Vintage Cakes

by Jane Brocket

  black forest gateau

  The full name of this cake, Schwarzwälder Kirschtorte, explains that it is flavoured with kirsch from the Black Forest region of Germany. Although written histories prove it has been around since the 1930s, it was in the 1970s that it became the dessert cake of choice. It’s a heady mix of chocolate sponge, alcohol, cherries and cream that will be forever linked to platform shoes as tall as the cake.

  FOR THE CAKE

  175g soft butter, plus extra for greasing

  175g caster sugar

  5 eggs, separated

  125g self-raising flour

  75g cocoa powder

  FOR THE FILLING & TOPPING

  1 x 390g jar of black cherries with kirsch, or 250g (drained weight) of tinned black cherries

  2–3 tablespoons kirsch (or liquid from the jar of cherries, if using)

  350ml double cream

  grated chocolate or chocolate swirls (optional)

  YOU WILL NEED

  three 20cm round shallow cake tins, greased with butter and bases lined with baking parchment

  makes 1 large cake (serves 12)

  1/ Preheat the oven to 180°C (gas mark 4).

  2/ Put the butter and sugar in a large mixing bowl. With a wooden spoon or an electric whisk, cream them together until they are pale and fluffy. Add the egg yolks one by one, beating well after each addition.

  3/ In a separate, clean bowl, whisk the egg whites until they are softly peaking. Sift the flour and cocoa powder together onto a plate. With a metal spoon or flexible spatula, gradually add the egg whites and slide in the sifted flour mix to the butter, sugar and egg mix. Fold in gently after each addition until thoroughly and evenly combined, and no flecks of white remain.

  4/ Divide the mixture equally between 3 tins and level the surfaces. Bake in the preheated oven for 15–20 minutes until a fine toothpick or metal skewer inserted into the centre of a cake comes out clean. Transfer to a wire rack and leave to cool before turning out of the tins and peeling off the papers. Make sure the cakes are completely cool before filling and decorating.

  5/ Drain the cherries retaining the liquid. Sprinkle the kirsch or cherry liquor over the surface of each layer of cake. Whip the cream until softly billowing, but do not over-whip. Place the first layer of sponge upside down on a plate or stand. With a palette knife or spatula, spread a layer of cream on top. Dot a third of the cherries over the surface. Place the second layer of sponge, also upside down, on top and repeat with the cream and cherries. Finally, place the third layer on top, the right way up, and cover with the remaining cream. Either create a circle of cherries on top, or heap them in the middle. Add a grating of dark chocolate if desired. Serve as soon as possible after filling and decorating.

  STORAGE: Although the sponge layers will freeze well for up to a month or keep for a couple of days in airtight tins in a cool place, once the cream and cherries have been added, the cake should be eaten quickly.

  swiss roll

  It’s not clear whether the Swiss really did invent the Swiss roll, or whether it is in fact simply a name coined for a style of cake that is made in many countries around the world. However, the name stuck, and for many it evokes memories of childhood teas, school dinners and afternoons with aunties. The sponge is light and very rollable as it contains a high proportion of whisked eggs and sugar, but no butter. It can be filled with jam, fruit curd, cream or buttercream, and is still one of the great home-baked treats that puts shop-bought versions to shame. It does not keep well and should be eaten on the day of making while it is still fluffy and airy.

  FOR THE CAKE

  butter, for greasing

  3 large eggs

  80g caster sugar, plus extra for dredging

  80g plain flour, plus extra for dusting

  a pinch of salt

  your chosen filling – jam, orange or lemon curd (see opposite), fresh whipped cream

  icing sugar, for dusting (optional)

  YOU WILL NEED

  a 30 x 20cm Swiss roll tin or a similar flat baking tin. Grease the tin with butter and line with baking parchment, making sure the lining stands a couple of centimetres taller than the tin. Grease the parchment and dust lightly with flour to prevent the sponge sticking

  makes 1 medium Swiss roll (serves 6)

  1/ Preheat the oven to 190°C (gas mark 5).

  2/ Put the eggs and sugar into a large mixing bowl or the bowl of an electric mixer. Whisk nonstop at full speed for 5 minutes, by which time the mixture will be very pale and creamy and 3 times its original volume. If whisking by hand, mix until you achieve the same results.

