Kinder Cake

I made this cake a few times, most recently for Christmas, when the guests referred to it as the "kinder cake." It's not a heavy or overly sweet dessert; the layers have coffee and cardamom, and the creams, especially the mascarpone one, are balanced and not too rich. If you prefer more cream, you can slightly increase the amount of mascarpone. I found it works best when I divide the batter evenly from the start and prepare the creams the next day, after the layers have cooled.

Quick Info

Total time: about 2 days (layers one day, creams the next)
Active working time: 1 hour for the layers, 1 hour for the creams and assembly
Baking time: 30 minutes/layer (3 layers)
Servings: 10-12 slices
Difficulty: medium
Occasion: birthdays, holidays, or when you have guests

Ingredients

White cream:
- 250 g mascarpone
- 200 g white chocolate
- 200 ml heavy cream

Black cream:
- 250 g butter (82% fat)
- 200 g dark chocolate
- 50 g cocoa powder
- 200 g powdered sugar
- 50 ml heavy cream
- 1 vanilla pod
- 2 tablespoons cognac

Layers:
- 240 g flour
- 250 g sugar
- 90 g cocoa powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 packet baking powder
- a pinch of salt
- 100 ml oil
- 280 ml full-fat yogurt
- 10 tablespoons strong hot coffee (about 125 ml)
- a pinch of ground cardamom
- 3 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- lemon juice (for the eggs)

Decoration:
- roasted nuts (optional)

Preparation Method

1. Layers
1.1. Start with the coffee: brew it from 3 heaping tablespoons of coffee in 250 ml of water. When it starts to boil, add the cardamom. Skim off the foam that forms on top and set it aside (to use with the coffee in the batter).
1.2. Take all the ingredients for the layers out of the fridge the night before, except for the coffee, which should be hot when used.
1.3. In a bowl, mix the dry ingredients: flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.
1.4. In another bowl, beat the eggs with the lemon juice until frothy. Gradually add the oil, then the yogurt and vanilla.
1.5. Pour the wet ingredients over the dry ones, mixing gently without overdoing it.
1.6. Finally, add the hot coffee and the reserved foam. The batter will be quite liquid.
1.7. Divide the batter into three equal parts and bake 3 individual layers in a 21 cm pan lined with parchment paper. If the parchment paper doesn't stay in place well, you can dampen it slightly with water.
1.8. Bake each layer for about 30 minutes (do the toothpick test to avoid overbaking).
1.9. Let the layers cool completely on a wire rack.

2. White cream
2.1. In a small saucepan, heat the heavy cream over low heat. When it’s almost boiling, turn off the heat and add the broken pieces of white chocolate.
2.2. Stir until melted and it becomes a smooth cream. Let it cool to room temperature, then refrigerate for a few hours or until the next day.
2.3. After cooling, blend the white chocolate cream with a mixer, then fold in the separately whipped mascarpone. It’s important for both to be cold; otherwise, the cream may curdle.

3. Black cream
3.1. Take the butter out of the fridge a few hours in advance and cut it into cubes.
3.2. Melt the dark chocolate in the microwave: 1 minute, stir, then another minute if needed. It should be completely melted but at room temperature when used.
3.3. Beat the soft butter with the sifted powdered sugar until fluffy. This process takes time and requires a good mixer to melt the sugar without overheating the butter. Take breaks if necessary.
3.4. Add the sifted cocoa powder and mix for another 1-2 minutes.
3.5. Scrape the seeds from the vanilla pod and add them.
3.6. Fold in the melted and cooled chocolate.
3.7. Finally, add the heavy cream (also at room temperature) and the cognac. Mix briefly to combine. Chill the cream.

4. Assembly
4.1. Cut each layer in half horizontally, yielding 6 thin layers.
4.2. Divide the white cream into 4 equal parts. From the black cream, reserve an equal part to the white cream (for the middle), using the rest to frost the cake.
4.3. Alternate: layer - white cream - layer - white cream - layer - black cream (middle) - layer - white cream - layer - white cream - layer. Frost the cake with the remaining black cream.
4.4. Decorate with roasted nuts if desired. Refrigerate the cake for a few hours before serving.

Why I make this recipe often

It’s a balanced cake with moist layers, fairly light creams, and not overly sweet. It can be prepared in stages, which is very helpful if you have a lot to do in the kitchen. The layers turn out even if you divide the batter from the start, and the mascarpone cream isn’t heavy or filling.

Tips and Variations

Tips
- Do not use cold butter for the black cream; otherwise, it won’t whip correctly.
- Mix the batter just enough to combine the ingredients; otherwise, it will turn out dense.
- If you want moister layers, you can soak them with a little weak coffee.
- Let the assembled cake chill for a few hours for the creams to set.

Substitutions
- If you don’t have cardamom, it can be omitted. The flavor isn’t dominant, but it adds a subtle note.
- The cream in the creams cannot be replaced with milk; it won’t achieve the right consistency.
- The cognac in the black cream can be omitted or replaced with a preferred liqueur.

