Kunafa Cake
Inspired by the classic Kunafa, this cake has a moist vanilla cake base filled with thick, delicious cream filling, and topped with crispy, crunchy Kunafa glazed in sugar syrup.
Equipment
- 7" round cake pan or 8" for a shorter cake
- Electric or stand mixer with whisk attachment
- Silicone spatula
- Frying pan
Ingredients
Vanilla Cake
- 225 grams unsalted butter
- 225 grams caster sugar
- 4 eggs
- 2 tsp vanilla essence
- 200 grams all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp salt
Cream FIlling
- 300 ml liquid whipping cream/heavy cream
- 60 grams icing sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla essence
Crispy Kataifi
- 200 grams kataifi dough
- 100 grams unsalted butter
Sugar Syrup
- 200 grams granulated white sugar
- 200 ml water
- 1 tbsp finely chopped pistachios for topping
- Dried rose petails optional, for topping
Instructions
Vanilla Cake
- Preheat the oven to 170°C and grease the cake pan with butter to prevent sticking.
- In a mixing bowl, place the butter and sugar and whisk with an electric mixer for 4-6 minutes until the mixture becomes pale, fluffy, and creamy.
- Add the eggs and vanilla essence, then continue mixing on high speed for 3–5 minutes until the mixture looks smooth and well incorporated. The mixture may appear slightly split at this step.
- Add the flour, baking powder, and salt, and mix on low speed until just combined; do not overmix.
- Pour the batter into the prepared cake pan and bake for 25–30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
- Allow the cake to cool completely. Once cooled, cut out a 1–2 inch deep well in the center of the cake, leaving a border around the edges.
Cream Filling
- In a bowl, add the liquid whipping cream, icing sugar, and vanilla.
- Whip on high speed for 2–3 minutes until the cream reaches medium peaks.
- Spoon the whipped cream into the hollowed center of the cake and spread extra cream on top to form a soft mound.
Crispy Kataifi
- Place a saucepan over medium heat and melt the butter.
- Add the kataifi dough and cook for 6–8 minutes, stirring frequently until it becomes golden and crisp.
- Transfer the cooked kataifi onto a paper towel to absorb excess butter and let it cool.
Sugar Syrup
- Place the sugar and water in a saucepan and cook on high heat until the sugar is dissolved, then lower the heat and let it cook untouched for 10 minutes, or until it's thick enough to coat the back of the spoon.
- Place the crispy kataifi over the whipped cream layer and drizzle sugar syrup generously on top, and finish with chopped pistachios and dried rose petals.
Notes
Use room temperature butter: Butter that is too cold will not whip properly, while overly soft butter can make the mixture greasy. Room temperature butter helps create a light and airy cake.
Cream the butter and sugar properly: Beating the butter and sugar for several minutes incorporates air into the batter, which helps give the cake a soft texture.
Don’t worry if the batter looks slightly split: After adding the eggs, the mixture may appear a little curdled. This is normal and will smooth out once the dry ingredients are added.
Avoid overmixing the batter: Once the flour is added, mix only until combined. Overmixing can develop gluten and make the cake dense instead of soft.
Stir the kataifi while cooking: This helps it brown evenly and prevents parts of the dough from burning.
Add the kataifi just before serving: For the best texture, assemble the crispy topping close to serving time so it stays crunchy.
Storage: This cake can be stored in the fridge, covered, for up to 3 days. The kataifi dough will soften over time.