Bublanina is a Czech soft cake made of eggs, sugar, butter, flour, and different kinds of fruits including cherries, blueberries, strawberries, apricots and fragrant plums and pears.
The word “Bublanina” derives from the Czech word meaning bubble. It is possibly because the batter bubbles up around the fruit which is how the dessert got its name.
This widely popular Czech cake can be best enjoyed during the summers due to the availability of a wide variety of fresh, ripe fruits. The dish is considered an ideal breakfast treat or an after-lunch dessert.
History & Cultural Significance
There is not much information about when and where the dish originated, but almost every Czech family has their own recipe for this dessert. There are some food historians who theorise a link between Bublanina with the French cake Clafoutis, a dish which is typically prepared with cherries.
Bublanina’s consistency is softer and spongy however, and is usually accompanied with coffee. You can very easily find Bublanina in most Czech tearooms and coffee house menus.
Czech Bublanina Recipe
Bublanina is a Czech soft cake made of eggs, sugar, butter, flour, and different kinds of fruits including cherries, blueberries, strawberries, apricots and fragrant plums and pears.
Ingredients
- Butter (1 stick, softened) - 1/2 cup
- Sugar - 1/2 cup
- Eggs (divided, at room temperature) - 3
- Optional: Grand Marnier (or other orange liqueur) - 1 tbsp
- Orange zest - 1 tbsp
- Salt - 1/2 tbsp
- Pinch of cream of tartar
- Vanilla extract - 2 tsp
- All-purpose flour - 1 cup
- Blueberries (fresh, washed and stemmed) - 2 cups
- Powdered sugar - for garnishing
- Blueberry Sauce (Optional)
Instructions
- Heat the oven to 350 F after placing a rack in center of oven. Take a 9-inch-by-9-inch baking pan and lightly coat or butter the pan with cooking spray.
- Take a medium-sized bowl and add in butter, sugar, and yolks. Beat all the ingredients properly and wait for the cream to become fluffy
and light. Keep beating for almost 4 minutes or until you notice the cream turning pale. - Now, add orange zest, salt, vanilla extract, and liqueur (if using) and start mixing well.
- Take a medium-sized bowl and add egg whites with cream of tartar. Beat the ingredients properly until it develops stiff peaks. Next, fold in egg whites and flour into the mixture of butter and egg. Make sure to
keep as much air in the egg whites as possible. - Transfer the prepared batter into the pan and evenly spread blueberries over top.
- With the help of a spatula, carefully press down into the batter and bake for 30 to 40 minutes until it turns golden brown.
- Once done, insert a toothpick into the cake and check if it comes out clean meaning your bublanina is properly baked.
- Dust the cake with confectioners’ sugar and blueberry sauce if you like it.
- Cut the cake into 6 equal slices and serve warm or cold according to your preference.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 6 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 434Total Fat: 18gSaturated Fat: 11gTrans Fat: 1gUnsaturated Fat: 6gCholesterol: 134mgSodium: 836mgCarbohydrates: 62gFiber: 2gSugar: 43gProtein: 6g