Baked Alaska
4
- Prep Time30 mins
- Total Time1 hr
- Makes8 servings
Cake design by Camilla Wynne, Produced by Chantal Braganza and Sun Ngo, Photography by Christie Vuong, Prop Styling by Madeleine Johari, Food Styling by Michelle Lucas Larving
As impressive to serve at a party today as it was in the 1950s, this retro dessert is deceptively easy to pull off.
Cake
3/4 cup (90 g) all-purpose flour
3/4 tsp baking powder
1/8 tsp salt
1/2 cup (99 g) granulated sugar
1/4 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
1 large egg, room temperature
1/2 tsp vanilla
1/4 tsp peppermint extract
1/3 cup + 1 tbsp buttermilk
1 tbsp cocoa powder, preferably black
Meringue
4 egg whites, room temperature
1 cup (198 g) granulated sugar
1 tsp vanilla
Green food colouring
1/2 2-L brick mint chip ice cream, cut lengthwise
Fresh mint leaves, optional
Instructions
Put rack in centre of oven; preheat to 350F. Spray an 8 x 8-in. baking pan with oil, then line with parchment.
Cake: Whisk flour with baking powder and salt in a small bowl. Beat 1⁄2 cup granulated sugar with butter in a medium bowl, using an electric mixer on medium, until light and fluffy. Beat in egg, 1⁄2 tsp vanilla and peppermint extract.
Reduce mixer speed to low, then beat in one-third of flour mixture, then half of buttermilk. Repeat, ending with flour mixture. Beat just until blended. Transfer half of batter into a medium bowl, then fold in cocoa powder. Dollop both batters into prepared pan, then swirl a butter knife through to marble. Smooth top.
Bake until a cake tester inserted in cake comes out clean, 20 to 25 min. Cool pan on a rack for 10 min. Place rack on top of cake, then invert and remove pan and parchment. Cool completely.
Meringue: Meanwhile, place bowl of a stand mixer over a pot with 1 in. water over low. Bring to a simmer. Combine egg whites with 1 cup granulated sugar in bowl. Whisk constantly until sugar dissolves and mixture is warm to the touch. Transfer bowl to mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Whisk on high until mixture is cooled and fluffy. Beat in 1 tsp vanilla and enough green food colouring to achieve a pale green colour. Fill a piping bag, fitted with a medium open star tip, with meringue.
Assembly: Use a serrated knife to cut cake into two rectangles. Set one rectangle on a serving platter. Top with ice cream brick, then place second rectangle overtop. Quickly pipe vertical and horizontal lines of meringue over tops and sides of sandwiched loaf to cover. Pipe shells along the edges and bottom border. Toast meringue using a blowtorch (or in a 500F oven for 2 to 3 min) until peaks are browned. Garnish with mint leaves. Serve immediately.