Almond Sponge Cake with Mousseline
This cherry almond cream cake is a total showoff. Moist almond sponge, silky cream, and tart cherry compote come together in a cake you can make ahead and serve without stress. It takes a little time, but it’s worth every step.
Servings: 12 servings
Equipment
Ingredients
For the Cake:
- 3 large eggs
- 1½ cups granulated sugar 150 grams
- ¼ cup vegetable oil 50 grams
- ¼ teaspoon almond extract
- ½ cup almond flour
- 1⅛ cups all-purpose flour 135 grams
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¾ teaspoon baking powder
- ½ cup whole milk 113 grams
To Fill and Decorate:
- 1 batch cherry compote
- 1 batch mousseline cream
Instructions
Bake the Cake:
- Preheat the oven to 325°F. Thoroughly grease a Charlotte cake pan, making sure to coat every crevice.
- In a large mixing bowl, beat the eggs and sugar until the mixture is pale, thick, and reaches the ribbon stage, about 3 minutes. (When you lift the beaters, the batter should fall back in thick ribbons that slowly disappear into the surface.) Beat in the oil and almond extract.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the almond flour, all-purpose flour, salt, and baking powder.
- Add the dry ingredients to the egg mixture in three additions, alternating with the milk, starting and ending with the dry ingredients. Mix just until smooth.
- Pour the batter into the prepared pan and tap it lightly on the counter to release any air bubbles.
- Bake for 45–50 minutes, or until the center springs back when lightly pressed and the edges begin to pull away from the pan.
- Cool the cake in the pan for 10 minutes, then carefully invert onto a wire rack and let it cool completely.
Assemble the Cake:
- Once the cake is fully cooled, place it on a serving plate. Spoon about 1½ cups of mousseline cream into the center cavity, smoothing it to the edges.
- Spoon a portion of the cherry compote over the cream.Transfer the remaining mousseline to a piping bag fitted with your preferred decorative tip and pipe a border around the top edge.
Notes
No Charlotte pan? You can bake the cake in two 8-inch round cake pans instead. Just make sure to grease and line them with parchment for easy removal.
Watch the bake time. It may vary slightly depending on your oven and pan type. Start checking around the 28–32 minute mark.
Cool completely. Let the cakes cool before frosting or assembling. If you’re using 8-inch pans, you can stack the layers with filling or serve them as single-layer cakes.
Make the compote early. The berry compote keeps well in the fridge for 3 to 4 days if you make it in advance.
Make the mousseline ahead. It holds for up to 3 days in the fridge. Press plastic wrap directly on the surface and bring it to room temp before using.
Whip if needed. If the mousseline looks split or grainy after chilling, let it come to room temperature and give it a quick whip to bring it back to life.
Nutrition info only includes the sponge cake.
Nutrition
Serving: 1 serving | Calories: 228kcal | Carbohydrates: 35g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 8g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Trans Fat: 0.03g | Cholesterol: 42mg | Sodium: 143mg | Potassium: 44mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 26g | Vitamin A: 76IU | Calcium: 45mg | Iron: 1mg
