An elevated, multi-layered version of the classic Red Velvet Cake, featuring a moist cake, crunchy macadamia base, rich strawberry ganache, and tangy cream cheese mousse, finished with a velvet red glaze.
Yields: 10 Servings
Target Mold Size: 18 cm diameter silicone mold (e.g., Silikomart Universo)
DAY ONE: Component Preparation & Internal Assembly
1. Red Velvet Cake (2 Layers)
| Ingredient | Weight (g) | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Water (boiling) | 80 g | |
| Espresso Powder | 3.5 g | Equivalent of 1 3/4 tsp |
| Cocoa Powder (unsweetened) | 13 g | |
| All-Purpose Flour | 190 g | |
| Baking Powder | 2.5 g | Approximately small 1/2 tsp |
| Baking Soda | 3.75 g | Approximately small 3/4 tsp |
| Fine Salt | 3.75 g | Approximately small 3/4 tsp |
| Caster Sugar | 260 g | |
| Sunflower Oil | 70 g | |
| Unsalted Butter (melted) | 75 g | |
| Large Whole Eggs | 70 g | Approximately 1 1/2 eggs |
| Large Egg Yolks | 15 g | Approximately 3/4 yolk |
| Buttermilk (room temperature) | 165 g | Equivalent of 160 ml |
| Vanilla Paste | 8.75 g | Equivalent of 1 3/4 tsp |
| Red Food Coloring Gel | 26 g | Equivalent of 1 3/4 tbsp |
| White Vinegar (distilled) | 3.75 g | Approximately small 3/4 tsp |
Method
- Prepare Cocoa Base: Mix the boiling water with the espresso powder and cocoa powder. Whisk until smooth and set aside to cool completely.
- Combine Wet Ingredients: In a large bowl, whisk together the sugar, melted butter, and oil until combined. Add the whole eggs and egg yolks and whisk again until fully emulsified.
- Color Base: Pour in the buttermilk, vanilla paste, and red food coloring gel. Whisk until the color is consistent. Add the vinegar and the cooled coffee/cocoa mixture.
- Mix Dry Ingredients: In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
- Finish Batter: Gently fold the dry ingredients into the wet mixture using a rubber spatula until just combined. Use a hand whisk briefly to eliminate any clumps.
- Bake and Cool: Pour the batter evenly into two 16 cm diameter prepared rings/pans. Bake at 165°C (conventional oven) for 28 to 31 minutes. Let the cakes cool completely.
- Level: Trim the tops off so each cake is precisely 1.5 cm tall. Wrap and reserve both layers at room temperature.
2. Macadamia Crunch
| Ingredient | Weight (g) | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Caster Sugar | 25 g | |
| Roasted Macadamia Nuts | 20 g | |
| White Chocolate (30-35% cocoa butter) | 65 g | Melted |
| Creamy Biscoff Spread | 30 g | |
| Feuilletine Flakes | 45 g | |
| Fine Salt | Pinch |
Method
- Prepare Caramelized Nuts: Melt the caster sugar in a dry pan over medium heat to a golden-brown caramel. Immediately stir in the macadamia nuts until coated. Pour onto parchment paper and cool completely. Finely chop the caramelized nuts.
- Bind Crunch: Gently melt the 65 g of white chocolate. Stir in the feuilletine, chopped caramelized macadamia nuts, and salt.
- Add Biscoff: Stir in the creamy Biscoff spread until fully combined.
- Set Base: Roll out the crunch mixture between two sheets of parchment paper. Use a 16 cm pastry ring to cut a perfect circle.
- Prepare Insert: Place the crunch layer in a clean 16 cm pastry ring lined with an acetate collar and a parchment paper base.
3. Strawberry Ganache
| Ingredient | Weight (g) | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| White Chocolate (30-35% cocoa butter) | 215 g | Finely chopped |
| Heavy Cream (35% fat) | 67 g | Equivalent of 65 ml |
| Strawberry Purée (strained) | 60 g | Made from boiled/strained frozen strawberries |
| Lemon Juice (freshly strained) | 15 g | Equivalent of small 1 tbsp |
Method
- Prepare Purée: Boil frozen strawberries and strain the pulp to yield 60 g of smooth purée.
- Emulsify Base: Gently melt the white chocolate and reserve it in a bowl. Heat the heavy cream, strawberry purée, and lemon juice almost to a boil.
- Blend: Pour the hot mixture over the chocolate while stirring firmly in the center with a rubber spatula until glossy. Pour into a jug and hand blend for smoothness.