  3/ Measure the flour into a bowl, add the pinch of salt and sift over the mixture, a small amount at a time. After each addition, fold the flour in very carefully and gently with a large metal spoon, working in a figure of 8 motion. Make sure all the flour has been incorporated.

  4/ Spoon the mixture into the prepared tin. Shake the tin lightly to ensure the sponge mixture is even and reaches all the corners. Avoid pressing with the spoon if possible as this removes precious air bubbles.

  5/ Bake in the oven for 10–12 minutes or until the sponge turns pale gold and is springy to the touch. Do not overcook.

  6/ While the sponge is in the oven, cut a piece or strip of baking parchment 2–3cm larger on all sides than the base of your tin. Place on a work surface and dredge evenly with caster sugar; this will stop the sponge sticking while it cools and contributes to the classic, lightly sugary Swiss roll exterior.

  7/ Remove the tin from the oven, and immediately invert the sponge onto the sugared parchment. Starting from a short end, lift the parchment and carefully roll up the sponge with the parchment still inside to form a neat roll, and leave to cool.

  8/ When the cake has cooled completely, carefully unroll and remove the baking parchment from the surface. Spread with your chosen filling and re-roll, pulling away gently from the sugar-dredged parchment beneath. Dust liberally with icing or caster sugar, if desired.

  STORAGE: Serve fresh and on the day of making – homemade Swiss roll does not keep well.

  FOR THE FILLING

  3–4 lemons, to give about 200ml juice (room temperature lemons yield more juice than lemons straight from the fridge)

  4 eggs, plus 3 egg yolks

  300g caster sugar

  200g butter

  makes 3 x 350g jars

  filling variation: lemon curd

  The old saying ‘When life gives you lemons, make lemonade’ could be altered to, ‘When life gives you egg yolks, make lemon curd’, because when you are baking vintage cakes (for example Meringues, page 158 or Chiffon Cake, page 120), you are likely to find yourself with leftover yolks, and lemon curd is the perfect way to make something with them that can be used in and on future cakes. Real, homemade lemon curd is wonderful on bread and butter, in scones, Swiss rolls, éclairs, sweet buns and fairy cakes, and an excellent alternative to jam in a Victoria sandwich cake. It’s not difficult, and you can make a few jars with little effort and fuss in less than 15 minutes – as long as you give it your undivided attention when it’s cooking. This recipe omits the zest as it can create a touch of bitterness, and to make it even smoother it pays to strain the just-cooked curd through a fine sieve.

  First make sure your jars are absolutely clean. It’s not vital to sterilise them as you will be keeping the lemon curd in the fridge and it doesn’t last very long, but a wash in very hot water or in a dishwasher is necessary. Leave to dry rather than drying with a tea towel, or dry in a low oven for a few minutes.

  1/ Squeeze the lemons to obtain the juice.

  2/ Put the eggs, egg yolks and sugar in a mixing bowl. With a metal whisk, mix well to combine thoroughly until the sugar has dissolved.

  3/ Pour the eggs and sugar mix into a large, heavy-based saucepan and add the butter. Over a low heat, gently warm the mix, whisking frequently. Once the butter has melted, cook very gently, stirring all the time with a wooden spoon or flexible spatula to preve
nt lumps of egg white forming. The mixture will thicken and have the consistency of custard. This will take just a few minutes. Once you have a smooth, thick curd, remove the pan from the heat.

  4/ While still hot, strain through a sieve into a clean bowl with a lip or a large jug. Pour into clean jars straightaway. Seal, or just screw on the lids. Leave to cool and keep in the fridge until needed.

  STORAGE: Lemon curd will keep for a couple of weeks in the fridge.

  mocha cake

  ‘Mocha’ sounds so sophisticated and grown-up, with its suggestion of dark, roasted coffee beans and little cups of coffee with chocolate served in chic European cafés. The mix of flavours, both dark and bitter, has a fine vintage pedigree and has been used to make impressively fine-tasting cakes for decades. However, it’s a mistake to think that mocha cake is only for the adults, as it’s surprisingly popular with younger cake-fanciers.

