Cakes & biscuits
Danube wave cake with cherries and vanilla buttercream
Pale and cocoa batters, sunken cherries, buttercream and chocolate create the characteristic layers of this cake.
- Total time
- 220 min
- Servings / pieces
- 16
- Topic
- Cakes & biscuits
Pale and cocoa batters, sunken cherries, buttercream and chocolate create the characteristic layers of this cake. Drain the fruit thoroughly to avoid making the batter excessively wet. A rectangular tin gives a manageable quantity compared with a full oven tray. Cook the pudding first so it can cool while the cake bakes. A little oil makes the chocolate topping more flexible, allowing cleaner cuts without pressing heavily into the cream beneath. Allow cooling time between stages rather than assembling the layers while they are still warm.
Method
Step by step
- 01
Cook the pudding
Mix cornflour with 70 ml of the filling milk. Boil remaining milk with sugar and vanilla, stir in slurry and boil one minute. Cover directly on the surface and cool to room temperature. Take the filling butter out early.
- 02
Make the batter
Heat oven to 180 °C conventional heat and line the tin. Cream batter butter with sugar. Add eggs individually. Briefly mix in flour and baking powder, alternating with 60 ml milk. Spread half the batter in the tin.
- 03
Add cocoa and cherries
Mix remaining batter with cocoa and two tablespoons milk and spread over the pale layer. Distribute cherries and press lightly. Bake for 30–35 minutes until a skewer away from fruit comes out clean. Cool completely.
- 04
Spread the cream
Beat filling butter for three minutes until pale. Gradually beat in room-temperature pudding a spoonful at a time. Spread evenly over the cold cake and chill for 45 minutes until firm enough to support the topping.
- 05
Finish with chocolate
Melt chocolate gently and stir in oil. Cool until fluid but no longer hot. Spread thinly over the cream and draw waves with a fork. Chill for at least 30 minutes. Cut with a warmed, dry knife.
Times are a guide. Your hob, oven and ingredients affect the result; use the cooking cues as well as the clock.
Draining the cherries
Briefly place drained cherries on kitchen paper. Very wet or frozen fruit can leave patches that seem underbaked. Test a fruit-free area so cherry juice is not mistaken for uncooked batter.
Applying the topping
Hot chocolate melts buttercream, while cold thick chocolate is difficult to spread. Test a little at one corner: it should flow without immediately mixing into the cream beneath.
Kitchen questions
One more question?
Can I use milk chocolate?
Yes, although sweeter and softer. Reduce the oil initially to one teaspoon.
Why does the topping crack?
It may be too cold or thick. Warm the knife briefly, wipe dry and slice without excessive pressure.
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