Cake “Damskiy kapriz” – the most versatile in taste in the world

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No cake combines in itself so many flavors as the cake “Damskiy kapriz” (translated “Lady’s whim”) does. It consists of four cake layers, each of which is refined with different fillings. The taste of the cake is perfected by the caramel-flavored cream. The cake recipe can be changed at will, just as a lady’s mood changes from one moment to the next. A detailed recipe for the cake “Damskiy kapriz” with exact quantities and step-by-step instructions can be found here at the bottom.

Cake "Damskiy kapriz" – the most versatile in taste in the world

Many names – one cake

The cake “Damskiy kapriz”, which translated from Russian means “Lady’s whim”, is known by many other names. These include “Korolevskiy” (“The Royal”), “Bedny ewrej” (“The Poor Jew”), “General” (“The General”) and “Skazka” (“The Fairy Tale”). Every Soviet family knew the cake by a different name. However, it was one and the same cake. However, the name “Damskiy kapriz” probably suits the cake best, as capricious and versatile as it can be in taste.

Russian cake "Damskiy kapriz"

Where does the cake “Damskiy kapriz” come from?

Unfortunately, the history of the cake “Damskiy kapriz” has been lost. It is no longer known who invented the cake. It has been known for quite some time. The cake was already famous in the Soviet Union. However, at that time it did not belong to the classic cakes prepared according to GOST and offered in the Soviet confectioneries, but was among the popular homemade cakes. Thus, it is believed that the cake “Damskiy kapriz” was created by a housewife who wanted to turn her moody behavior at that moment into something delicious.

The most flavorful cake in the world

The cake “Damskiy kapriz” can be counted among the most versatile cakes in the world. Because I don’t know any other cake that combines so many different flavors. Each cake base of the cake “Lady’s whim”, and there are four of them – or more according to your mood, has its own taste. The cake layers are perfectly complemented with the delicious cream, which adds a caramel note to the cake. Thus, the cake “Damskiy kapriz” tastes like caramel, nut, chocolate, dried fruit, poppy seeds – or something completely different, depending on your mood. Besides, it is incredibly creamy, tender, fluffy and moist.

Unique appearance

Not only in taste, but also in appearance, the cake “Damskiy kapriz” is unique. The four different colored thick cake layers and the delicate cream between them make the cake a sweet eye-catcher on the dining table. It is perfect for a special occasion and is guaranteed to delight your guests at a party.

Cake "Korolevskiy"

Flavors of the cake layers

I made one of the four cake layers with walnuts. Poppy seeds went into the second cake layer. The third cake layer contains dried apricots and prunes. And the fourth cake layer was prepared with chocolate flavor and raisins. These are the four classic fillings that are often used, but combined in different ways. Instead, you can also refine the cake layers completely differently. For example, if you don’t like raisins, just leave them out and use shredded coconut instead. Or how about cranberries instead of soft apricots and plums? Replace walnuts with hazelnuts, almonds or cashews, among others.

Alternative cream recipes

As for the cream for the cake “Lady’s whim”, there are many different recipes for it. I made it with cream and caramelized sweetened condensed milk. Here are some more alternative recipe ideas for the cream that are also popular.

Butter cream

Sometimes the cream for the cake “Damskiy kapriz” is prepared from butter and caramelized sweetened condensed milk. To do this, you whip the two ingredients together into a fluffy creamy mass. You can experiment with the proportions of butter and condensed milk. If you prefer the cream to be firmer and less sweet, use a little more butter and less condensed milk. If you want the cream to be more tender and sweet, use less butter and more caramelized sweetened condensed milk.

Sour cream

Often the cake “Lady’s whim” is prepared with a sour cream, which consists only of sour cream and powdered sugar. To do this, you mix the two components together, adjusting the amount of powdered sugar to taste, and the cream is ready. By the way, this is what I used to make my Medovik cake.

Butter and sour cream

A combination of butter and sour cream is also possible for the cake “Damskiy kapriz”. For this you whip butter and caramelized sweetened condensed milk until fluffy and then stir in some sour cream to the mixture. This gives the cream a slightly sour note.

Cream sour cream

Alternatively, you can make the cream for the cake “Lady’s whim” from cream, sour cream and powdered sugar. Whip cream and powdered sugar until creamy, then add sour cream in portions and whip each time to a homogeneous cream. Use as much powdered sugar as you want the cream to be sweet. Cream and sour cream come about in the ratio 1:1.

