The snow is melting fast, temperatures are rising and the days are getting longer. Spring is definitely here! Like I told you earlier this week, we are going on a little trip out of the city for Easter. I'll be back blogging after a short break when we come back home on Monday. But before we start our Easter vacation, I'm excited to share this cake recipe with you.
This cake is not only amazing looking but also tasting. I really like the technique of combining separately made roll cake with the smooth and creamy middle. And there is no reason to let the fancy looks fool you; it will take some time to make but is also really simple and turns out great every time. This charlotte cake is a perfect make-ahead dessert and star of the coffee table this Easter.
Ingredients
{ roll cake }
- 4 eggs
- 1/2 cup (1.25 dl) sugar
- 1/3 cup (0.75 dl) all-purpose flour
- 1/3 cup (0.75 dl) potato flour (potato starch)
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- around 3/4 cup (1.75 dl) orange marmalade
{ filling }
- 8 gelatin sheets + cold water for soaking
- 1 2/3 cup (4 dl) whipping cream
- 14 ounces (400 g) cream cheese
- 1/3 cup (1.5 dl) sugar
- 8 ounces (230 g) canned peaches
- 1/2 cup (1.25 dl) juice/syrup from canned peaches
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Start with the roll cake. You can make it well ahead of time and let it set in the fridge. Using an electric mixer, beat the eggs and sugar until very light and foamy. This will take around 7 minutes. For a fluffy and even textured cake, it is important to get a lot of volume into the egg and sugar foam. Combine flour, potato flour and baking powder in a separate bowl. Gradually sift the dry ingredients into the egg mixture carefully folding. Spread the batter onto a deep baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
Bake at 400 F (200 C) for 7-10 minutes just until cooked and lightly golden. Allow the cake to cool for a few minutes, and flip it onto a parchment paper lightly sprinkled with sugar. Remove the paper from the bottom of the cake, and let cool for 10 minutes. Spread a thin layer of marmalade evenly on the cake. Roll the cake in the parchment paper, and twist the ends closed to keep the roll cake in shape in the fridge. Let set there for at least an hour. I made the roll cake the night before.
Line a medium size bowl (3 liter) with plastic wrap. Cut 1/2 inch (around 1 cm) thick slices from the roll cake, and place them tightly next to each other on the bottom and the sides of the bowl. Tear off little pieces of cake from the remaining slices, and cover any possible holes between the cake slices.
To prepare the filling, soak the gelatin sheets in cold water. Whip the cream and gradually beat in the cream cheese. I like to use low fat cream cheese in this recipe. Drain the peaches and keep the juice. Dice the peaches into small pieces, and mix them in. Add in sugar to taste (I used around 1/3 cup, 0.75 dl) and vanilla extract.
In a small pot, bring 1/2 cup (1.25 dl) of the juice or syrup from the canned peaches to a boil. Remove from heat. Squeeze the water out of gelatin sheets, and mix them into the hot liquid. Mix until dissolved and let cool for a minute. Slowly pour the gelatin into the filling mixture in a thin stream. Mix until even and pour into the roll cake dome until it's filled up. Refrigerate for 3 hours or over night. Turn the bowl over a serving plate, and remove the bowl and plastic wrap.
What a unique cake! I love this idea - so pretty.
Posted by: maija | April 02, 2010 at 12:14 AM
Wow. This cake is gorgeous!!!!!!!!!!! Its seriously so amazing! Well done!
Posted by: Teri Lyn Fisher | April 02, 2010 at 06:25 AM
Tuorejuusto sopii varmaan ihanasti täytteeseen perinteisen rahkan sijaan. Hyvä idea! Suloista pääsiäistä sinulle Tiina!
Posted by: Omenaminttu | April 02, 2010 at 11:26 AM
i'm so impressed by the appearance of this cake--it's exquisite! if it tastes anywhere near as good as it looks, it'd definitely be worth the time and effort involved in making it. truly lovely. :)
Posted by: grace | April 02, 2010 at 01:33 PM
This is gorgeous! I hope you have a great Easter!
Posted by: fresh365 | April 02, 2010 at 04:43 PM
what are gelatin sheets? I've never heard of them. Where did you find the recipe or did you invent it?
Posted by: Connie | April 02, 2010 at 06:35 PM
Thank you all for your sweet comments! Hope you're having a lovely Easter!
Connie, gelatin sheets are often used in cake recipes. They're not available everywhere, so you can substitute gelatin sheets with gelatin powder. Just follow the instructions on the package for gelatin structure that is cutable. Usually 1 sheet=1 teaspoon powder but since there are different types of gelatins, I recommend checking the package instructions. This kind of Charlotte cake recipe traditional, and this is my own version of it. Thanks for the question!
Posted by: tiina | April 03, 2010 at 01:28 PM
I've been following your blog for a while now and been eager to try out your recipes. Finally this morning I decided to make my first recipe which was this one, the beautiful Charlotte! Right now it is cooling down in the fridge and I hope it will turn out to be as cute looking as yours!!(^.^)
Posted by: Laura | April 04, 2010 at 10:11 AM
Lovely, Laura. I hope you like it as much as we did. Thanks for following and the sweet comment!
Posted by: tiina | April 04, 2010 at 04:44 PM
That is such a pretty cake. Absolutely incredible, I can't wait to try it!
Posted by: pinksuedeshoe | April 06, 2010 at 05:18 AM
OH MY! This is so pretty, Ive never heard of this cake before!
Jen Ramos
www.madebygirl.com
madebygirl.blogspot.com
Posted by: jennifer ramos | April 16, 2010 at 01:01 AM
love charlotte cake- they dont know it around here so am very excited to try your recipe
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A man can fail many times, but he isn't a failure until he begins to blame somebody else. -- J. Burroughs
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Posted by: Natasha18Barton | December 11, 2011 at 09:28 PM
This is such a clever idea my friend!! :D
Posted by: Adidas | July 01, 2012 at 02:00 PM
Just a trivia, Charlotte is a corruption of the Old English word charlyt meaning a "dish of custard." There is a lot of doubt surrounding the origins of the name "charlotte." Meat dishes that were known as charlets were popular in the 15th century.
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