When it’s time for a special occasion, this is the traditional Italian cake to make. Layers of sponge, doused in liqueur, filled with custard and coated in buttercream. Most often, this cake is decorated around the edges and the centre is left smooth to write “Happy Birthday”or “On Your Christening Day” or whatever the special occasion may be.
This cake is my mother’s speciality, and she has made many of them over the years for different family members and occasions. This truly is a very special cake that’s full of tradition and family memories.
None of the components are difficult to make, but it’s easiest to make them in stages. Make the custard cream and sponge the day before, then all you have to do on the day is whip up the buttercream and the sugar syrup and assemble the cake.
You can see the beautiful layers of moist sponge, chocolate and vanilla custard and the sweet rich flavours of the liqueur spiked sugar syrup. It really is special.
The sugar syrup is flavoured with liqueur, I’ve listed three: Creme de Menthe (a slight mint flavour), Anisette (licorice) and Alchermes (cherry). They give a hint of flavour as well as the traditional colours. The amount used depends on personal taste. If you prefer not to use alcohol, you can use flavoured extract and colouring instead, but be careful as the flavours from extract can be very intense and overpowering.
I’ve decorated the cake the traditional way, very over the top as it is meant to be. But feel free to decorate this cake anyway you like.
Try your skills at making rosettes with the icing as pictured (google you-tube for a lesson on making decorative flowers and shapes) or simply coat evenly with buttercream and adorn with fresh flowers, or press flaked almonds or chopped nuts around the sides.
This is meant to be a large cake intended for a gathering of people therefore you will need a larger than normal cake tin, around 25–26 cm.
Custard Liqueur Cake
Ingredients
Method
- Preheat the oven to 180 C (350F). Grease and line the bottom of a 26cm round cake tin. Grease the inside walls of the tin and add a few spoonfuls of flour and tap and shake the tin so that the flour makes a coating on the inside. This flour on the inside gives the batter something to cling to and encourages it to rise.
- Put the eggs, sugar and vanilla extract into the bowl of an electric mixer. Beat with the whisk attachment until stiff and pale (around 8 minutes).
- Sift the flour, custard powder, corn flour and baking powder into a large bowl, then sift the mixture again, this time directly into the whipped egg mixture.
- Use a spatula to carefully fold the mixture to combine. Pour into your prepared tin and give it a few gentle taps on the bench to get rid of any bubbles in the batter.
- Bake for 40 minutes, or until risen, slightly golden on top and cake springs back when touched. Run a knife around the edge to help loosen and immediately flip the cake over onto a clean tea-towel, still in its tin, and rest for 10 minutes before removing the tin, peeling of the baking paper and turning over onto a wire rack to cool completely.
- Use a serrated knife to cut the cake into three equal layers. Place one layer on a large cake plate or board that you plan to serve it on. Once assembled this cake can’t be moved easily. Drizzle with a little of each of the flavoured sugar syrups. Cover with the vanilla custard cream.
- Place another cake layer on top, drizzle with more of each flavoured syrups and top with the chocolate custard cream. Finally place the last layer on top. Use your hands to straighten the layers so it’s standing straight and even.
- Use a spatula to cover the cake with a thick layer of buttercream. Put the remaining buttercream into a piping bag fitted with a 2cm star nozzle and pipe rosettes around the bottom and edge of the cake, or as you desire.
- This cake keeps well, and benefits from standing in the fridge for a few hours before serving for everything to set.
- Put the sugar and water into a small saucepan and stir over medium heat until sugar is dissolved. Bring to the boil and simmer for 2 minutes. Set aside to cool. Once cool, pour1/3 of the syrup into 3 small bowls. Add the Crème de Menthe to one, the Alchermes or Cherry Liqueur to another and the Anisette liqueur to the third. Stir to combine.
- Put all the ingredients apart from the milk into a bowl. Use a whisk to combine into a thick smooth paste. Add the milk and whisk to combine. Transfer mixture into a medium saucepan and whisk constantly over medium heat until thickened. This takes around 7 minutes.
- Remove from the heat and tip into a large bowl. Allow to cool slightly then cover with cling-film, pressing directly onto the surface to stop a skin from forming. Refrigerate until cool. The mixture will thicken further as it cools.
- Prior to using, beat the custard cream until smooth.
- Put all the ingredients apart from the milk into a bowl. Use a whisk to combine into a thick smooth paste. Add the milk and whisk to combine. Transfer mixture into a medium saucepan and whisk constantly over medium heat until thickened. This takes around 7minutes.
- Remove from the heat and tip into a large bowl. Allow to cool slightly then cover with cling-film, pressing directly onto the surface to stop a skin from forming. Refrigerate until cool. The mixture will thicken further as it cools.
- Prior to using, beat the custard cream until smooth.
- Place the butter and half the icing sugar into a bowl with the milk and vanilla. Beat on medium-low speed until incorporated, then add the rest of the icing sugar and beat on highspeed until thick and white.
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