Variations
- You can use hazelnuts or pistachios for decoration if you don’t like nuts.
- For a more festive version, add candied fruit between the layers.

Serving Ideas
- It pairs well with coffee, for breakfast, or on special occasions.
- It cuts best after being chilled, using a knife dipped in hot water.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. Can I use milk chocolate instead of dark chocolate for the cream?
You can try, but the cream will be sweeter and have a slightly different consistency. Adjust the sugar to taste.

2. What should I do if the white cream curdles?
If you use ingredients at different temperatures, the cream may curdle. Try to have both cold or mix briefly at low speed.

3. Why are my layers breaking?
Usually, if they are overbaked or handled while warm, they become fragile. Let them cool completely before cutting.

4. Can I make the layers a day in advance?
Yes, it’s actually recommended. They cool well, making them easier to cut and assemble.

5. Do I have to use strong coffee in the batter?
Coffee adds flavor and enhances the cocoa taste. If you don’t consume coffee, you can replace it with hot water, but the flavor will be a bit simpler.

Nutritional Values

Estimate for one slice (from 12 slices): approximately 430-450 kcal, 7 g protein, 30 g fat, 36 g carbohydrates. The data is approximate, as it depends on the actual weight of the slices and any substitutions or additions of ingredients.

Storage and Reheating

The cake can be stored in the refrigerator, covered, for 3-4 days. The layers can be made a day in advance. Reheating is not recommended; it is served cold or at room temperature. The creams do not freeze well. If there are leftovers, slice and store each piece separately in an airtight container.

White Cream: We put the whipped cream on low heat, and when it reaches boiling point, we add broken chocolate pieces and continuously stir until homogeneous. Let it cool to room temperature, then refrigerate for at least a few hours or until the next day. Once it has hardened, we beat it with a mixer and incorporate the mascarpone, which has also been mixed separately. Both creams need to be at the same temperature, that is, cold, to prevent the cream from curdling. Black Cream: The butter should be cut into cubes and taken out of the refrigerator a few hours in advance. The broken chocolate pieces are placed in a bowl and melted for 1 minute in the microwave, then taken out, mixed well, and microwaved for another minute until fully melted. The soft butter is beaten with sifted powdered sugar until fluffy; this operation takes time. To dissolve the sugar, we need patience and a good mixer; to avoid burning, we must take breaks. Then we add the sifted cocoa and mix for another 1-2 minutes. The vanilla pod is split open, and the seeds are extracted. We incorporate the melted chocolate that is at room temperature, and after mixing, we add the vanilla seeds. We add liquid cream (also at room temperature), cognac, and mix until it becomes a fine cream. We refrigerate the creams. The Layers: We make coffee from about 3 heaping teaspoons for a 250 ml cup. When it starts to boil, we add cardamom and strain the foam from the top, which we will use together with the coffee in the cream. The baking paper can be soaked a little in water and shaped easily. All ingredients should be taken out in the evening, except for the coffee, which needs to be hot. We mix the dry ingredients with a whisk. We beat the eggs together with lemon juice; after frothing, we add the oil little by little, followed by yogurt and vanilla. We pour the liquid ingredients over the solid ones and mix gently. Finally, we add the hot coffee and the reserved foam. From this batter, we need to bake 3 layers in a 21 cm pan. After about 30 minutes, no more, we do the toothpick test; if it’s ready in the middle, we turn off the heat and take it out to avoid drying out too much. I didn’t soak the layers, but if you want, you can do it. I made the layers on the first day and the creams on the second day. To make the layers even, I divided the mixture into three equal parts. Assembling the Cake: We cut each of the three layers in half. We divide the white cream equally to make a beautiful section, so we will have 6 layers, 5 creams, and one for decoration. The white cream is divided into 4 equal parts, and 1 part of the black cream is set aside, just like the white cream in quantity; the rest of the black cream is used to cover the cake. We place the black cream in the middle and the rest of the white cream around it. The remaining black cream is used to cover the cake. So we will have layer/white cream/layer/black cream/layer/white cream/black cream in the middle/layer/white cream/layer/white cream/layer/black cream for cake covering. I decorated with roasted nuts.

 Ingredients: white cream: 250 g mascarpone 200 g white chocolate 200 ml whipping cream black cream: 250 g butter 200 g dark chocolate 50 g cocoa 200 g powdered sugar 50 ml whipping cream 1 vanilla pod 2 tablespoons brandy the layers: 240 g flour 250 g sugar 90 g cocoa 1 tsp baking soda 1 packet baking powder 1 pinch salt 100 ml oil 280 ml full-fat yogurt 10 tbsp strong hot coffee (1/2 cup of 250 ml) and 1 pinch cardamom 3 large eggs 1 tsp vanilla essence lemon juice

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