Description
Sweet Charlotte Russe cake brings French elegance right to your dessert table, combining delicate sponge cake, luscious cream, and elegant presentation that makes dinner guests swoon with delight.
Ingredients
Scale
Primary Cake Ingredients:
- 4 large eggs, separated
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 2 cups heavy cream
Supporting Ingredients:
- 4 large egg yolks
- ¼ cup milk
- ¼ cup cold water
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 1 package (3 ounces) ladyfingers
Finishing Ingredients:
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 envelope (¼ ounce) unflavored gelatin
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ cup apricot jam
- Fresh berries
Instructions
- Grease a 9-inch round cake pan at 350F (175C). Mix 1 cup flour, 1 teaspoon baking powder, and ¼ teaspoon salt in a medium bowl.
- Whisk 4 egg yolks with ½ cup sugar until pale yellow. Blend in ¼ cup milk and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract.
- Gradually incorporate dry ingredients into wet mixture without overmixing.
- Whip 4 egg whites until soft peaks form. Slowly add remaining ½ cup sugar, beating until glossy and stiff.
- Fold egg whites into batter gently and thoroughly. Transfer to prepared pan.
- Bake for 25-30 minutes until a wooden skewer comes out clean. Cool in pan for 10 minutes, then transfer to wire rack.
- Sprinkle 1 envelope gelatin over ¼ cup cold water. Let stand 5-10 minutes to soften.
- Heat 2 cups cream, ½ cup sugar, and ¼ teaspoon salt until sugar dissolves. Do not boil.
- Temper 4 egg yolks by slowly whisking hot cream into them. Return mixture to pan.
- Cook on low heat for 5-7 minutes, stirring constantly until mixture thickens. Remove from heat.
- Stir dissolved gelatin into cream mixture. Strain through fine-mesh sieve and add 1 teaspoon vanilla.
- Cover with plastic wrap touching cream surface. Refrigerate 4 hours or overnight.
- Trim cake top to create flat surface. Slice horizontally into two layers.
- Line 9-inch bowl with first cake layer. Stand split ladyfingers around interior edges.
- Spoon Bavarian cream halfway into lined bowl. Add second cake layer gently.
- Top with remaining cream, smoothing surface. Refrigerate 2 hours.
- Loosen edges with thin knife. Invert onto serving plate.
- Brush ladyfingers with ½ cup warmed apricot jam. Optional: Garnish with fresh berries.
- Serve chilled and enjoy your elegant dessert.
Notes
- Ensure egg whites are beaten to stiff peaks for a light, airy sponge cake texture that will make your Charlotte Russe delicate and soft.
- Use room temperature ingredients to help them blend smoothly and create a more consistent batter when mixing cake and cream components.
- Temper egg yolks carefully by slowly adding hot cream to prevent scrambling, which would ruin the smooth custard base of your Bavarian cream.
- For gluten-free adaptation, replace wheat flour with a cup-for-cup gluten-free flour blend and use gluten-free ladyfingers to maintain the classic dessert structure.
- Prep Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 25-30 minutes
- Category: Cakes
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: French
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 8
- Calories: 348 kcal
- Sugar: 31 g
- Sodium: 140 mg
- Fat: 23 g
- Saturated Fat: 14 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 8 g
- Trans Fat: 0.5 g
- Carbohydrates: 28 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 6 g
- Cholesterol: 160 mg