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- April 16, 2014
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Bird’s Milk Torte doesn’t actually involve any ‘bird’s milk’ but the name for this unique vanilla mousse cake has stuck around! This famous Russian cake recipe is made with vanilla mousse and delicate layers of sponge cake, with fruit preserves inside! The outside is covered with a simple chocolate ganache glaze and garnished with fresh berries. It’s a unique vanilla cake that is sure to be a hit with everyone!
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Watch my YouTube video recipe for step-by-step instructions for making this unique Russian cake! Want to receive new recipe emails in your inbox? Make sure to subscribe to my website and my YouTube channel and turn on notifications!
Easy Vanilla Sponge Cake
This incredible Bird’s Milk Torte is made with delicate vanilla sponge cake layers. I love to use my classic ‘Sponge Cake Recipe’ anytime I need sponge cake! This easy, no-fail recipe always turns out perfectly! For this vanilla mousse cake, you’ll need just one, 9-inch cake layer, which means you need to prepare just half of my original recipe. Make sure to watch my step-by-step tutorial for the sponge cake for more details!
Once you have the sponge cake baked, let it cool completely and then use a serrated knife to slice the cake layer in half. I like to use one half of the sponge cake as the base of this cake and the second half in the middle.
Vanilla Mousse
This Bird’s Milk Torte is made with a very unique and delicious type of vanilla mousse. It’s made with agar gelatin, sweetened condensed milk, butter and egg whites. Make sure to follow my instructions for preparing the agar gelatin. It needs to be prepared slightly different from regular gelatin. I like to use in place of regular gelatin because it sets much more firmly and will hold its shape better.
Only prepare the vanilla mousse once the sponge cake layers have cooled and you’re ready to assemble the cake! The mousse will start to set up fairly quickly so you’ll need to work fast to put the cake together!
How to Make the Bird’s Milk Torte
This Russian cake recipe is quite easy to put together once you have the sponge cake and the mousse ready to go.
- I start with one layer of sponge cake as the base of the cake and add my raspberry preserves mixed with rose wine over the cake. Sponge cakes are typically dry and will absorb the preserves nicely.
- Next, add half of the prepared mousse, add the second sponge cake layer and the remaining mousse.
- I always allow the cake to set completely before adding the chocolate glaze!
Make sure to check out my ‘Chocolate Ganache’ video recipe for a more in-depth tutorial for the chocolate glaze!
More Recipes
Enjoyed this Russian cake recipe? Make sure to check out some of my other recipes you’re sure to enjoy!
- Chocolate Spartak– the ultimate chocolate cake with 8 cake layers and a delicate whipped cream frosting!
- Pancho Torte– a unique, dome-shaped cake with chocolate cake, pineapple, cherries and whipped cream!
- Peach Zefir Torte– the best ever peach cake with peach marshmallow layers and fluffy frosting!
- Korolevsky Torte– a cake with all the flavors! Made with chocolate, poppy seed and nut cake layers, this unique sour cream cake is amazing!
- Golden Key Caramel Cake – the best-ever caramel cake with dulce de leche, sweetened condensed milk, pecans and whipped cream frosting!
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Bird's Milk Torte Recipe (video)
1 hour hr prep + 16 minutes mins cook + 8 hours hrs Setting Time:
14 servings
Easy recipe for Russian Bird's Milk Torte, made with sponge cake, vanilla mousse, raspberry jam and chocolate glaze!
Ingredients
For Sponge Cake:
3 large eggs
1/3 cup white granulated sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
For Souffle:
2 tsp agar gelatin
1/2 cup cold water
1 cup white granulated sugar
3/4 butter, softened at room temperature
3/4 cup sweetened condensed milk
6 large egg whites
1/2 teaspoon cram of tarter
For chocolate Glaze:
6 ounces semi-sweet chocolate
1 cup heavy cream
For Filling:
1/2 cup raspberry preserves
1/2 cup rose wine
Instructions
For sponge cake: Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Line an 8-inch round cake pan with parchment paper and set aside. Sift together flour and baking powder. Place eggs, vanilla and sugar into mixer bowl; whisk on high speed until eggs are thick and pale. Using a fine strainer, slowly dust the flour over the eggs and fold the flour in. Immediately pour cake batter into prepared cake pan.
Bake in preheated oven for 14 to 16 minutes, until cake is golden on top. Remove hot cake layer from pan, invert onto cooling rack and remove parchment paper.
For Soufflé: 1. Soak agar gelatin in ½ cup cold water for 30 minutes.2. Whisk together in mixer bowl the butter and sweetened condensed milk until light and fluffy. Keep at room temperature. 3. Place agar and water mixture into small saucepan and bring to simmer over medium heat, stirring frequently. Add sugar gradually, letting it absorb after each addition. Bring back to a simmer and at cook for additional 2 minutes or until mixture reaches 180F. 4. Meanwhile, whisk egg whites with cream of tartar until stiff peaks form; carefully add the prepared syrup. Gradually add the butter/condensed milk mixture.
