Are you ready to bring the most cheerful dessert of the year to the table? My Carnival Cake is designed to amaze both children and adults.
Externally, it’s a riot of colors thanks to the cascade of sugar sprinkles, while inside hides a rich and creamy two-tone heart.
I chose a double cream to please everyone: the delicacy of custard with chocolate chips and the intensity of chocolate cream.
The secret to this dessert? The perfect balance. It is an incredibly delicious cake, where the softness of the Sponge Cake meets a double creamy filling.
The base is soaked to perfection: moist and flavorful, yet capable of elegantly supporting the two layers of custard and chocolate without being excessive.
I created this cake inspired by the contagious joy of my young neighbors.
Thinking of little Francesca, who fills me with kisses and affection every time she sees me, I could only prepare a dessert that was an explosion of colors and smiles.
It’s a cake that brings joy at first sight: outside it’s a carpet of crunchy confetti, inside it’s a two-tone surprise of custard and chocolate.
Every bite is a surprise: the crunchy note of the external sprinkles gives way to the creaminess of the two-tone heart, making it a cake that never gets tiring. It’s my way of giving back the joy that Francesca gives me every time she meets me!”
- Difficulty: Easy
- Rest time: 1 Hour
- Preparation time: 20 Minutes
- Portions: 14 People
- Cooking methods: Electric Oven
- Cuisine: Italian
- Seasonality: All seasons, Carnival
Ingredients
Carnival Cake
- 6 eggs (room temperature)
- 5.3 oz sugar
- 0.63 cup all-purpose flour
- 0.6 cup cornstarch (Maizena)
- to taste lemon (grated peel or a packet of vanilla)
- 4.2 cups milk (whole)
- 4 eggs (to avoid wasting egg whites)
- 0.8 cup cornstarch (or 1 cup of all-purpose flour.)
- g lemon (zest or Vanilla for flavoring)
- 1.8 oz unsweetened cocoa powder (or in a bar)
- 1 oz dark chocolate chips
- 6 oz sugar (or 7 oz of sugar (reduced for a more balanced flavor))
- 0.63 cup water
- 2.8 oz sugar
- 2.7 tbsp rum (for desserts (adjust the amount as desired for intensity))
- to taste colored sprinkles
Tools
- Baking Pan
- Stand Mixer
- Kitchen Scale
- Parchment Paper
- Spatula
- Sieve
Steps
Carnival Cake
To prepare the tall Sponge Cake without yeast, first sift the flours twice onto a sheet of parchment paper and set it aside.
(This operation will incorporate lots of air and make the cake very fluffy).
Then prepare the 24/26 mold with a hinged bottom by placing parchment paper while around it should be buttered and floured
In the second step, break the eggs into a bowl, add the grated peel of a lemon and the sugar, and beat with an electric mixer for about 15 minutes until you obtain a light, very fluffy and frothy mixture.
(The eggs must be at room temperature).
If you don’t have an electric mixer, use a stand mixer.
If lifted, it should create a sort of ribbon and remain visible for a few seconds before sinking.
Now the mixer will no longer be needed, take a spatula.
Incorporate the sifted flour by sprinkling it in 2-3 parts and mixing gently with a spatula, from bottom to top, so as not to deflate the mixture.Finally, pour the mixture into a mold, level gently without pressing.
Bake in a preheated oven, in static mode, at 356°F for about 35/40 minutes, or you can use a convection oven at 338°F for about 35/40 minutes.
My advice is always to check the cooking with a toothpick to prevent the cake from drying out too much or remaining raw.
Before detaching it from the base, wait until it has cooled.
In a saucepan, heat the liter of milk with a lemon peel.
In a bowl, work the 4 whole eggs with the sugar (170-200 g) and add 100 g cornstarch (if you use the flour 120 g sifted).
Pour the hot milk in a thin stream over the mixture, stirring with a whisk to avoid lumps.
Return to the heat and let thicken, simmering for 1-2 minutes so that the flour cooks well.
Divide the cream
Take 1/3 of the hot cream and put it in a bowl (this will be the white cream).
In the remaining 2/3 of the cream, immediately add the unsweetened cocoa powder and stir vigorously until smooth and dark.(If you don’t have unsweetened cocoa, use 50 g of dark chocolate (preferably with at least 50-60% cocoa).
How to do it: While the cream is still boiling (just after turning off the heat), take 2/3 of the cream and pour the previously chopped chocolate into it.
