Somlói Galuska (Hungarian Sponge Cake)
Somló cake could be called the Hungarian Tiramisu. Except richer and more heavenly complex flavors. A bit of work, but easy to make ahead: rum-soaked layers of soft sponge cake, custard cream, apricot jam, ground walnut, raisins topped with whipped cream and chocolate sauce. The iconic Hungarian dessert was first presented and admired at the World's Fair in 1958 in Brussels.
Servings 12
Calories 359kcal
Ingredients
Rum-Soaked Raisins:
- 2/3 cup raisin 3.5 oz
- 100 ml hot water
- ½ tsp rum extract
Sponge Cake:
- 4 eggs separated
- 4 TBSP water
- ¼ tsp lemon juice
- ¾ cup flour 3.35 oz
- 3 TBSP sugar
- 0.6 oz ground walnut
- 1 TBSP cocoa powder high quality
- 1 tsp baking powder
Vanilla custard:
- 0.88 oz cornstarch about 3 TBSP
- 2 cups milk divided
- 4 egg yolks
- 1.25 oz Truvia Cane Sugar Brand
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
Rum sauce:
- ¾ cup water
- ½ tsp rum extract
- 1 TBSP rum
Chocolate sauce:
- 3/4 cup water
- ½ cup Truvia
- ¼ plus 1/8 cup cocoa powder
- 1 tsp rum extract
Filling:
- 1 cup ground walnut 3.8 oz, divided
- ¼ cup apricot jam
- 1 TBSP cocoa
Whipped Cream:
- 2 cups heavy cream
- ¼ cup Truvia
- ½ tsp vanilla
Instructions
Rum-Soaked Raisins:
- In a mug pour the hot water over the raisins. Add rum extract and rum. Mix and set aside.
Sponge Cake:
- Preheat oven to 350 F, fan. Line a 9x13-inch baking pan with parchment paper.
- Ground the walnut with a Zyiliss grater.
- In a small bowl mix flour, ground walnut, cocoa powder, and baking powder.
- Separate the eggs. In a medium bowl whip egg whites, water and lemon juice with an electric mixer for 3 min, then add sugar in 3 stages, while whipping 2 more minutes. (Total whipping time will be 5 min.) Stop machine.
- Add yolks, whip with machine 20 seconds, medium speed. Stop machine. Gently fold in dry ingredients by hand with a spatula. Don’t overmix, otherwise batter deflates.
- Spread the batter evenly into the prepared pan and bake about 10-12 minutes or until the center springs back when lightly pressed. Set aside to cool in pan.
Vanilla custard:
- In a 2-Qt saucepan mix cornstarch and sugar. Add one cup milk, stir. Then whisk in by hand the yolks and vanilla, then the rest of milk. Cook on low temperature, stirring constantly, till thick, about 7 minutes. Let it cool, occasionally stirring, to prevent skin development.
Rum sauce:
- In a small measuring cup mix together water, rum extract and ½ tsp rum. Set aside to soak.
Chocolate sauce:
- In a 1-Qt saucepan boil water, sugar, cocoa powder together. Turn off heat, mix in rum. Let it cool. Keep it in the fridge for serving.
To Assemble Cake:
- Cut the cooled sponge cake into 3 equal rectangles lengthwise. (Imagine you will make a torte.) Place one piece on a rectangular platter.
- Sprinkle this first layer with 1/3rd of the rum sauce, half of the vanilla custard, half of the raisins and 1/3rd of the ground walnut. Repeat this for another layer.
- The third (top) layer will be slightly different: first spread the apricot jam over the sponge cake layer. (Soften the jam in the microwave for a short interval, if needed.) Sprinkle half of the walnut over it, then the cocoa powder. Cover unsliced “cake” with plastic wrap (don’t worry about the top of the cake). Keep the cake in the fridge till serving. (The cake is better if it is prepared 2 days before serving.)
Whipping Cream
- Before serving, whip the cream, sugar and vanilla with the electric mixer, till it firm. At this point you can pipe or spoon the whipped cream on each served plate.
To Serve Cake
- Cut half-inch thick slices before serving. Each slice will serve 2 people. In a nice Martini glass, bowl or plate cut the half slices into half inch cubes and place them into each serving dish. Sprinkle the pieces with 1 tsp chocolate sauce.
- Top the pieces with whipped cream. Splash chocolate sauce on top.
- Cake can be store in fridge, or frozen.