Marcinek (traditional Polish layer cake)

Marcinek is a popular and much-loved Polish layered cake made with thin pastry layers and a delicate cream filling. It comes from the Białowieża Forest region and is particularly associated with the town of Hajnówka. This year, the local authorities in Hajnówka sought to have Marcinek added to Poland’s List of Traditional Products. This cake is quite time-consuming to make. Rolling out and baking 15 thin layers took me about 2 hours. However, it is definitely worth the effort, as the finished cake more than makes up for the work involved. The filling is made with a combination of whipping cream and sour cream; for a refreshing contrast, you can add lemon juice or, in one of the commonly found versions, almond flavouring. This gives the cream a pleasantly fresh flavour without being cloyingly sweet. The crisp layers gradually absorb the cream like a sponge, which is why Marcinek is best served the day after it has been assembled. By then, the layers will have softened perfectly, the cake will slice beautifully and it will go a long way when serving. In Podlasie, Marcinek is a traditional cake for many celebrations, including weddings, christenings, birthdays and family gatherings. It is well worth preserving recipes like this and celebrating Poland’s wonderful regional baking traditions!

Dorcia, thank you so much for sharing the recipe!

Note: The Marcinek layers can be baked a day in advance and stored at room temperature under a cake dome or wrapped in cling film. The cake is at its best the day after assembly, once the layers have softened from the cream.

Ingredients for the cake (15 thin layers):

• 125 g butter
• 90 g caster sugar
• 1 large egg
• 1 egg yolk
• 125 ml (½ cup) sour cream
• a pinch of salt
• ½ tsp bicarbonate of soda
• 16 g vanillin sugar (1 sachet)
• 400 g plain flour

All ingredients should be at room temperature.

Mix the sour cream with the bicarbonate of soda and leave for a few minutes. It will begin to react and roughly double in volume.

Place the butter, caster sugar and vanilla sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer and beat until pale and fluffy. Add the egg, followed by the egg yolk, beating continuously. Add the sour cream mixture, then the flour and salt, and mix until combined (or knead by hand). You should have a thick but soft and pliable dough.

Divide the dough into 15 equal portions, approximately 57 g each. Line the base of a 23 cm springform tin (or another round baking tin) with baking paper. Lightly roll out each piece of dough, then stretch it with your hands to cover the base of the tin. The layer will be very thin. Prick the dough all over with a fork. Don’t worry if small holes appear while stretching the dough – they will not be visible once the cake is assembled.

Bake at 190°C for about 10–15 minutes, until lightly browned. (The lighter layers in my photos were less browned, while the darker ones were baked for longer.) Prepare and bake the remaining layers in the same way. Leave to cool completely.

Ingredients for the sour cream filling:

• 1200 ml double cream, chilled
• 400 g sour cream (or crème fraîche), chilled
• just under 1 cup icing sugar
• freshly squeezed juice of 1 lemon (optional; it will make the cream more tangy)
• 16 g vanillin sugar (1 sachet) or a few drops of almond flavouring, to taste

Place the double cream, sour cream and icing sugar in a large mixing bowl. Whip until thick and creamy. Be patient – this cream takes quite a long time to thicken, even in a stand mixer. Towards the end of whipping, add the lemon juice or almond flavouring.

Additionally:

• biscuit, cookie or wafer crumbs, ground almonds or desiccated coconut, for decorating the sides and top
• cocoa powder, coffee or cappuccino powder, for dusting

To assemble:

Place the cooled layers one at a time on a serving plate, spreading each with a layer of cream. I used approximately 90–100 g of cream per layer. Once all the layers have been assembled, place a light board or flat plate on top of the cake and refrigerate for 1 hour. (Some sources recommend leaving it at room temperature for several hours, but I preferred to refrigerate it because of the cream.) Remove the weight and cover the top and sides of the cake with the remaining cream, which should have been kept refrigerated. Smooth the surface. Coat the sides and top with biscuit or cookie crumbs. Dust the top with cocoa powder or coffee, depending on the occasion. Refrigerate. Allow the cake to rest for at least 6 hours, preferably overnight, before serving.

Store Marcinek in the refrigerator.

Enjoy!