Whip Up Your Sant Ambroeus Favorites With Their New Cookbook

INGREDIENTS
Filling
½ cup whole milk
5 tablespoons sugar
2 large egg yolks
1 tablespoon cake flour
Seeds of 1/4 vanilla bean
1 cup whipping cream
½ cup simple syrup 

Cake
½ cup plus 1 tablespoon cake flour
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons unbleached all-purpose flour
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
1 pinch salt
4 large eggs, separated
½ cup plus 3 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons vegetable oil, plus more for oiling pan
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 tablespoons water
Finely grated zest of 1 lemon
4 large egg whites

Finishing
Confectioners’ sugar for dusting work surface
Pink gel food coloring
3 7-ounce packages almond paste, room temperature
Royal icing for decorating

INSTRUCTIONS
1. For the pastry cream filling, combine the milk and 2 tablespoons of the sugar in a small saucepan over low heat. Bring to a simmer. In a small heatproof bowl, whisk the egg yolks with 1 tablespoon of the remaining sugar, the flour, and the vanilla bean seeds. Whisk perfectly smooth. Pour the warm milk into the egg yolks, whisking constantly, then return the mixture to the saucepan and cook, whisking, until thickened, about 1 minute. Transfer the pastry cream to a bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and press the plastic wrap against the surface of the cream. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours. 

2. For the cake, preheat the oven to 350°F. Oil an 8-inch round cake pan and line the bottom with parchment paper. Place the flours, baking powder, and salt in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment and whisk on low speed. In a bowl, combine the egg yolks, ½ cup of the sugar, 2 tablespoons of the oil, the vanilla extract, water, and lemon zest and whisk to combine. Add the egg yolk mixture in a thin stream with the mixer running. Mix until well-combined.

3. In a clean bowl, beat the 4 egg whites to a soft peak. Sprinkle in the remaining 3 tablespoons sugar and beat until combined. Gently fold the meringue into the batter with the egg yolks.

4. Transfer the batter to the prepared pan, smooth the top, and bake in the preheated oven until a cake tester inserted in the center comes out clean and the top springs back when pressed, about 30 minutes. Cool the cake completely in the pan on a rack. Unmold once the cake is completely cool.

5. When you are ready to assemble the cake, whip the cream for the filling to firm peaks with the remaining 2 tablespoons sugar and set aside.

6. Lightly dust the work surface with confectioners’ sugar and knead the food coloring into the almond paste until it is evenly colored. (You can also do this with a stand mixer if you don’t want to get the color on your hands; it’s not a bad idea to wear gloves to prevent staining.)

7. Cut two 1-inch-thick layers from the sponge. The remaining very thin layer will be the top of the cake.

8. Place one of the thicker layers on an 8-inch cake cardboard. Soak thoroughly with about half of the simple syrup. Place the pastry cream on top and gently spread it to cover the bottom sponge layer evenly. Place the second thicker sponge layer on top of the pastry cream and soak it thoroughly with the remaining syrup. Spread the whipped cream on top and gently shape it into a dome. Place the thin sponge layer on top of the whipped cream and gently shape it into a dome on top of the whipped cream.

9. Flour a work surface with confectioners’ sugar and roll out the pink marzipan to a circle ¹⁄¹º inch thick. Gently place the marzipan over the cake and check to be sure you haven’t trapped any air between the marzipan and the cake. Trim away excess marzipan around the bottom. Decorate the cake with royal icing. Refrigerate the cake once it is assembled and serve cold.