In our latest contest, we reprised our very first Food52 recipe contest theme: your best layer cake. For this go around, we asked you to share with us some new and interesting flavor combinations for layer cake. We were truly impressed by the creativity of our community, especially when it comes to a particularly technical and labor-intensive genre of recipes. Hopefully, you will enjoy taking a peek—and perhaps even a stab!—at some of our top choices here.
Alas, because five cakes can't take the cake, we had to narrow down this embarrassment of riches to two. And this was no easy feat! So we're turning over the ultimate decision to our community: We're asking you to vote on which cake will win them all.
Our two finalists brought us new approaches in both flavor combinations and techniques. Both of these cakes are time-intensive projects with multiple steps and technical points you will want to keep in your focus. Will you go for the rich fudgy cake with a delightfully crunchy topping, or the elegant pink cake with the rose-perfumed filling? Either way, you will be very well rewarded for your efforts.
3 eggs plus 2 egg yolks (use 3 egg yolks if baking at 5,000 ft)
3/4 cup water (or 1/2 cup red wine such as Cabernet Sauvignon + 1/4 cup water, for a fancier, very-grown up tasting cake)
56 g / 2 ounces dark chocolate, finely chopped
262 grams / 1 1/3 cups white sugar
85 grams / ½ cup + 1 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder (I use Hershey’s, either plain or “special dark”)
177 ml / 3/4 cup olive oil
1 tablespoon / 15 ml vanilla
1/2 teaspoon / 3 ml almond extract
1 1/2 teaspoons / 8 ml baking soda (3/4 teaspoon if baking at 5,000 ft)
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
2 teaspoons / 10 ml espresso powder (you’ll need more for the coffee filling)
240 grams / 2 cups almond flour
Neutral oil for greasing the pans
3 eggs plus 2 egg yolks (use 3 egg yolks if baking at 5,000 ft)
3/4 cup water (or 1/2 cup red wine such as Cabernet Sauvignon + 1/4 cup water, for a fancier, very-grown up tasting cake)
56 g / 2 ounces dark chocolate, finely chopped
262 grams / 1 1/3 cups white sugar
85 grams / ½ cup + 1 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder (I use Hershey’s, either plain or “special dark”)
177 ml / 3/4 cup olive oil
1 tablespoon / 15 ml vanilla
1/2 teaspoon / 3 ml almond extract
1 1/2 teaspoons / 8 ml baking soda (3/4 teaspoon if baking at 5,000 ft)
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
2 teaspoons / 10 ml espresso powder (you’ll need more for the coffee filling)
240 grams / 2 cups almond flour
Neutral oil for greasing the pans
For the Almond Praline Crunch & Mascarpone Filling/Topping
For the Almond Praline Crunch:
66 grams / 80 ml / ⅓ cup white sugar
80 ml / ⅓ cup water
108 grams / 4 ounces / 1 cup slivered or sliced almonds, toasted
½ teaspoon neutral oil
1/4 teaspoon of sea salt
1/4 teaspoon almond extract
For the Mascarpone Filling and Topping
2 tablespoons rum (or water), heated until hot to the touch (in my microwave, 20 seconds is about right)
1 tablespoon / 15 ml espresso powder or more to taste (I like Medaglio d’Oro, which seems less bitter than King Arthur Baking’s product)
227 gram / 8 ounces / 1 cup heavy cream
567 grams / 20 ounces / 2 ½ cups mascarpone, at room temperature
75 grams / 2.6 ounces / 3/4 cup confectioners sugar
1 tablespoon vanilla extract (use the good stuff here)
For the Almond Praline Crunch:
66 grams / 80 ml / ⅓ cup white sugar
80 ml / ⅓ cup water
108 grams / 4 ounces / 1 cup slivered or sliced almonds, toasted
½ teaspoon neutral oil
1/4 teaspoon of sea salt
1/4 teaspoon almond extract
For the Mascarpone Filling and Topping
2 tablespoons rum (or water), heated until hot to the touch (in my microwave, 20 seconds is about right)
1 tablespoon / 15 ml espresso powder or more to taste (I like Medaglio d’Oro, which seems less bitter than King Arthur Baking’s product)
227 gram / 8 ounces / 1 cup heavy cream
567 grams / 20 ounces / 2 ½ cups mascarpone, at room temperature
75 grams / 2.6 ounces / 3/4 cup confectioners sugar
1 tablespoon vanilla extract (use the good stuff here)
Vote for the Winning Cake
Please join us in giving AntoniaJames and GML congratulations in the comments section below! If you can, try one or both of these at home, and vote for your favorite by heading over to our contest page. You have now until 12 p.m. ET on April 8 to tell us which recipe you loved the most. We’ll announce the winner at 12 p.m. ET on April 9.
I made both of the finalists. One challenged me method-wise (I never use a food processor for anything let alone making whipped cream or a cake). One challenged me financially (freeze dried strawberries and lychees aren't cheap). My friends reaped the benefits of the contest. The votes amongst them were split, although the fans of the fudgy olive oil cake were extremely enthusiastic in their response.
See what other Food52 readers are saying.