- Reserve: Transfer the ganache to a piping bag.
4. French Cream Cheese Buttercream
| Ingredient | Weight (g) | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Large Egg Yolks | 45 g | Approximately 2 1/4 yolks, room temperature |
| Caster Sugar | 85 g | |
| Water | 25 g | Equivalent of 25 ml |
| Unsalted Butter | 125 g | Cubed and at room temperature |
| Cream Cheese (full fat) | 115 g | Must be at room temperature |
| Vanilla Paste | 2.5 g | Equivalent of 1/2 tsp |
| Fine Salt | Pinch | |
| Cornstarch (Maizena) | 2.5 g |
Method
- Whip Egg Yolks: Beat the egg yolks until thickened and pale yellow.
- Prepare Syrup: Combine sugar and water in a saucepan. Heat to 116°C (soft-ball stage). Remove from heat.
- Make Pâte à Bombe: With the mixer running, slowly stream the 116°C syrup into the egg yolks. Continue whisking for 7 to 10 minutes until cool (approx 30°C) and dense.
- Add Flavorings: Whisk in the vanilla paste, salt, and cornstarch.
- Incorporate Butter: Gradually add the room-temperature butter, one piece at a time, mixing until smooth and emulsified.
- Add Cream Cheese: Quickly add the room-temperature cream cheese and mix briefly until just combined. Do not overmix.
- Reserve: Transfer the buttercream to a piping bag.
5. Strawberry Compote with Fresh Strawberries
| Ingredient | Weight (g) | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Gelatin Sheet (240 Bloom) | 1.3 g | Approximately 3/4 sheet, bloomed |
| Strawberry Purée (strained) | 40 g | |
| Fresh Strawberry (cubes) | 225 g | Cut into small cubes |
| Caster Sugar | 20 g | |
| Pectin (NH or equivalent) | 4 g | |
| Vanilla Paste | 7.5 g | Equivalent of 1 1/2 tsp |
Method
- Bloom Gelatin: Soak the gelatin in cold water.
- Prepare Pectin Mix: Mix the 20 g of sugar and 4 g of pectin in a small bowl.
- Cook Compote Base: Heat the strawberry purée and vanilla paste to boiling point. Add the sugar-pectin mixture and boil for a few minutes until the mixture thickens significantly.
- Finish Compote: Remove from heat and stir in the bloomed gelatin until dissolved. Allow to cool slightly (lukewarm). Stir in the 225 g of fresh strawberry cubes.
- Reserve: Allow the compote to cool on the workbench until it is no longer hot.
6. Assembly (The Entremet Insert)
- Set Base: Gently brush a small amount of melted white chocolate onto the set Macadamia Crunch layer (in the 16 cm ring). Place the first 1.5 cm Red Velvet Cake layer on top and gently level the surface. Freeze briefly.
- Ganache Layer: Pour or pipe the Strawberry Ganache over the cake layer, ensuring the surface is just covered. Freeze until the surface is set.
- Second Cake Layer: Place the second 1.5 cm Red Velvet Cake layer on top of the ganache. Level the surface. Freeze briefly.
- Buttercream Layer: Pipe a 1 cm thick layer of the French Cream Cheese Buttercream over the cake. Level the surface. Freeze until set.
- Compote Layer: Spread a layer of the prepared Strawberry Compote evenly over the buttercream. Level the surface.
- Final Freeze: Freeze the entire 16 cm entremet insert overnight.
DAY TWO: Mousse & Entremet Construction
7. Cream Cheese Mousse
| Ingredient | Weight (g) | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Gelatin Sheet (240 Bloom) | 6.6 g | Approximately 3 3/4 sheets, Extra Gold, bloomed |
| White Chocolate (30-35% cocoa butter) | 40 g | Finely chopped |
| Heavy Cream (for heating) | 67 g | Equivalent of 65 ml |
| Lemon Juice (fresh) | 15 g | |
| Cream Cheese (full fat) | 200 g | Must be at room temperature |
| Icing Sugar (powdered) | 80 g | Sifted |
| Vanilla Bean | 0.75 | Seeds only |
| Heavy Cream (for whipping) | 206 g | Equivalent of 200 ml, chilled |
Method
- Bloom and Melt: Soak the gelatin in ice-cold water. Gently melt the white chocolate and reserve in a mixing bowl.
- Prepare Cream Cheese Base: Mix the room-temperature cream cheese and sifted icing sugar until smooth. Scrape vanilla seeds into the mixture.