For cake assembly: place first layer of sponge cake onto the bottom of a spring form pan. Spread a layer of raspberry preserves and rose wine. Top with half of the souffle mixture. Repeat process with remaining sponge cake layer.
Place cake into refrigerator to set completely.
Once cake is completely set, carefully remove the spring form. For Chocolate Glaze:1. Place chocolate into small saucepan and melt over low heat until smooth. Let it cool for about 10 minutes at room temperature before glazing cake. 2. Place cake onto wire rack, then pour chocolate over. Garnish with white chocolate and fruit if desired.
Drizzle cake with white chocolate if desired and garnish with fresh raspberries.
Nutrition
Calories: 342kcal | Carbohydrates: 48g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 14g | Saturated Fat: 8g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 4g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 70mg | Sodium: 86mg | Potassium: 201mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 39g | Vitamin A: 359IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 85mg | Iron: 1mg
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Course:
- Cakes
- Cheesecakes
- Dessert
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23 comments
- Alona gold
Hey Tanya thank you so much for sharing this cake recipe. I made it last night And it was a hit at my house. Very easy to follow your steps and your video was very easy to watch. Your amazing. And just wanted tothank you for taking your time and sharing such old school russian recipes. Reminds me of child hood. 😉
- tkorchemnaya
I’m so glad to hear that everyone enjoyed it! 🙂 It’s my pleasure – I’m glad I have the opportunity to share! 🙂
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- Nelya L
Will this recipe still work with regular unflavored gelatin?
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- tkorchemnaya
I haven’t tried it with regular gelatin. I would at least double the portion needed though because agar gelatin is stronger than regular gelatin! Hope that helps! 🙂
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- Oksana
Hello, beautiful cake! Question, is any form of agar going to work with this recipe? I found agar agar sea vegetable flakes at whole foods…will that work?
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- tkorchemnaya
Yes, those will definitely work but I’m not sure about the exact measurement for the flakes…
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- Bird's Milk Torte – Tatyanas Everyday Food
[…] View Recipe Link […]
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- Shaz
Hi Tatyana,
Thanks for this recipe. I tried it today and it’s in the refrigerator setting (hopefully). My only concern is that there are a few inconsistencies between the written recipe and the video. For instance, the written recipe states adding sugar gradually to the agar agar but the video says to add it all at once. This makes a difference as when adding the sugar gradually, the agar agar becomes too dry. It slows down the process, the syrup ends up boiling for too long and turns into a grainy paste rather than a liquid syrup. My meringue is therefore quite grainy and I’m not sure if it will set properly. Fingers-crossed that it still will but perhaps keep the two recipes consistent? There are other inconsistencies as well such as the written recipe not containing any directions for the cream in the glaze and no time-frames for chilling/setting so I wasn’t sure how far in advance I should make this.
I generally love your recipes though so thank you and hopefully I’ll be digging into my bird’s milk torte soon!
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- Vicky
Hello,
Your recipe calls for 2 tablespoons of agar and I have made the souffle 3x, only to have a ruined agar mixture. To my frustration and disappointment, I decided to watch your video and in the video you said 2 teaspoons of agar….so which one is it?- Reply
- tatyanaseverydayfood
Oh, no! I’m so sorry! It should be 2 teaspoons, thank you for bringing that to my attention. Make sure to use a high-quality agar, some brands have varying strengths.
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- Vicky
Ok great, thank you for clarifying that. Also, your recipe states to gradually add sugar, and in the video you said to pour all the sugar at once. Does it matter which way?
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- tatyanaseverydayfood
I would add it gradually, that way the sugar gets well incorporated 🙂
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- Ruslana
Hi Tatyana, where do you buy agar?
- Reply
- tatyanaseverydayfood
I buy mine on Amazon! 🙂
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- Ruslana
Thank you 🙂 Is there anything that I can substitute the wine with?
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- Sharmin
What size springform pan do you use to assemble the torte?
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- tatyanaseverydayfood
Hi! I used a 9-inch spring form pan
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- Sharmin Ullah
Thank you! Please post more russian desserts, they are so different and delicious!
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- Emily R
So sad – i have been wanting to try and make this forever and I finally decided to make this for valentines day dessert. I watched the video and followed the directions exactly. The birds milk souffle completely deflated with the addition of the condensed milk and butter. I now have a soupy mess and many wasted expensive ingredients. 😭
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- tatyanaseverydayfood
Hi Emily. I’m so sorry the recipe didn’t work well for you! It’s very important to add the sweetened condensed milk and butter mixture gradually to the egg whites. I think it probably deflated from the two mixtures not combining properly. My apologies for the ruined cake!
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