Rudolf Cake with Gingerbread Flavor

In December, I prepared this gingerbread-flavored cake for the Christmas table. The decoration was specially designed in a Rudolf style, and even though my little nephew couldn't taste it (being too young), the rest of the family appreciated it. I worked on it over two days, with breaks for cooling and fondant resting. It’s not a quick cake, but the result is worth the effort, especially when you want something festive and full of holiday flavors.

Quick Info

Total time: approximately 2 days (including cooling and fondant resting)
Actual preparation time: 2-3 hours (spread over two days)
Baking time for the base: 45 minutes
Servings: 12-16 slices
Difficulty: medium
Recipe type: festive Christmas cake with fondant decoration

Ingredients

Base:
6 eggs
200 g sugar
120 g oil
160 ml orange juice (or sweet wine, or mineral water)
150 g flour
100 g starch
50 g cocoa
1 packet baking powder
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon cardamom
2 crushed cloves

Ganache:
200 g whipping cream (liquid cream)
200 g dark chocolate

Filling:
1 jar of plum jam (or fruit spread)

Fondant:
300 g marshmallows (white or colored)
4 tablespoons water
70 g margarine or butter
750 g powdered sugar
100 g starch
food coloring for decoration

Preparation Method

1. Fondant (make a day in advance)
1.1. Place the marshmallows along with 4 tablespoons of water in a tall bowl suitable for the microwave.
1.2. Melt the marshmallows in the microwave, in short bursts, stirring occasionally. When it becomes a homogeneous paste, add the powdered sugar, margarine (or butter), and starch.
1.3. Initially mix with a spoon or in a food processor. When it starts to come together, knead by hand. The paste is sticky at first but becomes pliable after a few minutes of kneading. It can be colored at this stage or later, after portioning.
1.4. Let the fondant rest, well covered with plastic wrap, at room temperature until the next day.

2. The Base
2.1. In a large bowl, beat the whole eggs with the sugar until they lighten in color.
2.2. Add the oil and continue mixing.
2.3. Add the orange juice (or the alternative used).
2.4. Sift the flour, cocoa, starch, and baking powder directly over the mixture. Incorporate, then add all the spices: cinnamon, ginger, cardamom, crushed cloves.
2.5. Mix well, then pour the batter into a 24 cm cake pan lined with baking paper.
2.6. Bake at 180°C for 45 minutes. Test with a toothpick.
2.7. Remove the base and let it cool well under a clean towel. Leave it at room temperature until the next day for easier slicing.

3. Ganache
3.1. Heat the whipping cream in a heavy-bottomed pot. When it's almost boiling, add the broken chocolate pieces.
3.2. Stir gently over low heat until the chocolate is completely melted.
3.3. Once homogenized, remove the pot from the heat and let the ganache cool. Then place it in the refrigerator for a few hours or overnight until it sets.

4. Assembly
4.1. The next day, cut the base horizontally into two slices.
4.2. Spread the plum jam on the first slice, place the second slice on top.
4.3. Take the ganache out of the fridge. It has a firm texture, so mix it well with a spoon until it becomes softer and easier to spread.
4.4. Cover the entire cake with an even layer of ganache. Leveling also helps with the appearance of the fondant.
4.5. Dust a work surface with powdered sugar. Roll the fondant into a thick sheet about 5 mm, large enough to cover the cake.
4.6. Cover the cake with the fondant sheet, smoothing it gently with your hands and trimming the excess from the base.
4.7. From the remaining fondant (which I color as needed), I make decorations: nose, eyes, horns, etc. for Rudolf. I attach them with a little raw egg white.

5. Final Decoration
The fondant can be shaped and colored for any other Christmas decoration, not just for Rudolf. It works better if it has a slightly elastic consistency (not too dry).

Why I make the recipe often

It helps me when I need a festive cake with a flavorful and moist base that can be easily decorated for special occasions. The base holds up well, and the fondant made with this recipe keeps well in the fridge, covered, and can be reused for other cakes.

Tips and Variations

Tips

Fondant is easier to work with at room temperature. If it’s too hard, knead it a bit with your hands.
Be careful with the thickness of the fondant sheet – too thin it tears, too thick it becomes hard to shape.
Ganache spreads best after being vigorously mixed. If it’s too hard, let it sit for 15-20 minutes at room temperature.

