"Ptichye moloko" (Marshmallow cake)

I am familiar with this cake as long as I remember myself. It was very popular then and now it is still loved by many peoples. I really don't know where this cake was originated from, I think from Russian or Ukrainian cuisine. If someone knows, you can leave a comment. I love this cake because it is really easy to make, relatively fast and heavenly delicious!!! In original recipe the base cake is made just like regular sponge cake as I made for "Kiyevskiy tort" (fluffy cake), but I really don't want to waste anything, so I make slightly different cake using only egg yolks, as egg whites are used for marshmallow layer.
As I baked this cake a long time ago,I don't have many pictures, so I promise to post some more pictures later, when I will be baking it in these days.
Ingredients:
for marshmallow layer
5 egg whites
1 very full cup of sugar
1/3 cup of water
2,5 tbsp of gelatin powder
90 ml of water
Half a tsp of vanilla powder or 2 tsp of vanilla essence
For cake
5 egg yolks
1 cup of sugar
100 grams of cream
100 grams of butter, melted
100 ml of milk
1.5 cup of plain flour
1 tsp of baking powder
For light syrup
1 cup of water
3 tbsp of sugar
(for syrup just mix sugar with very hot water until completely dissolved)
For glazing
250 grams of chocolate or
3 tbsp of cocoa powder
3 tbsp of sugar
5 tbsp of milk
1 tsp of butter
For the cake beat egg yolks with sugar until they will be light in color. Add in cream, milk and melted butter, mix well. Mix in baking powder and flour. If it is too runny add in more flour, if it is too thick add in milk (it depends on how big are eggs). Bake in preheated oven until it is ready- insert toothpick and when it will come out clean, the cake is ready. Take it out and let it cool.
For marshmallow, mix gelatin with 90 ml of water and set aside for 20 min. After, heat over double boiler until gelatin is completely dissolved, don't boil!
Pour 1/3 cup of water over sugar and bring to boil over high heat, simultaneously begin to whip egg whites until stiff peaks using an electric mixer. Check the syrup- pour half a tsp of a syrup into the ice cold water and try to make a ball with your two fingers. If it will easily turns to a soft ball, then it is ready. Now, with a running mixer start to pour the syrup with small portions over egg whites, be careful, syrup is very hot. Beat for 5 min more after you use up the syrup. Now start adding gelatin, also pouring it by small portions. Beat for 2 min more. Add in half a tsp of vanilla and mix well.
Slice the cake in two horizontally , making one part thicker than another. Place thick part in plate, put the circle of the spring form over. Sprinkle with a light syrup and pour in marshmallow. Put in fridge for about 20 min or until marshmallow layer will be completely set. Sprinkle syrup over the other thin part of cake and place over the marshmallow layer. Again put in fridge for 15 min.
Run the knife around the edges of the cake and take out spring form. Melt chocolate over double boiler and evenly pour over cake or make chocolate frosting- finely mix cocoa powder with sugar, add in milk and mix again. Put over high heat and bring to boil. Once it comes to boil, lower the heat and cook constantly stirring until it will get thick. At the end add in butter, take from heat and mix well. Pour over cake while it is hot. Let it cool and then put the cake in fridge for about 30 min before serving.
You can also decorate the cake according to your taste.
Marshmallow part also can be made with different taste. If you add 1 cup of fruit puree or chopped fruits, it will be fruit marshmallow, if you pour in 100 grams of melted chocolate, it will be chocolate marshmallow, if you add in 100 grams of condensed milk mixed with 50 grams of butter, it will taste like creamy-vanilla marshmallow. All the additions must be added right after the gelatin.
Enjoy your yummy treat!
Yoqimli ishtaha!!!