Cake "Prague"

Cookinero 29 Apr 2025

1650

The Prague cake is a classic cake made of three chocolate sponge cake layers, cocoa butter cream and chocolate icing. At one time, it was a true confectionery legend. This dessert was created by the same pastry chef who created the Bird's Milk. The Prague cake was sold in the hotel of the same name on Arbat. The Prague cake recipe is valued for its delicate chocolate flavor. And it can be stored for a really long time. Homemade Prague cake is a favorite of Soviet cuisine. Try it yourself.

How to cook Cake "Prague"

Step 1

Grind the yolks with 75 grams of sugar. Beat the mixture with a mixer until it becomes smooth and fluffy.

Step 2

In a separate container, beat the whites. After 1-2 minutes, without stopping beating, gradually add 75 grams of sugar to the whites. The mass should increase in volume by 2.5-3 times. Beat with clean dry whisks in a clean and dry container.

Step 3

Add the whipped egg whites to the yolk mixture in portions, alternating with sifted flour and cocoa powder, and stir gently. Pour the melted, cooled butter along the edge of the bowl, and stir gently from the bottom up. Not vigorously, so that the mixture does not fall.

Step 4

Pour the dough into a 24 cm diameter form and bake in an oven preheated to 200 °C for 30 minutes. Remove the form with the sponge cake from the oven, turn it upside down and place it on a rack until completely cool. The sponge cake can be used immediately after cooling, but it will crumble when cut, so if possible, prepare the sponge cake in advance. Aged sponge cake cuts better, crumbles less, and has a more elastic structure.

Step 5

Prepare the cream. Place the yolk in a saucepan or small pot. Add 25 grams of water to the yolk and stir. This is necessary so that the yolk does not curdle when heated with condensed milk. Add condensed milk.

Step 6

Heat the cream over a slightly lower than medium heat. Stirring constantly to prevent burning on the bottom, boil the moisture from the syrup until thickened for 7-8 minutes. The finished mass should have the consistency of low-fat sour cream. Remove from the stove and let cool to room temperature.

Step 7

Beat the butter with vanilla sugar until white and fluffy. Add the cooled mixture of yolk and condensed milk and stir. Sift the cocoa powder through a sieve and add it to the total mass. Mix until smooth with a mixer or silicone spatula.

Step 8

Make the impregnation. Dissolve 50 grams of apricot jam in 30 ml of hot water. If the jam contains pieces of apricot, then rub the jam through a large sieve or a colander with small holes.

Step 9

Cut the sponge cake into three even identical layers. It is easiest to do this with a special string or a long serrated knife. Also, immediately prepare 70 grams of jam for the filling.

Step 10

Grease and soak the cakes. Grease the bottom cake with syrup - use a third of the soak. Put some of the cream and distribute it evenly over the surface of the cake. Put the second cake on top, press down with a board, thereby leveling the position of the second cake. Soak it as well and put the cream on it. Level it, put the third cake on top and press down with a board again. If the cream comes out a little from the sides, use it to level the sides of the cake. Soak the third cake with the remaining syrup, put the prepared apricot jam on top of the cake and distribute it evenly over the entire surface. Level the sides with the remaining cream. Put the cake in the refrigerator for 2 hours so that the jam and cream on the sides harden.

Step 11

Make chocolate glaze. Usually the amount of chocolate is equal to the amount of butter. The glaze is soft and does not harden in the refrigerator. But this recipe requires a slightly hard and brittle glaze, so more chocolate is used. In a double boiler or in the microwave, melt the chocolate with butter in a bowl and mix.

Step 12

Cover the cake with icing. Set aside some icing for decoration. First coat the sides, then pour the rest of the icing on top of the cake and smooth it out with a spatula, offset knife or silicone spatula. Refrigerate for 30 minutes.

Step 13

Decorate the cake. Pour the icing into a pastry bag or a small, thick bag, cut off a small corner and paint the cake with patterns. After painting, put the cake in the refrigerator for at least a couple of hours. It should sit, soak up the flavors well and cool.