Substitutions

Orange juice can be replaced with mineral water or sweet wine, depending on what you have on hand.
The margarine in the fondant can be replaced with butter.
For jam, any thicker jam, not too runny, is suitable (for example, fruit spread).

Variations

You can use the spices in different proportions, according to your preferences, or omit those you don’t like (cardamom, cloves).
If you don’t want fondant, you can leave the cake with just ganache and a simple decoration.

Serving Ideas

The cake is suitable for any holiday table, not just Christmas. It can be served at room temperature, so the base and cream are soft.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. Can I make the fondant a day in advance?
Yes, it is actually recommended. The fondant needs to sit for at least a few hours to become elastic and easy to roll out.

2. Can I freeze the base?
Yes, the plain base (without cream or fondant) can be frozen. Wrap it well in plastic wrap and let it thaw completely before assembly.

3. What do I do if my fondant is too sticky?
Add a little powdered sugar and/or starch, kneading until it no longer sticks to your hands. Don’t add too much, or it will dry out.

4. Does the cake decorated with fondant last a few days?
Yes, it keeps well for 2-3 days in the fridge, in a closed box. The fondant prevents the base from drying out.

5. Can the plum jam be replaced with something else?
Yes, any less watery jam works. Plum fruit spread is a traditional and suitable option with the flavors of gingerbread.

Nutritional Values (estimates)

One slice (out of 16): approximately 350-400 kcal.
Carbohydrates: 55 g
Proteins: 5-6 g
Fats: 12-15 g
Values vary depending on the cream, jam used, and the amount of fondant. The fondant adds many calories and sugar.

Storage and Reheating

The cake keeps well in the fridge, in a covered box, for 3-4 days. The base does not dry out due to the fondant and cream. I do not recommend reheating – it is served at room temperature. The fondant does not withstand high temperatures or freezing after decoration. If you have leftover fondant, keep it wrapped in the fridge, and use it for other desserts.

We need two days: We start by preparing the fondant, from the above quantity you get about 1 kg, which you can use later if you store it in a cool place. I melted Marshmallow (available in white or colored, almost everywhere...) in the microwave in a tall bowl where I also added 4 tablespoons of water. I got the recipe from Antonina's blog, which has not been active for a long time; I believe she faced a major misfortune, I feel very sorry, Culinary Sweetness is a delightful read. Over the marshmallow paste, I added powdered sugar, margarine or butter, cornstarch, and mixed well in a food processor. It can also be kneaded by hand, although at first, it is quite sticky. It turned into a dough-like paste that can be colored in various shades, and I left it in the cupboard, covered with plastic wrap until the next day, as it needs to rest. For the cake base, I mixed whole eggs with sugar and oil, added orange juice, and then the dry ingredients, flour, cornstarch, and baking powder, followed by the flavors. I baked it for 45 minutes at 180°C in a 24 cm mold. I let it cool until the next day under a napkin. For the ganache cream: I heated the whipping cream, and when it was warm, I added the chocolate. I kept it on very low heat until the chocolate melted, then mixed everything well, taking the pot off the heat, and placed it in the fridge to let the cream set. The next day, I cut the cake into 2 layers, which I spread with plum jam; it also goes very well with fruit spread, and I covered it evenly with the ganache cream that I mixed vigorously after taking it out of the fridge. It needs to be mixed well because it is quite firm when taken out of the fridge and cannot be spread easily. I used about half of the fondant. I sprinkled a uniform layer of powdered sugar on which I rolled out a large sheet of fondant to cover the cake. The sheet should be 5 mm thick; otherwise, it will tear. For cakes with fondant, it is important to first cover them with cream to achieve a nice smooth finish. I smoothed the fondant over the surface of the cake, trimmed the edges, and from other pieces that I colored differently, I created the decoration which I attached with egg white. I forgot to take a picture of the section.... but I assure you it is a moist cake, and the jam pairs perfectly with the cinnamon flavor.

 Ingredients: Base: 6 eggs 200 g of sugar 120 g of oil 160 ml of orange juice or sweet wine or mineral water 150 g of flour 100 g of starch 50 g of cocoa one packet of baking powder 2 teaspoons of cinnamon 1/2 teaspoon of ginger 1/2 teaspoon of cardamom 2 crushed cloves Ganache: 200 g of liquid cream 200 g of dark chocolate a jar of prune jam For fondant: 300 g of marshmallows 4 tablespoons of water 70 g of margarine 750 g of powdered sugar 100 g of starch food coloring for decoration

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