Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- Step 1: Beat the 3 eggs for the base with 3 tablespoons of warm water in a bowl until very frothy. While stirring (preferably with a hand mixer), slowly sprinkle in the powdered sugar. Continue stirring until everything is nice and creamy. Then carefully fold in the flour and cocoa powder. Do not stir too much, otherwise you will lose the airiness!
- Step 2: Line the bottom of a springform pan (approx. 26 cm diameter) with baking paper. Pour the batter into the pan and smooth it out.
- Step 3: Now put the batter into the preheated oven. At 200°C (electric oven) or Gas Mark 3, it only needs 15-20 minutes. Do the skewer test to make sure it's cooked through!
- Step 4: Once the base is ready, take the pan out of the oven. Carefully loosen the rim of the pan, but leave the base in the pan on a wire rack to cool completely. This is important so that it doesn't break.
- Step 5: Now for the cream! Soak the 8 sheets of gelatin in a bowl with cold water. In another bowl, cream the soft butter with powdered sugar and vanilla sugar.
- Step 6: Separate the remaining 3 eggs into yolks and whites. Stir the egg yolks together with the egg liqueur into the butter-sugar mixture. Set the egg whites aside – we will need them later.
- Step 7: Squeeze the soaked gelatin well. Then dissolve it carefully (either in a small pot over very low heat or in a small bowl in the microwave for a few seconds - be careful not to boil it!). Immediately stir the dissolved, still liquid gelatin thoroughly into the egg liqueur cream. Now chill the cream, but be careful: As soon as it starts to thicken and gel (you'll notice this when you run a spoon through it and a trace remains), continue with the next step. This can take 15-30 minutes, keep an eye on it!
- Step 8: While the cream is chilling in the refrigerator and starting to gel, whip the well-chilled heavy cream until stiff. In an absolutely clean and grease-free bowl, beat the reserved egg whites with a pinch of salt until stiff peaks form. Carefully set both aside.
- Step 9: As soon as the egg liqueur cream starts to gel (this is the critical point, not too liquid, not too firm!), carefully fold in the egg whites first, and then the whipped cream. Do this very gently with a spatula so that the cream remains nice and airy.
- Step 10: Place the cleaned rim of the springform pan back around the cooled base. Now spread a thin layer of the egg liqueur cream (approx. 1-2 cm wide) around the edge of the base. This is the "glue" for the wafers.
- Step 11: Now place the wafer rolls vertically along the edge on the thin cream layer. Once the entire edge is lined with wafers, carefully fill the remaining egg liqueur cream into the center. Smooth the surface.
- Step 12: The cake must now cool down properly and set. Put it in the refrigerator for at least 3 hours (preferably 4-5 hours or overnight).
- Step 13: Once the cake is set, carefully loosen the rim of the pan. Now you can get creative! Drizzle the surface with a little extra egg liqueur (optional), pipe cream rosettes on top, and sprinkle everything with chocolate shavings. And then... just enjoy!
Notes
Tips for Success: Be patient with the gelatin setting in Step 7 – wait until it just starts to gel before folding in the egg whites and cream. Fold gently with a spatula to keep the cream airy. The thin cream layer in Step 10 helps the wafer rolls stick. You can bake the base a day ahead. Ensure the bowl for egg whites is absolutely grease-free.
Storage: Store leftovers well-covered in the refrigerator for 2-3 days. The cream will become firmer over time; it's creamiest on the first or second day.
Variations: Replace cocoa with more flour for a light base. Use ladyfingers or chocolate cookies instead of wafer rolls. Add fresh berries (raspberries, strawberries) to the cream or as a layer. Add chopped chocolate to the cream. Reduce powdered sugar for a less sweet cake.
FAQ: This cake contains alcohol and is not suitable for children. Gelatin is important for the texture; Agar-Agar can be used as a vegan alternative following package instructions. If the cream becomes too firm before folding, gently loosen it.