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Cakes are a familiar dessert for any special occasion. However, at the beginning of 2024, food connoisseurs went "crazy" over a completely new type of cake: burnt cake. The name sounds strange, but it's actually a unique, visually appealing, and incredibly delicious culinary trend that has been sweeping social media for the past three weeks.
The cake looked ordinary at first glance, but it held a surprise behind it.
The mystery behind the sweet "flame"
Burn-away cake, also known as "self-burning cake," is a creative variation of traditional cream cake. While retaining the rich, creamy filling, the special feature of this cake is the thin wafer paper covering the surface (a type of paper made from potato starch, oil, and water, commonly used in bakeries). At first glance, the cake looks no different from a regular cake. The surprise comes when a blowtorch is used to ignite the sweet flame, creating an impressive display of tiny sparks. The image is printed directly onto the wafer paper using food coloring, and you can "eat" the paper, although it has no taste or smell.
As the wafer burns, the message underneath gradually becomes visible.
More than just a dessert, burn-away cake is a way to express personal messages, wishes, or sentiments in a memorable way. As the paper wrapper is burned, the message the giver wants to convey gradually appears, much to the amazement of anyone witnessing it. This type of cake promises to become a new and attractive choice for special occasions like birthdays, anniversaries, or simply to surprise loved ones.
This unique burnt cake has become the most viewed picture recently.
Dominating social media with irresistible charm.
With its unique appearance, the "self-burning" cake quickly became a viral trend on Instagram and TikTok. Numerous videos of burning cakes were shared, attracting millions of views and comments. Many celebrities also jumped on the trend and posted pictures of themselves burning this cake, further spreading its appeal to the online community.
Chef Nerwan Khalife, owner of Cakes by Nerwan in Astoria, Queens, explains: "Burn-away cake is basically a variation of a cream cake. The first and second messages on the cake are separated by one or two layers of buttercream frosting. When you burn the first message, made from wafer paper, the second message appears, surprising the recipient."
Revealing the recipe for the super-popular "self-burning" cake.
Burn-away cake, with its unique burnt-out crust revealing a hidden design inside, is a new culinary trend attracting a lot of attention. Would you like to try making this unique cake yourself? Let's explore the recipe below:
Ingredient:
Baked sponge cake topped with buttercream frosting.
Specialized food-grade paper and edible ink.
Wafer paper and sugar icing sheet paper.
Cream for sculpting.
Steps to follow:
Preparing the cake: Bake the sponge cake according to your favorite recipe and spread buttercream frosting over the entire surface. Then, refrigerate the cake to allow the frosting to set.
Creating a hidden image: Print your desired image onto two different types of paper. The image on the top layer will be printed on parchment paper, and the image on the bottom layer will be printed on sugar paper. Cut the image to the size corresponding to the cake surface.
Layering the image: Place the image from the bottom layer on top of the cake, gently press to secure the image to the cream layer.
Create a fire-resistant border: Use the cream to form a border around the image, helping to prevent flames from spreading to the image while burning.
Applying the second image layer: Gently place the face-up image layer on top of the cream outline.
Finishing the border: Pipe an additional line of cream around the face image to cover up the excess paper, ensuring the cake's aesthetic appeal.
Both the paper and ink used are the same types used in cooking and baking, so you can rest assured about food safety.
Note:
Use specialized equipment to print images onto edible paper. Carefully check the quality of the paper and ink to ensure food safety.
When burning the top layer of the cake, use a small gas torch and carefully control the flame to avoid over-burning.
Burnt cream cakes should be enjoyed immediately after the top layer is torched to ensure the best flavor. With these simple steps and unlimited creativity, you can make your own unique "self-burning" cream cake to surprise friends and family on special occasions.
