Homemade Prague Cake
12 servings
90 minutes
The Prague cake is a true legend of Russian cuisine, inspired by the famous Prague dessert. This cake captivates with its rich chocolate flavor, tender layers, and velvety cream. Its base is a combination of cocoa, condensed milk, and sour cream that gives the dough softness and airiness. The cream made from butter, condensed milk, and cocoa highlights the depth of chocolate pleasure, while the final chocolate glaze adds elegance. This dessert is perfect for special occasions, holidays, and cozy family evenings. It is not just a treat—it’s a journey through time, a memory of classics and enjoyment in every spoonful.
1
We start preparing the dough: break 3 eggs into a deep bowl, add a pinch of salt, and lightly beat with a mixer.
- Chicken egg: 3 pieces
- Salt: pinch
2
Add sugar (1 cup) to the eggs and beat until fluffy white mass.
- Sugar: 1 glass
3
Add 200 grams of sour cream, 0.5 can of condensed milk, and baking soda (dissolved with lemon juice) — mix everything easily and quickly.
- Sour cream: 200 g
- Condensed milk: 1 jar
- Soda: 1 teaspoon
- Lemon juice: 1 tablespoon
4
Add cocoa powder (3 tablespoons) and mix.
- Cocoa powder: 4 tablespoons
5
Gradually add all the sifted flour to the dough. Whisk to avoid any flour lumps.
- Wheat flour: 2 glasss
6
You will get a not too thick dough. It needs to rest for about 10 minutes. In the meantime, we heat the oven to 180 degrees.
7
For the buttercream, whip 200 grams of soft butter for a few minutes until fluffy.
- Butter: 260 g
8
Add the remaining half can of condensed milk and cocoa powder (1 tablespoon). Whip for a few more minutes.
- Condensed milk: 1 jar
- Cocoa powder: 4 tablespoons
9
The resulting cream should be placed in the refrigerator.
10
It's time to bake the layers: grease a springform pan with oil or line it with parchment paper. Pour half of the batter into the pan and bake at 180 degrees for about 30 minutes.
11
Thus, bake 2 layers. Let them cool in the mold.
12
Then remove from the mold with a knife and leave to cool on the table.
13
Cut 2 cakes in half. Take the cake and make a circular cut on the side with the tip of a knife. Take a strong thread, insert it into the cut, pull it with your hands, and with a 'towards yourself' motion, cut the cake in half.
14
Preparing syrup for layers: mix any jam with water. I used cranberry.
- Jam: 50 g
- Water: 250 ml
15
Assembling the cake: place a ring on a plate, lay 1 layer at the bottom, and soak it well with water and jam.
16
Spread 1/3 of the cream on top and smooth it out.
17
Repeat steps 15-16 (cake-soaking-cream) until the cream and cakes are finished. The last cake does not need to be coated with cream, just soak it with water and jam.
18
Let's prepare chocolate icing. Melt the chocolate in a water bath, add 60 grams of butter — stir until the butter is dissolved. Pour in 4 tablespoons of hot water, mix quickly. Let the icing cool slightly.
- Dark chocolate: 150 g
- Butter: 260 g
- Water: 250 ml
19
Carefully remove the ring from the cake and smooth the sides.
20
Place strips of parchment paper under the cake to avoid dirtying the plate. Pour warm icing in the center and start smoothing it out with a spatula using gentle movements, like clock hands - from the center outwards in a circle - so the icing spreads evenly and flows smoothly down the sides. Correct any small imperfections with the same spatula if needed.
21
Then carefully remove the paper from under the cake. Decorate the 'Prague' cake as you wish, leave it in the kitchen for 1 hour, and then refrigerate for 3-4 hours or overnight.