Marienkäfer Cake

Ingredients

• 50 g ground almonds
• 4 tbsp flour
• 100 g dark chocolate
• 100 g butter
• 100 g sugar
• 4 eggs
• 1 tsp Baking powder
• 60 g currant jam
• butter (and flour for the pan)
• 250 g white couverture chocolate
• 3 tbsp Coconut oil
• 300 g marzipan base
• powdered sugar
• food coloring (red and brown)
• 60 g dark chocolate
• 1 licorice roll
• Lemon balm (for garnish)

Instructions

1. 1.

   For the cake, roughly chop chocolate and melt it over a bain-marie.

2. 2.

   Separate eggs. Beat egg whites to stiff peaks. Whisk soft butter with sugar until fluffy, then gradually fold in yolks. Fold in melted chocolate. Add whipped egg whites to the cream and sprinkle ground almonds mixed with flour and baking powder on top. Gently combine and pour into a greased and floured pan. Bake in a preheated oven at 180°C fan for about 40 minutes (test with a skewer). Remove, let cool slightly, then unmold and cool completely. Slice horizontally once. Fill with half the jam (the base can be soaked in rum if desired), replace the lid, and spread remaining jam around. Let dry.

3. 3.

   For decoration, chop white chocolate and melt it over hot water with coconut fat. Coat the cake and allow to set. Before the chocolate fully hardens, place lemon balm leaves where the ladybugs will sit and press lightly on top.

4. 4.

   To make the ladybugs, knead marzipan with enough powdered sugar for a smooth dough. Tint half brown for bodies and shape 10 (or more) oval bodies. Color the rest red, form wings, attach to bodies gently. Melt chocolate over water and fill a small piping tip; pipe dots and eyes onto the bugs. Roll licorice into a roll, cut about 1 cm pieces, split lengthwise, and insert as antennae. Arrange bugs on the cake and garnish with remaining lemon balm leaves.