Opera Cake
This cake gets it name from it’s layers, which are said to resemble the different floors of an Opera theatre! Layers of coffee soaked almond sponge are sandwiched with coffee French buttercream, and chocolate ganache
Serves 8
Ingredients:
Jaconde sponge:
130g ground almonds
130g icing sugar
5 medium eggs
30g plain flour
Pinch of salt
5 medium egg whites
30g caster sugar
30g unsalted butter (melted)
Coffee Syrup
165ml water
1.5 tbsp instant coffee
100g caster sugar
Coffee French Buttercream:
5 medium egg yolks
150g caster sugar
1 tbsp instant coffee
175g unsalted butter (softened)
Chocolate Ganache and Glaze:
200ml double cream
200g unsalted butter
250g dark chocolate
Pinch of salt
Method:
Jaconde Sponge:
Preheat the oven to 200C (fan) and grease and line two 23x33cm tins. Mix the ground almonds, icing sugar, eggs and plain flour and salt until fully combined.
Whisk the egg whites to a soft peak, and add the sugar, mixing until stiff peaks form.
Gently fold the egg whites into the mixture, without beating out all of the air, and add in the cooled, melted butter until combined.
Divide between the two tins, and bake for 8-10 minutes until golden.
Remove from the oven and leave to cool fully.
Coffee Syrup:
Heat the water, coffee and sugar in a pan until it simmers and the sugar is fully dissolved, then leave to cool.
Coffee French Buttercream:
Whisk the egg yolks until very pale and thick, and meanwhile heat the water, sugar and coffee in a saucepan until it reaches 115 C.
Pour the hot syrup over the egg yolks whilst whisking, and keep whisking until the mixture has cooled.
Add in the softened butter and mix until you have a thick silky buttercream.
Cover and leave to one side.
Chocolate Ganache and Glaze:
Heat the cream, butter, chocolate and salt over a pan of simmering water and heat until everything is fully melted.
Leave to cool (you will need different consistencies for different uses as explained in the assembly)
To Assemble:
Cut your two sponges to around 8 inches tall, so that you have 2x 8inch pieces, and then trim the leftover sponge to piece together to create a third layer.
Place a sheet of baking paper on a tray as a base to stack your cake, starting with your first sponge. Use a pastry brush to brush with 1/3 of the coffee syrup.
Use half the coffee buttercream and spread an even layer over the top, smoothing as evenly as possible, then place another layer of sponge on top.
Soak again in the coffee syrup, then use half of the ganache (cool enough so that it is at a spreading consistency) to spread an even layer on top.
Repeat again with the third layer of sponge, soaking it in the coffee syrup and smoothing on top the rest of coffee buttercream.
Place in the fridge for around half an hour so that everything has hardened up.
With the remaining ganache, you want this to be at a consistency where you can pour it, without it being too runny, so depending on how warm it is, you may need to reheat this slightly. For an extra glossy glaze, you can add a tsp of golden syrup but this isn’t necessary.
Pour and smooth this over the top of the cake (keeping a small amount leftover for the piping) so that it covers every inch of the top, and smooth it as much as possible.
Place back in the fridge until it has set.
Using a large sharp knife, trim the edges of the cake to reveal the layers, and then divide into 8 rectangles.
With the leftover ganache (which should be cooled enough to a piping consistency) place it into a piping bag and write ‘Opera’ on the top of each cake, as it is the traditional way of serving this cake!
Enjoy!
Explore More Recipes
