Tuesday, June 29, 2010

Heavenly Cake Bakers: Genoise Bavarian

The Genoise Rose cake from Rose's Heavenly Cakes is a genoise designed to be strong enough to bake in a moulded shape. As you might guess from the name, Rose herself likes to make this cake in a florally designed bundt pan. I used my Bavarian bundt pan. Marie, the host of the Heavenly Cake Bakers, mentioned that this cake really could be on the 'quick and easy' list, despite the additional steps of browning butter and the long beating times.  Maybe after all this cake baking we're just improving t the point where more and more previously intimidating activities seem quick and easy.
The one place that I failed a bit was in mixing in the flour--I was too timid, and left some flour/cornstarch lumps in the finished cake. These didn't impair its flavor or texture, which, due to the use of whole eggs, was moist for a genoise, but they weren't pretty. The cake sank a bit as well, so it looks mildly squished in the picture.
The final step of the recipe is the application of a syrup (Rose directs the use of one made from Grand Marnier). I think that a syrup would have added to the elegance and longevity of the cake, but I don't really like liquor syrups, and I just loved the cake plain, so that went by the wayside. Unsyrup-ed, the cake tasted oddly and exactly like my family's Passover sponge cake recipe, and indeed the ingredient list and method is pretty comparable. I enjoyed this cake but I don't think I developed it to its full potential. Since it is quick, and easy, perhaps there'll be a next time.

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