Sarah Bernhardt Cake

Ingredients

• 200 g soft marzipan base
• 5 eggs (size M)
• 175 g sugar
• 1 packet vanilla sugar
• 125 g flour
• 1 tsp Baking powder
• 1 packet vanilla pudding mix (for cooking)
• 400 ml milk
• 4 tsp instant espresso powder
• 75 g sugar
• 1 packet vanilla sugar
• 200 g butter
• 100 g almond sticks
• 50 g dark chocolate couverture

Instructions

1. 1.

   Divide marzipan into pieces and whisk smoothly with one egg. Beat remaining eggs, sugar, and vanilla sugar with a hand mixer until thick and frothy, gradually folding in the marzipan mixture. Mix flour with baking powder and sift over the batter, stirring quickly to combine. Spread the dough evenly on a parchment-lined tray. Place a folded strip of foil over the dough before baking. Bake in a preheated oven at 180°C (gas: level 2-3, convection: 160°C) for 15-20 minutes.

2. 2.

   Transfer the sponge onto a piece of parchment dusted with sugar. Carefully lift the baked parchment. Cut the sponge into three strips (28x12 cm). Let cool.

3. 3.

   For the filling, whisk pudding mix with 6 tablespoons of milk. Bring remaining milk to a boil with espresso powder, sugar, and vanilla sugar. Stir in the prepared pudding mixture and bring to a second boil. Pour into a bowl, cover with cling film, and let cool.

4. 4.

   Beat butter until creamy. Gradually fold in the cooled pudding. Spread this over the sponge strips and assemble them, then coat around the edges with the buttercream. Refrigerate for 1 hour.

5. 5.

   Brown almonds in a dry pan. Place on parchment paper. Cut couverture into pieces, melt in a double boiler, and drizzle over the almonds. Let the chocolate set. Break almond sticks into pieces and garnish the cake.