Cake "Bedny ewrej"

Soaking the cake layers – ideas

Since the cake layers of the cake “Damskiy kapriz” have a somewhat firmer consistency, they are often soaked so that they taste moister and softer in the end. There are several recipe ideas for this as well. I soaked the cake layers with sour cream. Since my cream is made with cream, sour cream also adds a tart note to the cake and makes it taste even more interesting. For example, if you make the cake with a sour cream, you can soak the cake layers with an ordinary sugar syrup. You can also use a milk or cream syrup – a mixture of sugar and milk or cream, respectively – for soaking.

Be whimsical – create cake that tastes like your mood

You can really go wild with this cake recipe. Just create a cake according to your mood. Use different fillings for the cake layers. Make three, four or as many layers as you like. Prepare the cake with cream, sour cream, butter cream, or a combination. Soak the cake layers with any syrup or omit the soaking completely. Decorate the cake as you like.

The cake “Damskiy kapriz” is

  • creamy,
  • moist,
  • airy,
  • tender,
  • incredibly tasty,
  • very versatile in taste,
  • adaptable as you like,
  • easy to make yourself,
  • a sweet eye-catcher on the dining table,
  • ideal for a party or an afternoon coffee with the family,
  • popular homemade classic of Soviet cuisine.

Cake "General"

Simple cake “Damskiy kapriz” recipe

Even if the cake looks complicated, and the recipe reads too long, it is quite easy to make the cake yourself. The batter for each cake layer is made quickly. There are also only four cake layers that need to be baked individually. The cream consists of only two ingredients and is whipped in no time. After that, you just assemble the cake.

How to make cake “Damskiy kapriz”: tips and tricks

  • Stir the batter each time not too long, but only briefly until a homogeneous consistency. Do not let the batter rest, but bake the cake base directly after preparing the batter for it.
  • You can refine the cake layers with any nuts, dried fruits, coconut flakes, and so on.
  • As vanilla go, for example, vanilla bean scraped out, vanilla sugar, vanilla extract.
  • To bake the cake layers you need a Ø 24 cm baking springform pan.
  • Use a toothpick to check whether the cake base is baked.
  • Instead of sour cream, you can soak the cake layers with sugar or milk syrup.
  • Instead of cream, you can make the cake “Damskiy kapriz” with a sour cream or butter cream. See my notes here above.

Did you make the cake “Damskiy kapriz” yourself using this recipe? I’m looking forward to your result, your star rating and your comment here below on how you succeeded and tasted this diverse cake.

Not tired of delicious Soviet-era cake recipes? Try some more:

Cake "Damskiy kapriz" – the most versatile in taste in the world

Cake "Damskiy kapriz"

No cake combines in itself so many flavors, as the cake "Damskiy kapriz" (translated "Lady's whim") does. It consists of four cake layers, each of which is refined with different fillings. The taste of the cake is perfected by the caramel-flavored cream. This cake recipe can be changed at will, just as a lady's mood changes from one moment to the next.
Prep Time 1 hour 25 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Resting time 2 hours 30 minutes
Course Dessert
Cuisine Russian, Soviet
Servings 12

Equipment

  • Ø 24 cm baking springform pan

Ingredients
  

for the 1st cake layer

  • 70 g walnuts roasted and coarsely chopped
  • 120 g sour cream
  • 100 g sugar
  • 1 egg
  • 60 g flour
  • 15 g cornstarch
  • 3 g baking powder
  • vanilla
  • 1 pinch of salt

for the 2nd cake layer

  • 50 g soft apricots
  • 20 g soft plums
  • 120 g sour cream
  • 100 g sugar
  • 1 egg
  • 60 g flour
  • 15 g cornstarch
  • 3 g baking powder
  • vanilla
  • 1 pinch of salt

for the 3rd cake layer

  • 50 g poppy seeds
  • 120 g sour cream
  • 100 g sugar
  • 1 egg
  • 60 g flour
  • 15 g cornstarch
  • 3 g baking powder
  • vanilla
  • 1 pinch of salt

for the 4th cake layer

  • 50 g raisins
  • 20 g cocoa powder
  • 120 g sour cream
  • 100 g sugar
  • 1 egg
  • 40 g flour
  • 15 g cornstarch
  • 3 g baking powder
  • vanilla
  • 1 pinch of salt

