The Molly cake is a soft and versatile cake, loved for its spongy texture and ability to stay soft for a long time. Unlike other similar cakes – like the classic sponge cake – the Molly cake is distinguished by the presence of whipped cream in the batter, which gives the cake a rich yet light texture at the same time, without making it heavy. Very simple to make, it has a delicate and neutral flavor that makes it perfect both to enjoy on its own and as a base for more elaborate preparations, such as birthday cakes. This dessert is ideal for those looking for a soft base to fill, cover or decorate, to create multi-layer cakes or cake design cakes. Thanks to its soft but compact structure that does not crumble, the Molly Cake is perfect for holding creams, ganache, and fresh fruit and also for being covered with fondant. Simply served with a dusting of powdered sugar, the Molly Cake is a perfect choice for a breakfast dessert different from the usual, which will captivate you with its genuine taste and incredible softness.
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- Difficulty: Very easy
- Cost: Very cheap
- Preparation time: 15 Minutes
- Portions: 10 People
- Cooking methods: Oven
- Cuisine: American
- Seasonality: All seasons
- Energy 250.07 (Kcal)
- Carbohydrates 34.71 (g) of which sugars 16.75 (g)
- Proteins 5.11 (g)
- Fat 10.98 (g) of which saturated 0.59 (g)of which unsaturated 0.72 (g)
- Fibers 0.55 (g)
- Sodium 21.45 (mg)
Indicative values for a portion of 68 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 a 9-inch Molly cake
If you are celiac, you can make the gluten-free Molly cake by using instead of 250 g of all-purpose flour 180 g of rice flour + 70 g of cornstarch; also check that rice flour, cornstarch, and baking powder are labeled “gluten-free”.
- 3 eggs (medium)
- 3/4 cup sugar
- 2 cups all-purpose flour (or 180 g rice flour + 70 g cornstarch)
- 1 cup fresh liquid cream (unsweetened)
- 1 packet baking powder
Tools
- 1 Stand mixer with wire whip
- 1 Sieve
- 1 Bowl
- 1 Spatula
- 1 Cake pan 9 inches in diameter
- Parchment paper
How to make Molly cake
To prepare the Molly cake, start by cracking the eggs into a bowl; I recommend using room temperature eggs because they whip better. Add the sugar (1). Using the wire whip of the stand mixer, or with electric beaters, whip the eggs and sugar for a long time, until they are pale, fluffy, and frothy (2).
Sift the flour (or rice flour and cornstarch) and baking powder into the bowl (3). Gently fold them into the eggs using a spatula, with slow movements from bottom to top to avoid deflating the eggs (4).
In the end, you should obtain a homogeneous and rather dense mixture (5). In a separate bowl, and using clean beaters, whip the cream to perfection (6). A small tip for quickly whipping cream is to keep the bowl and beaters in the freezer until just before using them; the cream should also be very cold.
Gradually add the cream to the Molly cake batter in two or three additions (7), gently folding it in with the spatula with slow movements from bottom to top. In the end, you will obtain a smooth and frothy mixture (8).
Line a 9-inch cake pan with parchment paper. If you use a pan of different dimensions, consult this guide which will help you adjust the cake’s quantities based on your pan size. Pour the batter into the pan and level it well with the spatula (9). Bake the Molly cake in a preheated oven at 350°F for 30 minutes, then lower the temperature to 320°F and continue baking for another 15-20 minutes. Before removing it from the oven, check with a toothpick that it is well-cooked and dry inside, then take it out and let it cool completely before removing it from the pan (10).
You can serve the Molly cake lightly dusted with powdered sugar as a breakfast dessert, or you can cut it in half and fill it with cream and strawberries, pastry cream, mascarpone cream, Nutella, or any filling your imagination suggests.
Storage
The Molly cake stays soft for 4-5 days at room temperature, best kept in a cake container or under a glass dome.
Tips and Variations
This is the basic version, ideal for flavoring with a cake soak or filling with various creams. Its taste is neutral for this reason. If you want to enjoy it on its own, you can flavor it with the zest of 1 lemon or half an orange, a packet of vanilla sugar, a pinch of cinnamon, or a tablespoon of your favorite liqueur.
