On Thu, 17 Jun 2004, Diem Sellers wrote:

> Does anyone know what the difference is from a Vietnamese wedding cake
> vs an American wedding cake? Someone I know is getting married and
> has asked if anyone can bake a Vietnamese wedding cakes.
>
> From my experience, the cakes are kinda spongey and very light with
> whipped cream fillings. they are not super sickenly sweet as mos
> American cakes.
>
> I've search the internet and cannot find a recipe or an answer.

Sounds like the typical cake you'd find at a Chinese bakery. I searched
the internet for one of these once and could not find anything (mind you I
stuck to English web sites).

I decided to try making a chiffon cake. I made two chiffon layer cakes
(using the recipe in The Joy of Cooking) then took some blackberries and
raspberries to make a compote. This was just fresh berries, some sugar to
taste heated in a sauce pan. Next I mixed the compote with some whipped
cream (recipe in The Joy of Cooking) and spread it on the first layer.
Not all the way to the edges or it will bleed out through the final
frosting. Put the second layer on top of the first layer and frost the
whole thing with more of the whip cream. Use fresh berries (I used more of
the blackberries, raspberries and some strawberries) and mint leaves to
garnish.

My wife, who is Chinese, said it tasted just like the cakes her parents
buy from the Chinese bakery for celebrations. She also finds the typical
'American' cake too sweet.

If you don't have The Joy of Cooking I am sure any recipe for chiffon (as
a sheet cake) and whipped cream will do. I actually didn't follow the
recipe exactly. There is room to experiment. The light fluffiness comes
from folding in the egg whites and The Joy of Cooking uses baking powder.

Mind you, your other option is to find a good Chinese bakery.

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