Description
A layered dessert known as the Romanian ‘Televizor’ cake, featuring cocoa pastry layers, vanilla sponge, silky vanilla buttercream, and whipped ganache. A nostalgic and well-balanced cake perfect for special occasions.
Ingredients
- Vanilla buttercream pudding base:
- 30 g cornstarch
- 35 g all-purpose flour
- 500 ml full-fat milk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Vanilla buttercream finishing:
- 125 g unsalted butter, very soft
- 100 g icing sugar
- Ganache topping:
- 250 ml heavy cream
- 125 g milk chocolate, finely chopped
- 30 g chocolate flakes for decoration
- Cocoa layers:
- 125 g icing sugar
- 100 g unsalted butter, soft
- 1 tablespoon milk
- 1 tablespoon runny honey
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 20 g unsweetened cocoa powder
- 250 g all-purpose flour
- 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
- Vanilla sponge:
- 3 large eggs, separated
- 100 g sugar
- 2 tablespoons lukewarm water
- 100 g all-purpose flour
- 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 pinch salt
Instructions
- Make the pudding base: Whisk cornstarch and flour with a bit of milk. Boil remaining milk, then whisk in the flour mixture and cook until thick. Stir in vanilla, cover with plastic wrap, and cool completely.
- Make ganache: Heat cream until hot, pour over chopped chocolate, let sit 5 minutes, stir until smooth. Chill until set.
- Prepare cocoa layers: Preheat oven to 180°C. Combine all ingredients in a food processor to form a soft dough. Divide in two, roll between parchment into 23×33 cm rectangles. Bake each for 10–12 minutes. Cool.
- Make vanilla sponge: Line a 23×33 cm pan. Beat egg whites until stiff, gradually adding sugar. Mix yolks with water, fold into whites. Sift in flour, baking powder, and salt. Fold gently. Bake 25–30 minutes. Cool.
- Finish buttercream: Beat soft butter until pale. Add icing sugar and beat again. Gradually add cooled pudding, one spoonful at a time, beating until creamy.
- Whip ganache: Beat chilled ganache until light and fluffy.
- Assemble the cake: Place one cocoa layer on a tray. Spread half the buttercream over it. Add vanilla sponge, then the rest of the buttercream. Top with second cocoa layer. Spread whipped ganache on top and sprinkle with chocolate flakes.
- Chill for at least 4 hours, preferably overnight, before slicing and serving.
Notes
- Let the pudding and butter come to room temperature before combining to avoid curdling.
- Use a serrated knife to slice neatly after chilling.
- Dark chocolate can be used in ganache for a less sweet finish.
- The cake is best made a day ahead to let the layers soften and flavors blend.
- Weighing ingredients ensures accurate results in this layered cake.
- Prep Time: 60 minutes
- Cook Time: 50 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baked
- Cuisine: Eastern European
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 piece
- Calories: 370
- Sugar: 26g
- Sodium: 85mg
- Fat: 22g
- Saturated Fat: 13g
- Unsaturated Fat: 8g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 36g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 5g
- Cholesterol: 85mg
