Malakoff Cake Recipe
Discover the decadent Malakoff Cake, a coffee-infused dessert that blends the boldness of espresso with the sweetness of ladyfingers and a luscious cream. Ideal for special occasions or a cozy treat, this recipe will quickly become your new favorite way to enjoy coffee in dessert form!
Equipment
- Espresso Machine
- Cake Pan
- Bowls
Ingredients
Ladyfinger Layers
- 600 ml espresso coffee
- 35 pcs Ladyfingers
- 3 tbsps rum
- 1 tbsp sugar
Coffee Cream
- 100 ml strong espresso
- 400 ml milk
- 100 ml water
- 150 g icing sugar
- 24 g vanilla sugar
- 6 pcs egg yolks
- 2 tsps edible starches
- 20 g gelatin powder
- 400 ml whipping cream
Garnish
- whipped cream
- hazelnut wafel rolls
Instructions
Prepare Ladyfinger layers
- We mix the brewed and cooled black coffee with rum and sugar, and set it aside. We will then dip the ladyfingers into the rum coffee before layering them in the cake pan with the cream.
Prepare Coffee Cream
- We add the vanilla sugar and egg yolks to the icing sugar, mix until smooth, then add the edible starches and black coffee as well.
- We heat the milk almost to boiling point, then gradually stir it into the sugar-egg mixture. Then, over a double boiler, while stirring constantly, we cook it until the cream thickens, then remove it from heat. (It needs to be cooked and stirred for quite a few minutes before it thickens.)
- We boil the water. Remove from heat, add the gelatin powder, and stir until completely dissolved. Then, we add it to the thickened cream and mix until smooth, then cool while stirring. (The cream will be slightly thinner after adding the gelatin). Whip the whipping cream until stiff peaks form, then gradually add it to the cream mixture to obtain a smooth cream.
Assemble the Cake
- Line the cake-pan with baking parchment. Dip the Ladyfingers individually into the rum coffee, then line the bottom of the cake-pan with them. (Be careful to dip them only for a moment, so that the Ladyfingers don’t soak up too much coffee and get soggy, because then we won’t be able to slice the cake.)
- We spoon one-third of the cream onto the coffee Ladyfingers, then add another layer of Ladyfingers dipped in coffee. Next, we spoon half of the remaining cream, followed by another layer of coffee-soaked Ladyfingers, and finally, we evenly spread the rest of the cream on top. The finished cake is placed in the refrigerator for a few hours or overnight to set completely and allow the flavors to meld together.
Decorate & Serve
- We take the well-chilled cake out of the cake pan, then place it on a cake platter together with the parchment paper. Then, we decorate the top of the cake with whipped cream and hazelnut wafel rolls.
- I recommend using a 24 cm diameter cake pan for making this cake.
Notes
While this classic Malakoff Cake recipe is absolutely delicious, you can make it your own by experimenting with a few variations.
For a lighter flavor, consider replacing the rum with a bit of orange liqueur or hazelnut syrup for a unique twist.
For an extra touch of decadence, you can even layer the cake with a bit of chocolate ganache or sprinkle cocoa powder over the whipped cream for a sophisticated finish.
Another variation could involve adding a bit of chopped nuts - such as hazelnuts or almonds - between the layers for added crunch.
Or, if you prefer a slightly sweeter twist, use a caramel syrup instead of rum for a sweet, warm flavor that complements the coffee beautifully.
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!
