Fans of the “Great British Baking Show” may remember Paul Hollywood’s affinity for the French opera cake, or “gâteau opéra.” Reknowned for its beauty and the technicality required to make it, it’s a vision to behold and the perfect special-occasion cake. In practice, it’s no more complicated than tiramisu, which has enjoyed a resurgence of popularity in viral videos like “Fridge Drawer Tiramisu.” Thin, delicate layers of coffee soaked cake alternate with sweet French buttercream and bitter chocolate ganache for a luxurious, sumptuous pastry.
But the history of opera cake is a contested, holding a bit of unresolved mystery among its orderly layers: Some suggest the stratum of layers, specifically, represent the levels of a grand opera house, while others suggest it was created to delight the original maker’s wife, eliciting the same wonder and delight she expressed at the opera—which could offer some insight into the reason why its almond sponge cake component is called “joconde” meaning “happy.” Either way, the cake is made to impress, and it’s worth the challenge of making it at home for birthdays, parties, or perhaps even to celebrate a night at the theater yourself.
What Is Opera Cake?
While there are several competing claims about who invented—and named—the opera cake, it was most likely developed around the 1950s or 1960s. A man named Cyriaque Gavillon, son of an esteemed pastry chef at the Ritz, claimed to create it at the Parisian patisserie Dalloyau in 1955 in honor of the young ballet students at the opera house. Another pastry chef named Gaston Lenôtre, who simply liked the opera and claimed to name it after the original Paris Opera House, is also credited with the invention of the opera cake as well as a number of other now-famous almond-forward French pastries, like the Succès (almond meringue cake) and Feuille d’Automne (an almond and vanilla cake with chocolate mousse).
No matter how you slice it, the opera cake amassed a world of devotees, becoming a fixture of French patisseries and eventually dotting pastry menus worldwide. While some versions of opera cake deviate from the norm, the cake itself is traditionally rectangular. A thin, rich layer of chocolate ganache seals the top, while the sides remain bare to showcase thin, creamy layers. In quintessential French pastry fashion, it’s a remarkably tidy cake—marked by 90-degree angles and distinguishable layers, and it’s notoriously difficult to make tidily.
How to Make Opera Cake
Opera cake has four main components: almond sponge cake or “joconde”, coffee syrup, French buttercream, and chocolate ganache. Overall it takes many hours to make—not just because there are many steps, but also because its neatness and exactness are part of its charm. While it may seem daunting to start from the beginning, the assembly itself—once each of these is prepared—is relatively simple.
- Make the almond sponge. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F and prepare two jelly roll pans with parchment paper. To make the sponge, start by beating egg whites until soft peaks form with 2 tablespoons of sugar. In a separate bowl, combine almond flour, confectioners’ sugar, 4 eggs, and 2 egg yolks, slowly beating in all-purpose flour. Gently fold the egg white mixture into the flour mixture to create the batter. Spread it evenly in the jelly roll pans and bake until golden brown, just about 5 minutes.
- Make the coffee syrup. While the cake is cooling, prepare the coffee syrup by mixing boiling water, coffee or espresso powder, and sugar. Bring it to a boil in a saucepan. Set aside some of the coffee syrup to infuse the coffee flavor into the buttercream.
- Make French buttercream. First, make a sugar syrup with white sugar, water, and vanilla extract; set aside and beat an egg and egg yolk in a stand-mixer until foamy. Slowly pour the stream of hot sugar syrup into the foamy egg mixture while the mixer beats, and continue beating the mixture until the bottom of the bowl is cooler to the touch. Separately beat softened butter until it’s pale and fluffy, then gradually add it to the egg mixture, beating constantly until the buttercream is glossy, then fluffy. Add reserved coffee mixture and stir it to combine.
- Prepare the ganache. Bring milk and cream to a boil in a saucepan, and pour it into a heat-proof bowl over the dark chocolate. Stir until smooth, then whisk in softened butter. Whisk until the ganache is smooth and creamy-looking. Let it cool to room temperature.
- Assemble the opera cake. The hardest part—making all the components—is over! Cut cooled cake layers in half equally. Place one of the layers on a rectangular serving plate, then drizzle it with reserved coffee syrup. Spread an even layer of buttercream on top, then spread half of the ganache mixture overtop. Repeat with the other cake layer, ending with the last bit of ganache.
Get the recipe: Opera Cake
