Diplomat cake with ladyfingers
Diplomat cake with ladyfingers (homemade recipe)
I have made this cake a few times, most often for anniversaries or when I feel like preparing something with fruit and ladyfingers. I sometimes boil the milk a day in advance, but it’s simpler to boil it and use it immediately, so I don’t have too many dishes to wash. My photos don’t always turn out clear because I take them quickly with my phone, but the recipe works perfectly if you follow the steps.
Quick info
Total time: about 4 hours (including chilling time)
Effective preparation time: about 45 minutes
Cooling/cooking time: at least 3 hours in the fridge
Servings: 12-14, depending on the size of the slices
Difficulty: medium
Recipe type: homemade cake, suitable for holidays or birthdays
Ingredients
5 eggs
1 packet of ladyfingers (with 4 small packs, I only use 2 and a half)
1 large box of liquid cream
1 tube of liquid cream for decoration
500 ml milk
400 g sugar
5 sachets of gelatin (Dr. Oetker)
1 sachet of red gelatin (Dr. Oetker)
1 essence of rum
Various fruits (I used raspberries and strawberries for decoration, but any fruit you have will work)
Plum compote (or any compote to soak the ladyfingers)
Fruit syrup (usually I take raspberry)
Preparation method
1. Boil the milk. If you have the time or desire, you can boil it a day in advance, but it’s best to use it immediately so that it’s warm when dissolving the sugar.
2. Put 200 g of sugar in the hot milk and stir until dissolved. Let it cool well, so it’s not hot when you add the other ingredients.
3. Put 5 sachets of gelatin in a small pot with a little water (just enough to cover them). Place the pot on very low heat and stir until the gelatin completely dissolves. Do not let it boil. Let it cool.
4. Crack the eggs. Separate the egg whites from the yolks. Beat the egg whites with 200 g of sugar using a mixer until you get a stiff meringue. No other ingredients are needed at this stage.
5. Beat the liquid cream (from the large box, not the one for decoration) with the mixer until it becomes firm. Do not add extra sugar; the amount in the recipe is sufficient.
6. The yolks are beaten briefly with a fork, without sugar or anything else. Pour them over the cooled milk and mix well.
7. Add the cooled gelatin to the milk and yolk mixture. Also add the rum essence. Mix well.
8. Gently fold in the whipped cream, then the beaten egg whites. Mix everything delicately with a spatula, from the bottom up, so you don’t lose the air in the mixture.
9. Prepare a basin (or a large cake pan), line it with plastic wrap, to make it easy to remove the cake at the end.
10. Quickly dip the ladyfingers in the plum compote (or any compote you have on hand), one at a time. Don’t soak them too long, or they will become too soft.
11. Line the sides of the mold with the soaked ladyfingers. If you want, you can also put a thin layer on the bottom, but it’s not mandatory.
12. Pour the mixture over the ladyfingers, leveling it with a spatula.
13. Refrigerate for at least 3 hours. I usually check with my finger to see if it has set.
14. Remove the mold from the fridge, gently turn the cake onto a platter, and peel off the plastic wrap.
15. Decorate with fresh fruit. I use raspberries and strawberries, but any seasonal fruit will work.
16. For the glaze: mix the fruit syrup with a sachet of red gelatin, according to the instructions on the packet. Heat it gently until it melts, let it cool a bit, and pour it over the fruit, directly onto the cake. Put the cake in the fridge until the glaze sets.
17. Finally, whip the liquid cream for decoration and decorate as desired.
Why I make this recipe often
I find it practical that I can adapt whatever fruits and compote I have at home. There’s no baking required, just patience in the fridge. It slices nicely and stays good in the fridge for a few days. It’s always a hit with both kids and adults.
Tips and variations
Tips
Do not let the gelatin boil, just heat it enough to dissolve.
The cream and egg whites should be gently folded in; otherwise, the mixture loses volume.
Use a sufficiently tall mold; otherwise, the mixture will overflow.
Substitutions
The plum compote can be any compote you have: pear, peach, or sour cherry.
You can use frozen fruits for decoration, just make sure to drain them well beforehand.
The liquid cream for decoration can be any vegetable or animal cream.
Variations
You can put fruits inside, not just for decoration (berries, pieces of peaches from compote, etc.).
The ladyfingers can be placed only on the sides or also as a base.
The red gelatin with syrup can be replaced with store-bought fruit jelly.
Serving ideas
Serve cold, directly from the fridge, cut with a thin knife.
It’s great for anniversaries, parties, or when you have guests.
With extra cream and fresh fruits on each serving.
Frequently asked questions
1. Can I make the cake without red gelatin for the glaze?
Yes, you can skip the top glaze; the cake holds together even without it. It’s just for appearance.
2. What should I do if the cream doesn’t whip?
If it doesn’t thicken, put it in the fridge for a few minutes and start mixing again. Use cold liquid cream from the fridge.
3. Can I replace the raw eggs?
In this recipe, the eggs are not boiled or baked. If you want to avoid raw eggs, I haven’t tried another version, but there are alternatives with pudding mix and no eggs.
4. Are the ladyfingers only placed on the sides?
I only put them on the sides, but you can also put a layer at the bottom for more stability when cutting.
5. Can the diplomat cake be frozen?
I do not recommend it; the texture changes and it doesn’t keep well in the freezer.
Nutritional values
Estimated for one slice (out of 14): about 250-300 kcal.
Carbohydrates: 35-40 g, Proteins: 5-7 g, Fats: 9-12 g.
Values are approximate, depending on how much cream, sugar, or fruit you use and the size of the portions.
Storage and reheating
Keep in the fridge, covered, for up to 3 days. Do not reheat. The cream on top may become soft after 2-3 days, but the cake will still taste good. I do not recommend storing in the freezer.
This is the diplomat cake with ladyfingers, the recipe I use at home every time I need a refreshing no-bake dessert.
I boiled the milk a day before (but it's good to boil it then) and reheated it with 200g of sugar. I poured the gelatin into a small pot with water and heated it until it melted. Both the milk and the gelatin are left to cool. In the meantime, I separated the eggs, whipped the egg whites with 200g of sugar using a mixer until they formed a foam. After that, I made the liquid whipped cream by pouring it into a pot and mixing it. I whipped the egg yolks without adding anything and poured them into the cooled milk, after which I added the gelatin and whipped cream. I soaked the ladyfingers in plum compote, or you can soak them in any kind of compote. Then, in a bowl, I placed plastic wrap on the sides and arranged the soaked ladyfingers. I poured the mixture and placed it in the fridge for about 3 hours. I took it out of the fridge and decorated it with raspberries and strawberries. I mixed syrup from juice with 1 packet of gelatin and poured it on top. It is placed in the fridge until it sets. 1 tube of liquid whipped cream for decoration, I forgot to mention.
Ingredients: 5 eggs, 1 bag of ladyfingers with 4 smaller packets and I used only 2 halves, 1 large box of liquid cream, 1 essence of rum, 500 ml of milk, 400 g of sugar, 5 packets of gelatin from Dr. Oetker, 1 packet of red gelatin from Dr. Oetker, various fruits, and fruit syrup (I used raspberry).