The heat of the cream will instantly melt the chocolate. Stir vigorously with the whisk until you obtain a dark, smooth, and very velvety cream).
Cover both creams with cling film in contact and let cool.Boil the water with the sugar for 2 minutes.
Turn off the heat, add the Rum and let cool.If you have children, use an orange or a milk syrup.
Cut the Sponge Cake into 3 equal discs.
First layer: Place the base on the tray, soak with the rum syrup (generous but not too soaked). Spread all the white cream and chocolate chips.
Second layer: Place the second disc, soak it and spread some of the chocolate cream (set aside about a third for the outside).
Closure: Place the last disc and slightly soak this too.
With a spatula, cover the entire cake (top and sides) with the remaining chocolate cream. It should be a thin layer, just enough to act as “glue”.
Take the colored sprinkles and make them adhere to the entire surface, pressing lightly with the hand on the sides.
Put the cake in the fridge for at least 1-3 hours (better overnight) before serving. This will allow the syrup to distribute and the creams to set.
When cutting, you will have 14/15 perfect slices of about 5.3 oz each, with the two-tone heart and cheerful exterior that will drive everyone crazy, especially the children.
Enjoy and happy carnival to all of you, also great as a birthday cake, very festive.
Advice
For the Sponge Cake:
Stabilize the Batter: For an even fluffier and stable Sponge Cake, make sure to beat the eggs with the sugar for a long time (at least 15-20 minutes) until the mixture is tripled in volume and writes (i.e., when drizzling a thin string of batter, it doesn’t sink right away).
Before cutting the Sponge Cake, let it rest for at least 5-6 hours (or ideally, make it the day before). It will be more stable and easier to slice evenly.
To achieve the effect of “moist but not too much” that you desire:
The edges: Insist slightly more on the edges of the Sponge Cake, which tend to be drier.
The center: Go lighter in the center, as the weight of the cream will push the moisture down.
The tray: Put a spoonful of cream on the tray before placing the first disc; it will help “stick” the cake and prevent it from sliding while decorating.
Cling Film Touching: When letting the cream cool (both white and chocolate), place the cling film directly on the surface. This will prevent the formation of a hard “skin” on top.
Curiosity
The Technique for Sprinkles (Confetti)
Adhering the sprinkles to the sides can be tricky. Here’s how:
Place the cake on a rack, which is set over a large tray.
Take a handful of sprinkles and “blow” or gently press against the side of the cake.
Those that fall in the clean tray can be gathered and reused. This way, you won’t waste any!
The “Trick” of Sprinkles
The colored sugar sprinkles suffer from the humidity of the refrigerator: over time they might start to “bleed color” onto the cream.
Tip: If you can, add the shower of colored sprinkles the same day you are eating it or just a few hours before. This way, they will remain shiny, crunchy, and brightly colored.
Storage
Take the cake out of the fridge about 20-30 minutes before .
At room temperature, the flavors of lemon and cocoa are much more pronounced, and the cream will be silkier on the palate.
The ideal is a cake tin with a bell cover. If you don’t have one, leave it uncovered but avoid placing it near foods with strong odors (onion, cheese), as the cream easily absorbs odors.
It keeps perfectly for 2-3 days. In fact, on the second day, it is often better because the syrup and cream have had time to “mature” together.
FAQ (Questions and Answers)
A child will eat it, what syrup do you suggest?
Milk and Vanilla (Delicate)
It’s the most neutral and delicious choice. It makes the Sponge Cake similar to a soft snack.
How to make it: Heat 150 ml of milk with 1 tablespoon of sugar and a packet of vanilla (or some vanilla extract).
Why choose it: It doesn’t overpower the taste of the cream and makes the cake very soft.
Orange and Sugar (Fresh)
If you want to give a fragrant and citrusy note that calls to mind Carnival.
How to make it: Boil 150 ml of water with 2 tablespoons of sugar and the zest of an orange. Once off the heat, add the juice of half a squeezed and filtered orange.
Why choose it: Orange and chocolate (of your 2/3 cream) are a winning combination.
The Most “Chocolatey”: Milk and Nesquik
If the child is a big chocolate lover
How to make it: Dissolve 1 generous tablespoon of sugared cocoa (like Nesquik) in 150 ml of slightly warm milk.
Why choose it: It will make the Sponge Cake dark and flavorful, echoing your chocolate cream.
