Princess Cake

Step 1

Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease and flour one 8x3-inch round cake pan. 

Step 2

Sift together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.

Step 3

In a small saucepan, heat the butter and milk until the butter is melted. Remove from heat and set aside. Cool to 80-85°F, whisking the mixture occasionally to maintain the butter and milk incorporated. 

Step 4

 In a large heatproof bowl, whisk together the sugar, eggs, and vanilla. Place the bowl on top of a saucepan simmering with water. Warm the mixture, whisking constantly, until the sugar is completely dissolved and the mixture reaches 110°F. Remove the bowl from the heat. Beat the mixture at medium-high speed until the mixture is light and fluffy and has cooled down to room temperature, about 10 minutes. 

Step 5

Add the flour mixture to the sugar mixture and beat until just combined. Scrape the sides of the bowl as needed. Slowly pour the butter/milk mixture into the batter, mixing at low speed until incorporated. Do not overbeat the batter. Evenly pour the batter into the prepared pan. 

Step 6

Bake for 30-35 minutes or until golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the middle of the cake comes out clean. Remove from oven and transfer to a cooling rack. Allow cooling in the pan for 20 minutes. Carefully remove the cake from the pan and cool completely.

Step 7

Prepare the pastry cream. In a medium saucepan, mix together milk, heavy cream, sugar, vanilla, and salt. Bring to a simmer. Stir mixture until the sugar dissolves. 

Step 8

In a separate bowl, whisk together the cornstarch and egg yolks. Mix a little of the hot milk mixture with egg yolk mixture, whisk constantly as you pour the hot milk to prevent eggs from turning into scrambled eggs. Add a little more milk mixture and continue mixing. Add all the milk and mix. Return milk and egg mixture to the saucepan and bring to a boil. Stir constantly with a wooden spoon until mixture thickens. Remove from heat and transfer to a bowl. Allow the cream to rest for 10 minutes. Add butter, mix until incorporated. Strain cream into a bowl. Cover the cream with plastic wrap making sure it touches the surface of the cream so it does not form a skin. Refrigerate until cold.

Step 9

Assemble the cake. Line one 8-inch cake pan with plastic wrap, completely covering the pan. Cut the cake horizontally into 3 even layers. Place one layer of the cake at the bottom of the pan. Add ¼ cup of jam on top of the cake. Using an offset spatula, spread into a thin layer. Spoon about 1 cup of pastry cream and spread into an even layer. Repeat the process one more time and then cover with the remaining layer of cake. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 4 hours. 

Step 10

Remove the cake from the refrigerator. Invert onto a serving platter; remove all plastic wrap from the cake. In a large bowl, whip the cream, powdered sugar, and vanilla at medium high speed until stiff peaks. 

Step 11

dollop the cream on top of the cake. Using an offset spatula, cover the cake with cream and shape the cream on top of the cake into a dome. Place in the refrigerator.

Step 12

On a clean surface dusted with powdered sugar, roll the marzipan into a 16-inch circle, of about 1/8-inch in thickness. Center the marzipan circle over the dome of whipped cream and slowly drape it over the cake. Using your hands, carefully smooth the cake. Trim the excess marzipan at the bottom of the cake. Top with marzipan rose and decorate the bottom of the cake with ribbon.