The name skubaniec [scooba-nyec] comes from the word skubać = to pinch or pick at. It is because the layers of cake are created by pinching off pieces of dough and laying them out on the baking surface. Layers are made of vanilla and chocolate crumb-type dough, fruit butter/marmalade and fluffy meringue. I like to use fruit butter/marmalade made of sour fruit, like black or red currants or tart cherries but since I cannot find them here, I’m using plum butter and adding a bit of lemon juice to bring in a bit of sour taste.
This was a cake that was made a lot in my home. Skubaniec was present at Christmas and Easter and often in between. Babcia Stasia didn’t use a recipe. She dumped flour on the large pastry board made by my dad, added butter, eggs and the rest of ingredients to form a perfectly soft and tender dough. When asked how much ingredients to use, she’d say: “well, you’ll have to see and judge as you go” 😯 I guess that’s what years and years of making it does. Although, I can do that will most dishes, baking is not where I experiment.
Polish "Pinched" Cake {Skubaniec}
Ingredients
- White leyer:
- 5 cups of flour
- 2 whole eggs
- 2 yolks (reserve egg whites)
- 2 cups of powdered sugar
- 4 sticks / 400 g of butter
- 2 tsp of baking powder
- Zest of 1/2 lemon
- Fruit layer:
- 2 cups of plum butter (or other tart fruit marmalade or jam)
- Chocolate layer:
- 2.5 cups of flour
- 1 whole eggs
- 1 yolk (reserve egg white)
- 2 sticks / 200 g of butter
- 1 tsp of baking powder
- 5 tbs of cocoa
- 1 cup of powdered sugar
- Additionally:
- 1/2 cup of granulated sugar
Instructions
To make the white layer, place 2 eggs and 2 egg yolks in a mixing bowl with powdered sugar and beat until fully. Add flour, baking powder and lemon zest and mix until combined (it will be pretty dry at first). Cut cold butter into smaller pieces and massage with your hands until just combined. Divide in half and set aside.
To make the chocolate layer, place 1 egg and 1 egg yolk in a mixing bowl with powdered sugar and beat until fully. Add flour, baking powder and coco and mix until combined (it will be pretty dry at first). Cut cold butter into smaller pieces and massage with your hands until just combined. Set aside.
Preheat oven to 350°F / 180°C. Line a 13 x 9 inch baking dish with parchment paper. Take one part of white dough and pinching small pieces of dough off (about a quarter size) cover the bottom completely. Next, spread plum butter on top of white layer.
Cut off a small piece of chocolate dough (about 1/2 cup) and pinch the rest over plum butter.
Beat egg whites with sugar to create meringue. Spread over chocolate layer.
Create the last layer by pinching the other white dough over the top of meringue and the reserved chocolate dough.
Bake for about 60 min until the top of the cake browns.
Enjoy and smacznego!
Anna