  FOR THE CAKE

  180g butter

  180g self-raising flour

  50g good-quality cocoa powder

  225g light soft brown sugar

  100ml strong coffee, cooled

  4 eggs, separated

  1 chocolate flake (or use grated chocolate), to decorate

  FOR THE ICING

  400–450g icing sugar

  150g soft butter

  2–4 tablespoons cold strong coffee

  YOU WILL NEED

  a 20cm round deep cake tin, greased with butter and lined with baking parchment

  makes 1 medium–large cake (serves 8–10)

  1/ Preheat the oven to 190°C (gas mark 5).

  2/ Melt the butter in a saucepan and leave to cool. Sift the flour and cocoa powder into a large mixing bowl. Add the sugar and stir to mix.

  3/ When the butter is cool, add the coffee and egg yolks. Whisk or beat well until smooth. In a separate bowl, whisk the eggs whites until they are softly peaking.

  4/ Pour the contents of the saucepan into the bowl containing the flour, cocoa powder and sugar. Mix well with a spatula or wooden spoon until thoroughly combined. Now add the whisked egg whites in several batches, folding in gently with a large metal spoon. Continue folding in until no white flecks remain. Spoon the mix into the prepared tin, and level the surface with the back of the spoon.

  5/ Bake for 30 minutes, then reduce the oven temperature to 160°C (gas mark 3) and bake for a further 20–25 minutes until the cake is well risen and springy to the touch, and a metal skewer or sharp knife inserted into the centre comes out clean. Transfer to a wire rack and leave to cool for 15 minutes before turning out of the tin. The cake is ready to ice when it has cooled completely.

  6/ To make the icing, sift 400g icing sugar into a large mixing bowl and add the soft butter. Gradually add the strong coffee according to taste (you can also use stronger/weaker coffee depending on your preference). Mix well with a wooden spoon or flexible spatula until you have a smooth, spreadable buttercream, adding more icing sugar if necessary to get a pleasing consistency.

  7/ With a sharp knife, cut the cake in half horizontally. Spread half the buttercream over the surface of the lower layer. Replace the top layer, and spread the remaining buttercream over the top of the cake. Decorate with a crushed flake or grated chocolate if you prefer.

  STORAGE: Mocha cake is delicious on the day it is made, and keeps well for a couple of days if wrapped in foil and stored in a cool place.

  strawberry shortcake

  Strawberry shortcake is a classic American dessert cake, with an unbroken history of appearances in vintage recipe books, and it remains as popular as ever today. It’s a celebration of the strawberry, and is best made in season when the fruits are juicy, ripe and full of flavour. The shortcake is a simple, airy, crumbly layer which soaks up the juices, and should always be eaten as fresh as possible.

  FOR THE CAKES

  325g plain flour, plus extra for dusting

  ½ teaspoon salt

  4 teaspoons baking powder

  100g caster sugar

  125g cold butter, cubed

  up to 150ml single or double cream

  1 egg, lightly beaten

  FOR THE TOPPING

  1 punnet fresh strawberries (see cook's tip)

  1–2 tablespoons caster sugar

  250ml double cream

  YOU WILL NEED

  1 baking sheet, lined with baking parchment

  makes 14–16 square shortcakes

  1/ Preheat the oven to 200°C (gas mark 6).

  2/ First prepare the strawberries for the topping. Rinse if necessary and slice into halves or quarters, depending on size. Place in a small bowl and sprinkle with 1–2 tablespoons caster sugar according to taste and the sweetness of the fruit. Gently stir or tumble the fruit with your hands so that it is coated with sugar. Cover, and leave to macerate for 1 hour, by which time the strawberries will have softened and a sweet juice will have formed.

  3/ Make the shortcakes. Put the flour, salt, baking powder and sugar into a large mixing bowl and stir to mix.

  4/ Add the cold, cubed butter and rub into the dry ingredients using your fingertips, until the mixture looks like fine sandy breadcrumbs.

  5/ Measure 125ml of the cream into a jug, add the beaten egg and mix well. Pour into the bowl and mix with a fork, bringing the ingredients together to make a soft, slightly sticky dough. Add a little more cream if necessary if the mix is too dry.

