Guguță's Hat Cherry Crêpe Cake (Cușma lui Guguță)
Cușma lui Guguță Say it: KOOSH-mah loo goo-GOOTZ-ah
Cold, tangy and built for a crowd, this Moldovan crêpe cake arrives as a domed hat of paper-thin pancakes rolled around glossy sour cherries and cloaked in vanilla sour cream. The first forkful is soft, creamy and bright with fruit, a contrast that makes it a natural finish for birthday tables and holiday meals. Assemble it a day ahead, let it chill, then unmould and frost just before serving.
Guguță's Hat Cherry Crêpe Cake (Cușma lui Guguță)
Cușma lui Guguță
Pronounced KOOSH-mah loo goo-GOOTZ-ah
- Serves
- 6
- Prep
- 45 min
- Cook
- 30 min
- Total
- 1 hr 15 min
- Level
- Medium
Also nut-free.
Allergens: contains gluten, milk, egg. Check labels on packaged ingredients.
Ingredients
Amounts are scaled. Cooking times and pan sizes stay the same.
For the crêpes
For the sour cherry filling
For the sour cream frosting
Method
Combine the flour, sugar and salt in a large mixing bowl. Form a hollow in the middle, drop in the eggs and pour in half of the milk, then whisk to a smooth batter. Whisk in the rest of the milk, the sparkling water and melted butter, and leave the batter to stand for 30 minutes.
Set a 9-inch (23 cm) nonstick skillet over medium heat and brush it lightly with butter. Add a small ladleful of batter and tilt the pan so it covers the base; cook for roughly 1 minute, until the rim lifts and the bottom is pale gold. Turn the crêpe and give it another 20–30 seconds. Continue with the rest of the batter, stacking the cooked crêpes on a plate.
Put the cherries and sugar in a saucepan over medium heat. Stir frequently for 5–7 minutes, until the fruit softens and begins to release its juice. Mix the cornstarch with the cold water or cherry juice in a small cup, then stir it into the pan. Continue cooking and stirring for another 1–2 minutes, until the liquid becomes thick and glossy. Set aside about 1/2 cup of the cherries for decoration and let the remainder cool completely.
For the frosting, stir the sour cream, powdered sugar and vanilla together until even. If the cherries taste especially sharp, whisk in a little extra powdered sugar. Keep chilled until you are ready to use it.
Line a deep round bowl of 1.5–2 litres (6–8 cups) with cling film, leaving a generous overhang. Spread 2–3 tablespoons of the cooled cherry filling over each crêpe, roll it into a cylinder and pack the rolls tightly into the bowl, working around the sides first and then filling the middle. Halve a few rolls if that helps them fit. Bring the cling film over the top, press down lightly and chill for at least 4 hours, or overnight.
Open the cling film, turn the bowl upside down onto a serving platter, and remove the bowl and film. The crêpe rolls should hold a rounded hat shape. Coat the entire dome with the sour-cream frosting, spreading it with a spatula or piping it on.
Top with the reserved cherries. Return the cake to the fridge for 20–30 minutes so the frosting firms up, then cut it into wedges and serve cold.
Regional variant: Sweet cheese version (Cușma lui Guguță cu brânză dulce)
Swap the cherry filling for 2 cups (500 g) of well-drained cow's cheese (brânză de vaci or ricotta) stirred with 1/4 cup (50 g) sugar, 1 teaspoon vanilla and 2 tablespoons raisins. Spread the cheese over the crêpes, roll them up and build the hat in the same way, then finish with the sweetened sour cream frosting.
Cook's notes
- A nonstick skillet helps: give it a thin wipe of butter or oil before every crêpe so the pancakes turn easily.
- If the cherry mixture looks runny after cooking, give it a few more minutes on the heat; it sets further as it cools.
- Chill the assembled cake thoroughly and cut with a sharp serrated knife for neater wedges.
Serve with
Offer it cold in wedges, accompanied by a glass of cold milk or an extra spoonful of sour cherry compote.
Make ahead and storage
The assembled, unfrosted cake can wait in the refrigerator for up to 2 days; once frosted, cover leftovers and refrigerate for up to 3 days.
