Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and line two 8-inch round pans.
Whip egg whites with a pinch of salt until soft peaks form.
In a separate bowl, beat egg yolks with sugar and vanilla until pale and thick.
Gently fold yolks into whites.
Sift in flour + cornstarch and fold gently to keep the batter airy.
Divide into pans and bake for 20–25 min, or until lightly golden. Cool completely.
2. Make the pastry cream:
Whisk egg yolks, sugar, and cornstarch in a bowl.
Heat milk until just steaming. Slowly pour into yolk mixture while whisking.
Return to saucepan, cook over medium heat until thick, whisking constantly.
Remove from heat. Stir in vanilla and butter. Let cool completely (cover surface with plastic wrap to avoid skin).
3. Make the Hungarian buttercream:
In a large bowl, beat softened butter until creamy and pale.
Add the cooled pastry cream a spoonful at a time, beating well between each addition.
Optional: Beat in rum or brandy for authentic flair.
4. Assemble the cake:
Slice sponge into layers (2 or 3).
Brush with simple syrup or add a light layer of apricot jam.
Spread a generous layer of buttercream between each layer.
Frost top and sides with remaining buttercream. Chill to set.
🌸 Decoration Ideas:
Pipe rosettes with leftover buttercream
Add toasted nuts around the sides
Decorate with fresh berries or edible gold for a festive look
🎥 Ashley’s Facebook Reel idea:
🎙️ “This is not your average buttercream… It’s Hungarian. It’s silky. It’s custard-based. And it’s exactly how grandma did it in Budapest 🇭🇺💛.” 🎥 Close-up shots of folding the airy sponge, spooning the rich pastry cream, and spreading that dreamy buttercream over the cake.
Would you like this in blog post format, or should I turn it into a printable card or caption-ready script for your Facebook page?
