Piana Vyshnia Cake (Drunken Cherry Cake)
An absolute favorite of many, Piana Vyshnia is one of the most popular choices for a wedding or birthday cake. It is no wonder.
This ‘drunken’ dessert is moist, tangy, slightly acidic, and just sweet enough – everything you are looking for in a dessert. While it is a sponge-based cake, the layers are not too thick, and the sponge pieces are mixed into the filling. This twist makes the cake feel less heavy, more chocolaty, and pleasantly fruity.
The name of the cake is also quite appealing.
Who wouldn’t dream of getting a bit tipsy while enjoying a heavenly chocolate dessert?
Jokes aside, the alcohol almost evaporates in the process, and horilka (Ukrainian vodka) only makes for a nice, piquant aftertaste emphasizing the moistness of the sponge.
Piana Vyshnia Cake (Drunken Cherry Cake)
Ingredients
Cherry syrup:
- 2 lbs fresh cherries (canned cherries work as well)
- ½ cup (2.5 oz) sugar
- 2 oz horilka (vodka)
Chocolate sponge:
- 5 large eggs
- 1 cup (5 oz) sugar
- 1 tsp baking powder
- ½ tbsp baking soda
- 3 tbsp cocoa powder
- 1 cup (5 oz) all-purpose flour
Cream:
- 5 cups (1.2 qt) thick sour cream
- ½ can (7 oz) dulce de leche (condensed milk)
- 1 lb fresh cherries
- ½ chocolate bar
Instructions
How to Make Cherry Syrup:
- Cut each cherry in half and remove the pits.
- Place the cherries in a small pot.
- Add the sugar and bring to a boil, stirring constantly.
- Reduce the heat to low and let the cherries simmer for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Remove from the heat and cool completely.
- Add horilka and let the cherries soak for a few hours. Squeeze the cherries gently before using them to release excess alcohol and liquid.
How to Make Chocolate Sponge:
- Preheat the oven to 350 ºF. Sift the dry ingredients: flour, cocoa, baking powder, and baking soda into a small bowl.
- Whisk the eggs and sugar on high speed (approx. 5 minutes).
- Add the egg mixture to the dry ingredients in two parts, stirring thoroughly and carefully not to deflate the air bubbles.
- Bake the sponge (approx. 25 minutes).
- Remove from the oven and cool completely.
- Slice the sponge in half. Remove the softness of the sponge in chunks, leaving the crisp outer shell intact.
- Set the sponge pieces aside for now.
How to Make the Cream:
- Beat the sour cream until it thickens. Add ½ can dulce de leche and whisk well.
- Scrape down the sides of the bowl and mix again, but not too thoroughly (approx. 15-20 seconds).
- Reserve ⅓ of the cream and place it in a separate bowl.
- Strain the cherry syrup and set aside for now.
- Add the sponge pieces to the cream and mix them until combined. Make sure the sponge pieces are not mashed.
- Add the strained cherries and mix with the cream and sponge. Do not over mix, keeping the sponge pieces and cherries large.
How to Assemble the Cake:
- Soak the top and bottom cake crusts with the reserved strained cherry syrup.
- Place the bottom of the sponge cake on a cake platter. Pack all of the cream/sponge/cherry filling and cover with the top crust of the cake sponge.
- Ice the top and sides of the cake with the reserved cream.
- Decorate the cake with the one-pound pile of fresh cherries.
- Sprinkle the top and sides of the cake with chocolate shavings. Use a potato peeler or grater.
- Refrigerate overnight or for at least 6 hours.
- Serve and enjoy!