for the cream

  • 500 g cream cold
  • 300 g caramelized sweetened condensed milk

for the soaking the cake layers

  • 400 g sour cream

Instructions
 

Preparation of the 1st cake layer

  • Line the baking pan with baking paper.
  • Beat egg, sugar, vanilla and salt to an airy light mass.
  • Add sour cream and mix until homogeneous.
  • Mix flour with cornstarch and baking powder.
  • Fold the dry flour mixture into the liquid sour cream-egg-sugar mixture to make an airy thick batter.
  • Stir toasted and coarsely chopped walnuts into the batter.
  • Pour the batter into the baking pan and bake the cake layer in a preheated oven at 180 °C top and bottom heat for about 15 minutes. Then remove it from the baking pan together with the baking paper and let it cool down.

Preparation of the 2nd cake layer

  • Line the baking pan with baking paper.
  • Cut soft apricots and soft plums into small pieces.
  • Beat egg, sugar, vanilla and salt to an airy light mass.
  • Add sour cream and mix until homogeneous.
  • Mix flour with cornstarch and baking powder.
  • Fold the dry flour mixture into the liquid sour cream-egg-sugar mixture to make an airy thick batter.
  • Stir the soft apricots and soft plums into the batter.
  • Pour the batter into the baking pan and bake the cake layer in a preheated oven at 180 °C top and bottom heat for about 15 minutes. Then remove it from the baking pan together with the baking paper and let it cool down.

Preparation of the 3rd cake layer

  • If you use whole poppy seeds unprepared for baking (note their packaging for this), pour hot water over them, let them steep for 5 minutes, then pour off the water and grind the poppy seeds. I used ready-made poppy seeds for baking.
  • Line the baking pan with baking paper.
  • Beat egg, sugar, vanilla and salt to an airy light mass.
  • Add sour cream and mix until homogeneous.
  • Mix flour with cornstarch and baking powder.
  • Fold the dry flour mixture into the liquid sour cream-egg-sugar mixture to make an airy thick batter.
  • Stir poppy seeds into the batter.
  • Pour the batter into the baking pan and bake the cake layer in a preheated oven at 180 °C top and bottom heat for about 15 minutes. Take it out of the baking pan together with the baking paper and let it cool down.

Preparation of the 4th cake layer

  • Line the baking pan with baking paper.
  • Beat egg, sugar, vanilla and salt to an airy light mass.
  • Add sour cream and mix until homogeneous.
  • Mix flour with cornstarch, cocoa powder and baking powder.
  • Fold the dry flour mixture into the liquid sour cream-egg-sugar mixture to make an airy thick chocolate batter.
  • Stir raisins into the chocolate batter.
  • Pour the chocolate batter into the baking pan and bake the cake layer in a preheated oven at 180 °C top and bottom heat for about 15 minutes. Then take it out of the baking pan together with the baking paper and let it cool down.

Preparation of the cream

  • Whip cream until creamy.
  • Stir caramelized sweetened condensed milk into the cream in batches.

Preparation of the cake

  • If necessary, cut a narrow uneven edge off the four cake layers, dry them a little in the oven and crumble them finely.
  • Spread a thin layer of sour cream on the four cake layers and let it soak in for about 30 minutes and dry a bit.
  • Now spread the cake layers generously with the cream and stack them on top of each other in any order.
  • Spread the sides of the cake with the remaining cream, sprinkle the top and sides with the crumbs and chill for at least 2 hours.

Notes

  • Stir the batter not too long, but briefly until a homogeneous consistency and do not let it rest, but bake the cake layer immediately after preparing the batter for it.
  • Instead of walnuts, dried apricots and plums, poppy seeds, raisins, you can refine the cake layers with other nuts, dried fruits, coconut flakes, and so on.
  • As vanilla go, for example, vanilla bean scraped, vanilla sugar, vanilla extract.
  • Use a toothpick to check if the particular cake layer is baked.
  • Instead of sour cream, you can drizzle the cake layers with sugar or milk syrup.
  • Instead of cream, you can make the cake with a sour cream or butter cream. See my notes on this above.
  • Note the detailed tips and tricks for making the cake "Damskiy kapriz" at the top of the post.
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