This cake is one of the Russian classics.Slightly spongy cake layers are soaked in a sweet syrup,then the layers are spread with delicious sweet buttery sour cream and prune cream filling with a little crunch from walnuts.Then the top and sides of the cake are topped with a light and creamy whipped cream and sour cream topping.I added shredded chocolate to the sides and made a chocolate grid from melted truffles and mini meringues drops from left over egg whites.
Ingredients:
Batter-
1 stick butter (118 grams)room temperature.
4 egg yolks(reserve egg whites for meringues)
1 cup sugar
1 cup sour cream
11/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 1/2 cups flour
+ 1 tablespoon cocoa powder
Cream-
1 cup sour cream
1 1/2 stick butter (room temperature)
1/2 cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
3/4 cup crushed walnuts
225 grams(8 oz.) prunes soaked in boiling water and drained.
Topping:
3/4 cup heavy whipping cream
2 tablespoons sour cream
1 1/4 cup powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
Syrup:
1 cup boiling water
2 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons cognac or brandy(optional)
Directions:
Total of 3 sheets (2 white and 1 chocolate)
Heat oven to 350 degrees.
Line bottom of 2 (9 inch round) spring foam pans with parchment paper.
Spray with non stick cooking spray or use oil.
In a mixing bowl using stand or hand mixer beat together butter and sugar.
When the butter becomes light and fluffy and egg yolks one at a time.
Add salt.
Combine sour cream with baking soda and vanilla and add to the bowl.
Gradually add flour.
The batter should be thick.
Spread the batter in the 2 baking pans.(reserve some batter for the third cake)
Bake 2 cakes for about 15 minutes.
Add cocoa powder to the rest of the left over batter and mix well to combine.
Bake it when the other two cakes are done.
Let it cool.
Now you can bake the meringue drops.
Whip egg whites with 1 cup sugar until stiff peeks form.
Bake at 250 degrees for about 1 1/2.
Syrup:
Boil water with sugar.Add cognac or brandy(optional). Let it cool.
Cream:
Crush walnuts and prunes using a blender.
Beat together butter and sugar.
Add walnuts,prunes,sour cream, and vanilla to whipped butter with sugar.
Cream Topping:
Beat heavy whipping cream,sour cream,vanilla and powdered sugar together.
Assembling:
Spray or pour syrup using a spoon on the first white layer.
Spread a generous amount of prune cream filling.
Place chocolate layer on top .
Spray or pour syrup.
Spread prune cream filling.
Place white layer on top.
Spray or pour syrup.
Spread the rest of the prune cream filling on the sides of the cake.
Spread whipped cream and sour cream topping on the sides and top of the cake.
Decorate as desired.
I used shredded chocolate on the sides,melted truffles for the grid, and meringue drops for the top edges.
oh wow… this looks amazing.. thank you so much.will definitely try this soon
Thanks,try it, we love it.
I made this cake for Easter sunday but mine unfortunately did not come as high as yours. the layers came out very thin, so i was wondering what i did wrong. is there really baking soda in the batter or it should say baking powder??? all together the cake is delicious.. will try again soon
Yes you need baking soda.Also check make sure it’s fresh. It’s not suppose to be really high, about 1 inch thick (each layer). Sorry to hear that it didn’t come out how you expected.
thanks for the reply.. will try again
Hello. I noticed under Topping it says 1 1/4 of powdered sugar. 1 1/4 of what? Tsp or tbs?
sorry Tanya…its cups.
I looove this cake. I’ve been looking for this recipe for a while and finally found it! Made it last night. Except I cut up my prunes and walnuts into small pieces. Turned out sooo good. Thank you!