess cake can be refrigerated for up to four days. If you’d like, cover it with a cake dome or overturned bowl.