Baked Alaska is just like an impressive ice cream cake that combines a sponge base, icy sorbet, and an airy meringue topping, offering contrasting flavours and precisely that lovely fresh, light bite you might crave after a festive dinner. And you know what the best part is? You can prepare this dessert several days in advance and simply finish it on the special day, either in the oven or with a kitchen torch.
This cake looks grand, yet it is actually very simple to prepare. Choose either lemon, mango, or sea buckthorn sorbet for the inside – something with freshness and a bit of zesty flavor. This tanginess is wonderfully balanced by the sweet meringue and the soft sponge. You can make the cake base yourself according to the recipe provided here, or if you prefer, use a store-bought base – making it truly accessible for anyone to create this cake.
Baked Alaska
Description
Ingredients
Cake base:
Preparation
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Whisk the egg yolks. Whisk in the melted butter and then, while whisking, add the milk and agave syrup. Mix the flour with the baking powder and vanilla sugar, and then add it to the batter while stirring. Let the batter stand for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Line a 20 cm cake tin with baking paper and pour the batter into the tin. Bake at 180 degrees Celsius for 30 minutes. Cool completely. On the cooled sponge, trim the edges straight and also trim the top straight, i.e., "cut off the dome".
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Place the cooled and straightened cake base on a serving plate. Choose a plate that can withstand both freezing and heating.
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Then prepare the Alaska cake topping. Whisk the egg whites into stiff peaks. Add the stevia powder and vanilla sugar and continue whisking until the meringue is fluffy and glossy and the stevia has dissolved. Finally, add the white wine vinegar and whisk a little more.
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Now place 500 g of lemon sorbet in the centre of the cake base as a tower and cover it all over with the meringue. Work quickly, otherwise the sorbet will start to melt. Pat the meringue smooth with the back of a spoon, forming sharp peaks and waviness. Transfer the cake to the freezer for at least 2-3 hours or until you want to serve it. The cake can also wait in the freezer for several days - this makes it particularly convenient to prepare this dessert in advance for celebrations!
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Before serving, place the cake in a preheated 220 degrees Celsius fan-assisted grill function for 6-7 minutes or use a kitchen torch to brown the sharper peaks. Serve immediately.
Note
- You can make a bowl dessert from the leftover cake base the next day! Crumble the cake pieces into a bowl, add curd cheese or cottage cheese, jam, and fruit, and enjoy!
- You can also replace the lemon sorbet with mango or sea buckthorn sorbet, or even vanilla ice cream if you have a sweet-tooth.
