Meter Cake

I have made the layered cake on several occasions, but most often for Palm Sunday, as it's a festive occasion and it's nice to have something that requires little effort and guarantees a good result. The last time I made it was for my husband Florin's birthday. The process goes quite quickly if you have the ingredients ready. The layers are not demanding and bake well almost every time, without any hassle. The glaze is simple, just chocolate and cream.

Quick Info

Total Time: approximately 2 hours (including cooling the layers and assembly)
Baking Time: 40 minutes
Servings: 2 rolls (about 12-14 slices each, depending on how thick you cut them)
Difficulty: medium
Occasion: festive dessert, for events with multiple guests

Ingredients

Yellow Layer
3 eggs
a pinch of salt
3 tablespoons sugar
1 tablespoon oil
3 tablespoons flour
1/2 packet Dr. Oetker baking powder

Brown Layer
3 eggs
a pinch of salt
3 tablespoons sugar
1 tablespoon oil
2 tablespoons flour
1 tablespoon cocoa powder
1/2 packet Dr. Oetker baking powder

Cream
500 ml milk
5 tablespoons sugar
Dr. Oetker vanilla essence
5 tablespoons Gustin starch (Dr. Oetker)
250 ml liquid cream

Syrup
200 ml water
2 tablespoons sugar
Dr. Oetker rum essence

Glaze
100 g dark chocolate
50 ml liquid cream

Preparation Method

1. The Layers

Start with the yellow layer. Separate the egg whites from the yolks. Whip the egg whites with a pinch of salt until they form peaks. Gradually add the sugar and mix until the mixture becomes shiny and firm. Incorporate the yolks, which have been mixed beforehand with the oil. Finally, add the flour mixed with the baking powder, gently folding with a spatula to avoid deflating the egg whites.

The brown layer is made the same way, except that before adding the flour, mix it with the baking powder and cocoa powder. The rest of the steps are identical.

Line two loaf pans with parchment paper (or use the same pan in turn if you don’t have two). Pour in the mixtures and level them. Bake in a preheated oven for 40 minutes at medium temperature. When the layers are done, remove them and let them cool completely on a rack.

2. The Cream

Bring 400 ml of milk to a boil with the sugar and vanilla essence. Mix the remaining 100 ml of milk separately with the starch to avoid lumps. When the milk on the stove comes to a boil, pour in the starch mixture and continuously stir with a whisk. Keep on low heat, stirring, until it thickens. Allow to cool. Once completely cooled, whip the liquid cream separately, then fold it into the cooled cream gently.

3. The Syrup

For the syrup, simply mix the sugar with the water and rum essence until the sugar dissolves. No boiling is needed, nothing complicated.

4. The Glaze

Break the chocolate into pieces, place it in a bowl with the liquid cream, and melt it over steam. Stir until smooth. Let the glaze reach room temperature before using.

5. Assembly

Cut the cooled layers into thick slices of 1–1.5 cm. Start assembling the cake on a long platter: one yellow slice, brush or spoon on some syrup, add a layer of cream, then a brown slice (syrup this one too), another layer of cream, and continue alternating the slices until you finish the layers and the cream. This recipe yields two rolls (assemble each "meter" separately). Finally, cover with the chocolate glaze. If desired, you can decorate the edges with whipped cream, but it's not necessary.

Why I Make This Recipe Often

This recipe works well when you need a dessert that looks beautiful and is easy to portion. You can make it a day in advance; the layers won’t dry out and the cream won’t run. It’s not picky about ingredients, and the combination of layers, cream, and glaze is almost always a hit.

Tips and Variations

Tips

- Cut the layers only after they have completely cooled; otherwise, they will crumble.
- When soaking, do not add too much liquid to avoid excessive sogginess.
- If the cream seems too thick, add a little more whipped cream or milk.

Substitutions

- You can use vanilla pudding powder instead of starch if you don’t have Gustin.
- The liquid cream can be from any brand, just make sure it’s unsweetened.
- Regular cocoa powder can be used; there's no need for anything special.

Variations

- You can make it entirely with yellow layers (without cocoa) if you want a simpler version.
- You can add raisins or orange zest to the cream for a different flavor.
- The glaze can also be made with milk chocolate if you prefer not to use dark chocolate.

Serving Ideas

- Cut thick slices diagonally for a nice presentation on the plate.
- For special occasions, you can decorate with whipped cream or seasonal fruits on the platter.
- It’s suitable for assorted dessert platters.

Frequently Asked Questions

How moist should the layer be after soaking?
Just slightly moist on the surface. If you soak too much, the layer will become soggy and cause the cream to run.

Can the layered cake be frozen?
I do not recommend it, as the cream with whipped cream changes texture when frozen.

Can I use only one type of layer?
Yes, but it won’t look as nice and will be more monotonous in flavor.

What type of cream should I use for the cream?
Liquid, unsweetened cream from the store, which usually whips well and incorporates easily into the cream.

How long does the cake last in the fridge?
2-3 days, stored in a closed container or covered with foil.

Nutritional Values

Approximately, a slice of cake (from 24 pieces/2 rolls) has around 180-200 kcal, with about 25 g of carbohydrates, 7 g of fat, and 3-4 g of protein. Values may vary depending on how generous the glaze or cream is on each slice. It is a dessert with moderate sugar and fat content, given the whipped cream and chocolate.

Storage and Reheating

It keeps well in the fridge, in a closed box or covered with foil, for up to 3 days. It does not need reheating. The layer does not dry out if well covered. I do not recommend freezing, as the cream’s structure suffers after thawing. Slices can be served cold directly.

Egg whites are whipped with a pinch of salt, sugar is added, and mixed until glossy. Then, the yolks mixed with oil are added, followed by the flour mixed with baking powder at the end. The same process is followed for the brown layer, except that at the end, flour mixed with baking powder and cocoa is added. The mixture is placed in a loaf pan lined with parchment paper and baked in a preheated oven for 40 minutes. They are removed and left to cool on a rack. Cream: 400 ml of milk is brought to a boil with sugar and vanilla essence. The starch is dissolved in the remaining milk. When the milk on the stove boils, we pour in the starch and stir continuously until it thickens. It is left to cool, and when cold, we mix it with whipped cream. Syrup: I made it simple and cold. Dissolve the sugar in water and add rum essence. Glaze: The chocolate is broken into pieces, liquid cream is added, and melted over steam. ASSEMBLY: The layers are cut into slices of 1-1.5 cm. A yellow slice is placed, soaked in syrup, cream is added, then a brown soaked slice, and so on until finished. Two pieces will come out. The top is glazed. If desired, the edges can be covered with whipped cream.

 Ingredients: YELLOW BASE: 3 eggs a pinch of salt 1 tablespoon oil 3 tablespoons sugar 3 tablespoons flour 1/2 packet Dr.Oetker baking powder. BROWN BASE: 3 eggs a pinch of salt 1 tablespoon oil 3 tablespoons sugar 2 tablespoons flour 1 tablespoon cocoa 1/2 packet Dr.Oetker baking powder CREAM: 500 ml milk 5 tablespoons sugar Dr.Oetker vanilla essence 5 tablespoons Gustin starch (Dr.Oetker) 250 ml liquid cream SYRUP: 200 ml water 2 tablespoons sugar Dr.Oetker rum essence GLAZE: 100 g dark chocolate 50 ml liquid cream

 Tags:  meter cake