Looking for a whimsical dessert inspired by Mary Poppins Returns? You’ve come to the right place! This dessert is practically perfect in every way.
The Rose Table Disney Dinners: Mary Poppins Returns is sponsored by Disney’s Mary Poppins Returns, out on Digital March 12 and blu-ray March 19, 2019.
This dessert was not only inspired by the film but also the Jolly Holiday Cafe inside Disneyland. They put an adorable hat on the menu when Mary Poppins Returns was released so I decided to put my own spin on it. These are actually not difficult at all to make and even though they look cute as a button, they taste like a sophisticated restaurant-worthy dessert.
They’re really very simple: all you have to do is make a dark chocolate sponge cake in a jelly roll pan, let it cool completely, cut it into twelve rounds (save the scraps for a trifle!), spread six of those rounds with a whipped cream cheese filling, add the other round on top, set on a pizzelle cookie, and enrobe in chocolate. Add a flower for whimsy if you so desire. (I always desire whimsy, let’s be honest.) They come together very quickly once the cake is cooled.
Good chocolate here is key so don’t skimp! I used Ghirardelli unsweetened chocolate for an ultra rich ganache. Tip for enrobing: the cakes are easy to cover with ganache but the cookies are not. Spread the ganache around the edge of the pizzelle with a spatula, set the cake on top, and then spoon about 1/3 cup ganache over the top of the cake, using the spatula to gently send it cascading down the sides.
Mini Mary Poppins Hat Cakes
1/4 cup powdered sugar
4 eggs , separated
1/2 cup granulated sugar plus 1/3 cup , divided
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/3 cup dark cocoa powder (I love Hershey’s special dark)
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup water
Whipped cream cheese filling, recipe follows
Dark chocolate ganache, recipe follows
- Heat oven to 375°F. Grease a 15.5×10.5×1-inch jelly-roll pan, line with parchment paper, and grease paper. Spread a thin towel on the counter and sprinkle with a handful of powdered sugar.
- Carefully separate the eggs. Beat egg whites in large bowl until soft peaks form. Gradually add 1/2 cup of granulated sugar, beating until stiff peaks form. In a stand mixer, beat egg yolks and vanilla on medium speed about three minutes. Gradually add remaining 1/3 cup granulated sugar; continue beating for two additional minutes.
- Whisk together flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a small bowl. Add to egg yolk mixture alternately with water, beating on low speed just until batter is smooth. Gently fold beaten egg whites into mixture with a spatula just until the batter is uniform in color. Spread batter evenly in prepared pan.
- Bake 12 to 15 minutes or until top springs back when touched lightly in center. Immediately invert onto prepared towel or parchment paper and peel off paper. Let cool completely.
- Make the filling (recipe follows). Use biscuit cutter to cut cake into twelve rounds. Divide filling evenly amongst six rounds. Press remaining six rounds on top to form little cake sandwiches.
- Make ganache (recipe follows). Dip the edges of six pizzelle cookies in chocolate. Set cakes on top of pizzelles. Spoon about 1/3-1/2 cup ganache on top of each cake – one at a time – and use a small offset spatula to gently push the ganache over the sides of the cake, just until the sides are covered. Pop in the fridge for ten minutes or until set. Decorate with flowers if desired.
Read more about Disney Dinners: Mary Poppins Returns here. Watch the video highlights:
Make your own magic,
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