Marzipan Almond Cake with Whipped Cream

Introduction

You bake a simple almond sponge for 30 minutes, split it into three layers, then fill and cover it with marzipan whipped cream. The result is a chilled celebration cake with a soft crumb, a thick cream layer, and a full marzipan finish; plan on at least 3 hours in the fridge before serving.

Recipe Details

• Prep Time: 50 minutes
• Cook Time: 40 minutes
• Total Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
• Servings: 12

Ingredients

Cake base

• 75 g butter
• 125 g white granulated sugar
• 1 packet vanilla sugar
• 4 eggs
• 100 g flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 100 g ground almonds

Filling

• 3 tablespoons jam
• a few drops almond flavor
• 1 tablespoon white granulated sugar
• 3 tablespoons water
• 2 packets of no-cook pectin
• 600 ml whipping cream
• 75 g marzipan

Ornament

• 350 g marzipan
• 50 g chopped almonds
• 50 g powdered sugar
• 200 ml whipping cream, whipped
• starch-based creamer
• 50 g whole milk chocolate couverture

Instructions

Cake base

1. Preheat the oven to 180 °C.
2. Melt butter in a small saucepan and let cool slightly.
3. Beat the eggs in a mixing bowl with a mixer at the highest level until frothy. While stirring, sprinkle in sugar mixed with vanilla sugar, then beat the mixture for 2 minutes.
4. Combine the flour, baking powder and almonds. Stir in briefly at the lowest setting, then stir in the butter briefly.
5. Spread the batter in a springform pan.
6. Bake in the oven for 30 minutes.
7. Let the cake base cool and cut twice horizontally. Place one of the cake bases on a cake platter.

Filling

1. Stir the jam until smooth and spread on the bottom cake base.
2. Place the middle cake base on top of the jam, and press gently to secure the layers.
3. Cut the marzipan into small pieces and place in a mixing bowl. Add the bitter almond flavor, sugar, and water, and stir until smooth with the mixer.
4. Whip the cream with pectin stiffly according to the package instructions. Mix in the marzipan.
5. Spread about ¾ of the cream on the middle cake layer, and put the final layer on top.
6. Spread the cake completely with the remaining cream. Place the cake in the fridge for at least 3 hours.

Decorate

1. Place a piece baking paper on a large plate.
2. Crush the couverture and melt it in a bowl over a water bath. Mix the almonds with the chocolate coating.
3. Spoon 16 small dollops of the almond-chocolate mixture on the baking paper, and keep in the fridge until the chocolate has set.
4. Sift powdered sugar and knead into the marzipan. Roll out the marzipan mixture into a round flat disc (Ø=36 cm).
5. Drape the marzipan over the cake. Press the marzipan onto the edge of the cake. Cut off any excess marzipan.
6. Prepare cream and transfer to a piping bag. Decorate the cake with cream.
7. Place almond slivers on top and place the cake in the fridge until ready to serve.

Variations

• Change the 3 tablespoons jam to raspberry, apricot, or sour cherry jam. Raspberry gives more sharpness, apricot keeps it mild, and sour cherry makes the filling taste deeper and less sweet.
• Replace the 100 g ground almonds in the cake base with the same amount of ground hazelnuts. The sponge will taste toastier and slightly darker, with a less pronounced almond profile.
• Swap the 50 g whole milk chocolate couverture for dark chocolate. The decoration will be less sweet and the chocolate-almond bites will set firmer.
• Use almond paste with lower sugar in place of the 75 g marzipan in the filling and the 350 g marzipan in the ornament if you want a less sweet finish. The almond flavor stays strong, but the cake tastes more balanced if your jam is already sweet.
• Leave off the rolled 350 g marzipan cover and finish the cake with extra whipped cream instead. You keep the almond cream filling but get a lighter, less dense exterior.

Tips for Success

• Let the baked cake base cool fully before you cut it twice horizontally; a warm sponge tears and compresses instead of slicing cleanly.
• When you whip the 600 ml whipping cream with 2 packets of no-cook pectin, stop once it holds stiff peaks. Overwhipped cream turns grainy once you mix in the marzipan.
• Stir the 3 tablespoons jam until smooth before spreading so it goes on in a thin, even layer and does not pull the cake apart.
• Roll the 350 g marzipan into a full 36 cm disc before lifting it. If it is too small, you will have to stretch it over the sides and it can crack.
• Chill the assembled cake for the full at least 3 hours before decorating or slicing. The filling firms up during that time and the layers hold their shape.

Storage and Reheating

Store the cake in a cake carrier or another covered container in the fridge. It keeps well for 3 days.

For longer storage, freeze individual slices in airtight containers for up to 1 month. The texture of the whipped cream and marzipan is not quite as clean after thawing, so this is workable but not ideal for the fully decorated cake.

You do not reheat this cake. Serve it cold from the fridge, or let slices sit at room temperature for 10 to 15 minutes so the marzipan softens slightly.

FAQ

Can you make this cake a day ahead?

Yes. In fact, it slices better after the filling has had several hours, or overnight, to firm up in the fridge.

What kind of jam works best in the filling?

Use a smooth jam with some acidity, such as raspberry, apricot, or red currant. It cuts the sweetness of the marzipan and cream.

Can you make it without no-cook pectin?

Yes, but you need another whipped cream stabilizer or the filling will be softer and less reliable for layering. If you skip stabilization entirely, serve the cake the same day.

How do you get the marzipan cover onto the cake in one piece?

Roll it out on a lightly sugared surface, then drape it over a rolling pin or your forearms before lifting it. Move quickly and press it onto the top first, then the sides.