Sponge Cake with Yogurt Jelly and Cherries

Name: Sponge Cake with Yogurt Jelly and Cherries
Ingredients: 1 egg; 60 g flour (about 2/3 cup); 70 g sugar (just under 1/2 cup); 2 tbsp sour cream; 1 tsp baking powder (or 1/2 tsp baking soda, slaked); Same as the light layer + 2 tbsp cocoa powder; 700 g plain yogurt (or cherry yogurt works too); 6 tbsp sugar; 25 g instant gelatin (2 1/2 heaping tbsp); 200 g cherries; 3 tbsp sugar; 15 g instant gelatin (1 1/2 heaping tbsp); 50 g black currants (or any other berries for garnish)

Sponge Cake with Yogurt Jelly and Cherries is a simple cake recipe featuring two kinds of jelly — yogurt jelly and cherry jelly. You can use any yogurt you like, store-bought or homemade; I used homemade yogurt. My berries were frozen.

Ingredients:

Light layer:
1 egg
60 g flour (about 2/3 cup)
70 g sugar (just under 1/2 cup)
2 tbsp sour cream
1 tsp baking powder (or 1/2 tsp baking soda, slaked)
Dark layer:
Same as the light layer + 2 tbsp cocoa powder
Yogurt jelly:
700 g plain yogurt (or cherry yogurt works too)
6 tbsp sugar
25 g instant gelatin (2 1/2 heaping tbsp)
Cherry jelly:
200 g cherries
3 tbsp sugar
15 g instant gelatin (1 1/2 heaping tbsp)
50 g black currants (or any other berries for garnish)

How to cook sponge cake with yogurt jelly and cherries

Make the light layer. Beat the egg with the sugar until slightly fluffy.

Add the sour cream and mix. Add the flour and baking powder (or slaked baking soda) and beat until smooth.

Line a springform pan with parchment paper. Pour the batter into the pan and spread it out evenly with a spoon. Bake in an oven preheated to 200°C (400°F) for 15 minutes.

Make the dark layer. Prepare it exactly the same way as the light layer, but add the cocoa powder along with the flour.

Spread the batter evenly and bake the same way.

Carefully peel the finished layers off the parchment and let them cool on a wire rack. If you prefer soaked layers, be sure to brush them with simple syrup or cherry juice before assembling the cake.

Pour the gelatin into a glass, add half a cup of hot (not boiling) water, and stir thoroughly for about 3–5 minutes until the gelatin is fully dissolved. Let it cool to lukewarm, stirring occasionally.

Stir the sugar into the yogurt (skip the sugar if your yogurt is already sweetened). Add the dissolved gelatin to the yogurt (make sure both are at room temperature) and mix thoroughly (if the gelatin is too hot and the yogurt too cold, the gelatin may seize up).

Place the dark layer in the bottom of the springform pan. Pour in half of the yogurt mixture.

Place the light layer on top. Pour in the remaining yogurt mixture and smooth the surface. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours.

Cover the cherries with 300 ml of water (set a few aside to garnish the top of the cake), bring to a boil, and simmer for a couple of minutes.

Remove the cherries with a slotted spoon or strain them out. Add the sugar and stir.

Add the gelatin to the cherry liquid and stir thoroughly for about 3–5 minutes until fully dissolved.

Arrange the berries on top of the cake, pressing them gently into the yogurt layer. Carefully pour the cherry jelly over the top. Refrigerate for at least 2–3 hours until fully set.

To remove the finished cake, carefully run a knife along the inside edge of the pan to release the jelly from the sides (or dip the pan in hot water for 30 seconds), then unclasp the springform without damaging the surface or sides of the cake.