Seven Sisters Cake

In 1918, the ground floor of the House of Signatories was home to the Baltasis Štralis confectionery, which was famous for its cakes and pastries. This was a popular gathering place for the intelligentsia: both university professors and poets spent time there, and you could get local or foreign press. So, it wouldn’t be surprising if talk of Lithuania’s independence developed over a piece of this cake.

Apparently, Jonas Vileišis – one of the signatories of the Act of Independence of Lithuania – had a daughter, and this cake was her favourite treat in Vilnius. So even though this cake is more than a hundred years old, its taste is on par with modern desserts.

You will need:

For the sponge cake:

• 6 eggs
• 120 g flour
• 120 g sugar
• 35 g butter
• pinch of salt

For the filling:

• 5 eggs
• 200 g sugar
• 250 g butter
• 200 g chocolate
• 20 g cocoa powder

Method:

Make the sponge cake

Beat the egg yolks with the sugar until the mixture is almost white and fluffy. Beat the egg whites until they form a thick foam, then gradually add them to the yolk and sugar mixture. Add a pinch of salt, the flour, and the melted butter. Divide the mixture into six parts and pour each part into a round 22 cm baking tin. Bake in an oven preheated to 180°C for 12-14 minutes.

Make the filling

Beat the eggs, add the sugar and bring the mixture to a boil in a water bath (bain-marie), stirring the entire time. Remove the filling from the water bath and let it cool. Melt the chocolate in a bowl of hot water and add the butter at room temperature. Combine the egg and chocolate mixtures and add the cocoa powder.

Assemble the cake

Spread each sponge cake with 1/6 of the filling and stack. Sprinkle the top layer with cocoa powder.

Allow the cake to stand for one day so the layers can set and the sponge cake can absorb the filling.

This information was shared by Rimvydas Laužikas.