  6/ Work into a ball and place on a floured surface. With a floured rolling pin, quickly and gently roll out the dough until smooth and about 1cm thick. Cut into 14–16 squares (or rectangles or circles), re-rolling the trimmings until all the dough has been used.

  7/ Place the squares on the prepared baking sheet with enough space between them to allow for expansion. Bake in the preheated oven for 10–15 minutes until well risen and pale golden brown.

  8/ Remove from the oven and transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

  9/ When you are ready to serve the shortcakes, whip the double cream until it is softly billowing (don’t over-whip as it stiffens very quickly). Spread each shortcake liberally with the whipped cream, top with the strawberries and spoon the juices over the fruit. Serve 'open' like this, or alternatively, place a second shortcake on top to serve in the classic way.

  STORAGE: Strawberry shortcake should be eaten on the day of making. Serve as soon as the cream and strawberries have been added.

  cook’s tip

  Prepare the strawberries 1 hour in advance of serving them (but no longer as they start to go mushy after a while).

  silver & gold cake

  The exact history of this cake is not clear, but Queen Victoria herself apparently enjoyed little ‘silver’ and ‘gold’ sponge cakes made using egg whites and egg yolks respectively. The mixes can be used to make individual cakes (they look particularly pretty in silver and gold cake cases) or, as here, they can be swirled together to create a subtle marbled effect. The cake would make a lovely centrepiece for a special anniversary celebration.

  FOR THE SILVER CAKE

  120g lard or soft butter

  120g white caster sugar

  3 egg whites

  a few drops almond extract (optional)

  120g self-raising flour

  50g ground almonds

  FOR THE GOLD CAKE

  120g soft butter

  120g golden caster sugar

  3 egg yolks

  120g self-raising flour

  ½ teaspoon baking powder

  1–2 tablespoons milk

  TO FINISH

  250g golden marzipan OR ready-to-roll icing

  1–2 tablespoons apricot jam

  yellow food colouring paste (optional)

  icing sugar, to dust

  YOU WILL NEED

  a paper doily and icing sugar, to dust

  a 20cm round cake tin, greased and base lined with baking parchment

  2 large mixing bowls as this cake is made with 2 sponges

  makes 1 medium–large cake (serves 8–10)

&nb
sp; 1/ Preheat the oven to 180°C (gas mark 4).

  2/ Make the silver part of the cake: put the lard or butter and sugar into a large mixing bowl and cream with a wooden spoon or electric mixer until well mixed. In a separate bowl, whisk the eggs whites until softly peaking. Spoon into the fat and sugar mixture along with a few drops of almond extract (if using), and gently fold in with a metal spoon. Sift in the flour and almonds, and continue to fold in until all the ingredients are combined and you have a light, smooth cake mix. Set aside.

  3/ Make the gold part of the cake: put the butter and sugar in the second mixing bowl, and cream until light and smooth. Add the egg yolks and beat well to combine. Sift in the flour and baking powder and add a tablespoon of milk. With a large metal spoon or flexible spatula, gently fold in to combine the ingredients, adding a little more milk if necessary to obtain a smooth consistency.

  4/ With a tablespoon, spoon the 2 sponge mixes into the tin, alternating silver and gold spoonfuls and placing the spoonfuls so that you make a good pattern with the two colours. When all the mix has been added, gently smooth the top with the back of the spoon. Bake in the preheated oven for 45–50 minutes until well risen and a metal skewer or sharp knife inserted into the centre comes out clean. Transfer to a wire rack and leave to cool for 10 minutes before turning out of the tin. Leave to cool completely before covering.

  5/ To cover the cake with marzipan or ready-to-roll icing, first make the surface of the cake level by slicing off the bump of sponge on top. Brush lightly with warmed apricot jam. If using ready-to-roll icing, colour first (if desired) with a little yellow food colouring paste. Lightly dust your work surface with icing sugar and roll out the marzipan or icing to form a circle a little larger than the cake – use the base of the 20cm round cake tin as a size guide. Gently press the tin base onto the marzipan or icing and with a sharp knife cut round the edge to make a disc. Place the disc on top of the cake.

  6/ To make the pattern on top, put a paper doily on the cake and sift icing sugar evenly and generously over the doily. Remove the doily carefully.