Soft and creamy Christmas Star Cake: a sweet-sweet star that smells like a celebration and instantly brings the atmosphere of a white Christmas.
It’s a delicious, elegant, and truly scenic cake. I fell in love with it as soon as I saw it on Chez Bibia’s blog and couldn’t resist: I had to try it. I adapted the recipe to my taste, replacing the alchermes with cherry syrup and adjusting the sponge cake quantities for my mold.
The filling is an eggless mascarpone cream, soft and delicate, while the surface is covered with a layer of grated coconut, making it perfect for Christmas Day.
Absolutely a must-try!
Let’s prepare it together!
See you soon
Susy
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- Difficulty: Medium
- Cost: Economical
- Rest time: 30 Minutes
- Preparation time: 1 Hour 30 Minutes
- Portions: 8
- Cooking methods: Electric Oven
- Cuisine: Italian
- Seasonality: Christmas, New Year's Eve
- Energy 416.78 (Kcal)
- Carbohydrates 42.40 (g) of which sugars 29.10 (g)
- Proteins 5.12 (g)
- Fat 26.96 (g) of which saturated 8.82 (g)of which unsaturated 0.95 (g)
- Fibers 0.32 (g)
- Sodium 97.39 (mg)
Indicative values for a portion of 125 g processed in an automated way starting from the nutritional information available on the CREA* and FoodData Central** databases. It is not food and / or nutritional advice.
* CREATES Food and Nutrition Research Center: https://www.crea.gov.it/alimenti-e-nutrizione https://www.alimentinutrizione.it ** U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service. FoodData Central, 2019. https://fdc.nal.usda.gov
Ingredients for the Soft Christmas Star Cake
- 3 eggs
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
- 3 tbsps potato starch
- 1 pinch salt
- 1/2 cup water
- 3 tbsps sugar
- 1 1/3 tbsps cherry syrup
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 9 oz mascarpone
- 1/3 cup vanilla powdered sugar
- 3 tbsps grated coconut
Useful Tools
- Stand Mixer
- Mold
- Bowls
- Spatula
Prepare the Soft Christmas Star Cake
Prepare the soft Christmas Star Cake by beating the eggs with the sugar, a pinch of salt, and vanilla in the stand mixer until you get a light and fluffy mixture. Then, fold in the sifted flours with a spatula, using gentle movements from bottom to top. Line a baking tray with parchment paper, butter and flour the star-shaped mold, pour the batter in, and bake in a static oven at 330°F for 35-40 minutes.
At the end of baking, turn off the oven, let the sponge cake rest for 3-4 minutes, and let it cool completely before removing it from the mold.
Prepare the syrup by dissolving the sugar in water with the cherry syrup in a saucepan; when it is very hot, turn off, let it cool, and set aside. For the filling, whip the cream with 1/4 cup of powdered sugar and, in another bowl, mix the mascarpone with the remaining sugar; combine everything and gently mix.
Cut the sponge cake into three layers and place the base on the serving plate, protecting the edges with aluminum strips. Lightly moisten the surface, fill with the cream, and cover with the second disc. Repeat the process and close with the last layer, moisten and cover the entire cake with the mascarpone cream, smoothing it well even on the tips. Remove the aluminum and sprinkle the surface with grated coconut. Put the cake in the refrigerator for at least an hour before serving. It’s soft, elegant, and perfect for Christmas Day.
Storage and Useful Tips
The soft Christmas Star Cake keeps in the refrigerator for 2-3 days, well covered. Before serving, I recommend leaving it at room temperature for 10 minutes: the cream becomes soft again and the taste is even more balanced.
Gluten-free variation: replace the all-purpose flour with a gluten-free baking mix and use only cornstarch instead of potato starch. The cake remains soft and stable.
Freshness effect: add a bit of lemon or orange zest to the cream. It perfumes the filling and makes it perfect for Christmas.
More intense syrup: you can slightly increase the cherry syrup for a richer and more aromatic taste.
Portions: the cake weighs about 2.2 lbs and allows for 8 generous slices weighing 4.2-4.6 oz each.
Neat assembly: insert small strips of aluminum under the cake tips during filling. The plate will stay clean and the presentation will be elegant.
If you prepare it a few hours in advance, or even the day before, it will taste even better: resting in the fridge makes the cream more stable and the sponge cake perfectly moist.
Frequently Asked Questions
How can I tell if the sponge cake is cooked?
Insert a toothpick in the center: if it comes out dry, the sponge cake is ready. Alternatively, lightly touch the surface: it should spring back without leaving a mark.
Can I use a different syrup than cherry?
Of course. You can use rum syrup, lemon, orange, or simply water and sugar for a more delicate taste.
