Just like in the US, there is no set birthday cake recipe, per se, but a birthday cake is expected to be more festive than your regular cake. Germans especially delight in decorating the cake with flowers and edible garnishes and always serve it with whipped cream. Hand-made cakes are highly regarded in German culture, no matter how amateur.
This recipe starts with a simple base-layer and jazzes it up with a mascarpone-quark cream, flavored with cinnamon. For a finishing touch you may also want to add the marzipan flowers for your special someone.
Makes 12 pieces
- 1 single layer chocolate cake, prepared from 1/2 package of cake mix, or other source, and baked in a 10 inch springform
- 2 envelopes of granular gelatin (like Knox), or 1/2 oz., divided
- 1/2 c. sugar, divided
- 1 c. mascarpone cheese, or 8 oz.
- 1/2 c. cream cheese, or one small package 3.5 oz.
- 1 c. quark or yogurt cheese, or 8 oz.
- 2 T. lemon juice
- 1/2 tsp. cinnamon
- 1 c. whipping cream
- 1 can of fruit 14 oz., (mandarin oranges, peaches, pineapple or other favorite)
- 2 oz. marzipan
- 1 T. powdered sugar
- Several drops of food coloring
- 1 oz. chocolate chips, melted
- 1 T. cream
Assemble cake:
Take baked and cooled cake layer and place in a springform pan (bake in pan, remove and wash ring and replace). Cut a strip of waxed paper to fit around cake and place between cake and sides of springform.
Soften 1 package of gelatin in 1/4 cup water for 5 minutes. Heat and stir until dissolved by microwaving for 20 to 25 seconds. Do not boil!
Mix cream cheese with 1/3 cup sugar until well blended. Add mascarpone, quark, lemon juice and cinnamon and beat well. Remove 1/4 of the mixture to a clean bowl.
Beat whipped cream into stiff peaks in a separate bowl, adding the rest of the sugar towards the end. Remove 1/4 of the whipped cream to the bowl with the reserved mascarpone cream.
Using a rotary mixer, slowly pour the slightly cooled gelatin into the mascarpone cream. Fold in the whipped cream. Spread the mixture onto the cake, smooth the top and refrigerate for 1 hour.
Purée the drained fruit with 1/2 cup of its liquid, slowly add the second package of prepared gelatin (Soften 1 package of gelatin in 1/4 cup water for 5 minutes. Heat and stir until dissolved by microwaving for 20 to 25 seconds. Do not boil!) and and stir well. Fold the fruit into the reserved 1/4 of the mascarpone and whipped creams. Pour fruit cream over mascarpone cream layer, smooth top and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
Make the decoration
Knead marzipan together with powdered sugar and yellow (or other color) food coloring. Roll out thinly on a powder sugar-covered board. Cut out flower shapes (or other shapes as desired) with a cookie cutter or free-hand. Roll left-over marzipan into little balls for flower centers.
Melt chocolate chips with cream, stir and let cool slightly. Spoon lukewarm mixture into the corner of a sandwich bag and cut off a very small corner. Outline flowers and attach centers with chocolate. Allow to harden.
Decorate
Right before serving: Whip the other cup of whipping cream into stiff peaks and sweeten with sugar or vanilla sugar to taste. Fill a cake decorating bag with fancy tip with the whipped cream. Remove parchment paper from cake, squeeze whipped cream into little pillow shapes, and decorate top with flower. Add candles and serve.
Tip 1: When you place the cake base on the serving plate, cut strips of parchment paper 2 inches wide and place under cake rim. When it’s serving time, you just remove paper and presto, a clean cake plate!
Tip 2: This cake can be made with fresh fruit instead of canned. Substitute about 12 ounces prepared fresh fruit purée for the canned and proceed as above. Decorate with remaining fresh fruit and whipped cream.
