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A gray plate shaped like a flour, with five pieces of cake on it, cut in the shape of a diamond. The plate sits on a white and yellow tea towel

Romanian Layered Lemon Cake - Snow Cake

This Romanian layered lemon cake has a delicate lemon flavour. It's a perfect dessert for the end of a celebratory dinner, or a holiday meal.
5 from 1 vote
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 2 hours 10 minutes
Resting time 12 hours
Course Dessert
Cuisine Romanian
Servings 6 people

Ingredients
  

For the dough

  • 550 gr flour
  • 10 tbsp milk
  • 10 tbsp vegetable oil or any other neutral oil
  • 10 tbsp caster sugar
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 pack ammonium for cakes
  • a few drops of lemon juice
  • pinch of salt

For the cream

  • 1 L milk
  • 200 gr butter
  • 6 tbsp sugar
  • 10 tbsp flour
  • zest from one lemon
  • juice from one or two lemons to taste
  • 1 tbsp vanilla essence

To decorate

  • coconut flakes

Instructions
 

  • Put the milk, egg, oil, and sugar in a bowl, and mix well until everything combines and the sugar melts.
  • Put a few drops of lemon juice over the ammonium (it will start bubbling).
  • Add it to the wet ingredients and mix it well.
  • Add the salt.
  • Start incorporating the flour, bit by bit, until you get an elastic dough, oily, that doesn’t stick.
  • Let the dough rest for 30 minutes.
  • Divide the dough into 3 equal parts.
  • Roll each dough thinly into a rectangular shape, to fit on the back of the tray you will bake it on.
  • Bake each sheet on baking paper, the back of the tray, for 15 minutes, at 150 degrees Celsius.
  • Let them cool down.
  • Start making the cream by mixing the flour with the sugar and the lemon zest.
  • Add the milk slowly and mix well, as you would make a roux.
  • When you finish adding the milk, put the pot on a low heat.
  • Whisk continuously for around 20 minutes, until the cream thickens and resembles a custard.
  • Turn the heat off and add the lemon juice and the vanilla essence.
  • Mix well and let to cool.
  • After 15-20 minutes, start whisking the butter, piece by piece.
  • Don’t over-whisk, as you risk splitting the cream.
  • Place a large piece of cling film over the baking tray you used to bake the sheets on.
  • Add the first layer of the cake, and cover it with a generous amount of cream.
  • Add the second layer, and repeat.
  • Add the third layer, and finish it with the rest of the cream.
  • Cover with coconut flakes.
  • Wrap the cake with the rest of the cling film and place a chopping board on top.
  • Add a heavy object on top, such as two books, and put the tray in the fridge.
  • Let it sit for 12 hours, better overnight.
  • Cut it and serve it at room temperature.