Princess Cake

Instructions

1. Prepare the sponge cake
   Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Line the bottom of an 8-inch (20cm) springform pan with parchment paper. In a large bowl, beat eggs and sugar until pale and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Sift flour, baking powder, and salt together, then gently fold into the egg mixture until just combined. Pour batter into the prepared pan and bake for 25-30 minutes until golden and a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Cool completely on a wire rack.
2. Make the vanilla custard
   In a medium saucepan, heat 1 3/4 cups of milk until almost boiling. Meanwhile, in a bowl, whisk together remaining 1/4 cup milk, cornstarch, sugar, and egg yolks. Slowly pour the hot milk into the egg mixture, whisking constantly. Return mixture to saucepan and cook over medium heat, stirring continuously until thickened. Remove from heat, stir in vanilla extract, and transfer to a bowl. Cover with plastic wrap directly on the surface to prevent skin formation. Refrigerate until completely cool.
3. Whip the cream
   In a large bowl, whip the heavy cream with powdered sugar until stiff peaks form. Be careful not to over-whip. Set aside in the refrigerator until ready to assemble.
4. Slice and layer the cake
   Once cooled, slice the sponge cake horizontally into three even layers. Place the bottom layer on a cake stand and spread with raspberry jam. Add half of the custard and spread evenly. Place the middle cake layer on top and spread with the remaining custard. Top with the final cake layer.
5. Apply the whipped cream dome
   Reserve about 1/2 cup of whipped cream for decoration. Use the remaining whipped cream to completely cover the cake, creating a smooth dome shape on top. The sides should be straight and even. Refrigerate for 30 minutes to set.
6. Cover with marzipan
   Dust your work surface with powdered sugar. Roll out the green marzipan into a large circle, about 1/8 inch thick and large enough to cover the entire cake. Carefully drape the marzipan over the cake, smoothing it gently from the top down. Trim excess marzipan from the bottom with a sharp knife.
7. Decorate the cake
   Use the reserved whipped cream to pipe a small rosette on top of the cake. Place a marzipan rose or fresh rose on the rosette. Dust the entire cake lightly with powdered sugar to create a delicate, snowy effect.
8. Chill and serve
   Refrigerate the cake for at least 1 hour before serving to allow flavors to meld and for easier slicing. The cake can be made up to 24 hours in advance and kept refrigerated. Serve chilled.