- Infuse Cream: Heat the 67 g of heavy cream and lemon juice almost to a boil. Remove from heat, whisk in the bloomed gelatin.
- Emulsify: Pour the hot mixture over the melted white chocolate while stirring until smooth. Whisk this chocolate base into the cream cheese mixture. Allow to cool to lukewarm (approx 28°C).
- Whip and Fold: Whip the remaining 206 g of heavy cream to soft peaks. Gently fold the cream into the lukewarm chocolate/cream cheese mixture.
8. Assembly (Final Entremet Build)
- Prepare Mold: Line an 18 cm diameter silicone mold (e.g., Silikomart Universo) with a tall acetate collar.
- Pour Mousse: Pour the Cream Cheese Mousse into the prepared mold, filling it about halfway. Gently tap the mold to remove air bubbles.
- Insert Core: Retrieve the frozen 16 cm cake insert. Carefully press it down into the mousse with the strawberry compote layer facing downwards, until the top of the cake insert is flush with the mousse level.
- Top Mousse: Pour the remaining mousse over the cake insert until the mold is full. Level the surface.
- Freeze: Freeze the entremet overnight until fully solid (approx 12 hours).
DAY THREE: Glazing, Decoration & Final Finish
9. Mirror Glaze (Glaçage Miroir)
| Ingredient | Weight (g) | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Gelatin Sheet (240 Bloom) | 10.5 g | 6 sheets, Extra Gold, bloomed |
| White Chocolate (30-35% cocoa butter) | 150 g | Finely chopped |
| Heavy Cream (35% fat) | 103 g | Equivalent of 100 ml |
| Water | 50 g | Equivalent of 50 ml |
| Caster Sugar | 150 g | |
| Glucose Syrup | 150 g | |
| Food Coloring Paste | – | Red and a little black for deep red/velvet effect |
Method
- Bloom and Chop: Soak the gelatin in ice-cold water. Chop the white chocolate and place it in a large plastic pitcher.
- Prepare Syrup: In a saucepan, combine the sugar, water, heavy cream, and glucose syrup. Heat almost to a boil. Remove from heat and whisk in the bloomed gelatin.
- Emulsify Glaze: Pour the hot mixture over the white chocolate. Allow to rest for 1 minute. Add the red and black coloring pastes. Blend with an immersion blender (holding it at an angle to avoid air bubbles) until perfectly smooth.
- Cool and Temper: Cover the surface directly with cling film and cool the glaze to its working temperature of 34°C to 35°C.
- Glaze Cake: Retrieve the frozen entremet from the freezer and demold it. Place the cake on a baking cooling rack set over a tray. Pour the glaze over the cake. Use two palette knives to clean the excess glaze from the bottom edge.
- Thaw: Transfer the glazed cake to a cake plate. Thaw in the refrigerator for approximately 6 hours.
10. Chocolate Spiral & Decoration
| Material | Weight (g) | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| White Chocolate | 300 g | Tempered |
| Edible Pearls | – | Approximately 1 cm diameter |
| Red Metallic Spray | – | |
| Flower Leafs | – | For final garnish |
| Glucose Syrup | Small amount | For gluing decoration |
Dimensions (Spiral from Tempered White Chocolate)
- Spiral Sheet: 14 cm x 59 cm (for 18 cm diameter cake)
Method
- Prepare Spiral: Temper the 300 g of white chocolate. Spread it onto an acetate sheet cut to the specified dimensions. Allow to set until flexible, wrap around an 18 cm form (like a pastry ring), and allow to fully crystallize.
- Pearl Inlay: Use a small, warm round pastry tip (1 cm diameter) to melt a hole in the chocolate spiral. Quickly place an edible pearl into the hole before the chocolate sets. Repeat this pattern as desired across the spiral.
- Color: Spray the pearl-inlaid spiral with the red metallic spray, allowing the spray to dry for a velvet, metallic finish.
- Final Assembly: Gently place the finished chocolate spiral around the circumference of the glazed, thawed cake. Decorate the chocolate spiral and the top of the cake with flower leaves, securing them with a small amount of melted chocolate or glucose syrup.
I’m Chef Mimo, a passionate pastry chef with over 17 years of experience in the world of fine desserts. I specialize in French-style entremets, refined cakes, and creative chocolate work. Pastry is not just my profession—it’s my lifelong passion. Through PastryCrafted.com, I love sharing my recipes, techniques, and inspirations with anyone who dreams of mastering the art of pastry. Whether you’re a curious beginner or a seasoned pro, you’re welcome in my sweet world.