Golden Cage

By norsegal8

The German name of this cake was inspired by Mozart's joyful opera "Die Zauberflöte" ("The Magic Flute").
Beneath a shimmering caramel cage lies still more gold; buttery, dense golden génoise frosted with tart Apricot Silk Meringue Buttercream and sprinkled with caramel gold dust. I serve this dessert for very special occasions. For extra golden glitter, present it with a sparkler and serve it with Sauternes or Eiswein (the most glorious of dessert wines).

Ingredients

• SPECIAL EQUIPMENT
• one 9-cup Kugelhopf pan
• CAKE COMPONENTS
• 1 recipe golden génoise, baked in the 9-cup Kugelhopf pan
• 2 tablespoons Barack Palinka (apricot eau-de-vie) or apricot brandy
• 1/2 recipe Apricot Silk Meringue Buttercream
• gold dust and carmel cage
• OPTIONAL DECOR
• crystallized violets

Preparation

Step 1

METHOD FOR ASSEMBLING THE CAKE
1. Frost the cake directly on a serving plate, using strips of waxed paper slid under the sides. Or make a cardboard base, using the inverted cake pan as a guide.

2. Cut the cake in half horizontally with a serrated knife. Sprinkle each cut side with 1 tablespoon of the Barack Palinka.

3. Sandwich the layers together with 1/2 cup buttercream. Remove any loose crust and spread the remaining buttercream over the outside of the cake. If not serving the same day, refrigerate.

4. Using a small strainer, sift the Gold Dust over the buttercream, tilting the cake to get an even coating. Place the cake on a large, flat platter or serving plate and cover it with the caramel cage. If the cage should accidentally break, use the broken pieces as decoration right on the frosting.

5. Attach the crystallized violets, if desired, with tiny dabs of caramel.