Mercotte's Earth Cake is a breathtaking layer cake modeled after our planet's geological structure: crust, mantle, and core. This technical marvel kicked off Season 9 of Meilleur Pâtissier on M6, airing September 30, challenging contestants with its precision. While they had mixed results, home bakers can master this delicious, Instagram-worthy dessert. As a pastry expert who's tested countless pro recipes, here's the proven method.
How to Make Mercotte's Earth Cake
Ingredients
- 4 eggs
- 330 g butter
- 300 g sugar
- 265 g flour
- 1 packet baking powder
- 120 g ground almonds
- 1 tsp almond extract
- 1 sachet white buttercream (or homemade)
- Gel food coloring: red, yellow, green, blue
Materials
- 1 silicone half-sphere cake mold like this one.
- 1 aluminum 20 cm half-sphere cake mold like this one.
- 1 angled spatula like this one.
- 1 piping bag like this one.
Preparation
- Preheat oven to 180°C (Thermostat 6).
- Mix flour, ground almonds, and baking powder in a bowl.
- Cream sugar and butter with a mixer until frothy.
- Add eggs one by one, then almond extract.
- Fold in dry ingredients gradually for a smooth batter.
- Divide: 1/3 yellow (add yellow gel), 1/3 red (add red gel), rest plain if needed.
- Fill silicone mold nearly full with yellow batter. Bake 30 minutes. Cool 10 minutes, unmold, then fully on rack. Level tops and trim edges.
- Grease aluminum molds with neutral oil. Pour red batter 3/4 full, create central well, insert yellow half-sphere as core. Bake 45 minutes. Cool fully, level.
- Spread thin buttercream layer on one hemisphere base; stack the other. Chill to set.
- Decoration: Split remaining buttercream: half blue. Frost cake smooth with spatula, texture by dabbing.
- Green buttercream in piping bag (#1 tip): Outline and fill continents. Personalize and enjoy!
