Basically this cake consists of (a lot of) milk and hazelnuts, but there are many variations: sponge cake for the bottom layer, addition of cinnamon and fruit, marmalade between layers, crushed biscuits instead of hazelnuts etc. I believe whichever version you decide to try, you cannot go wrong.
Havana cake
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 8 servings 1x
Description
A light and creamy cake, perfect for sunny afternoons, inspired by the warmth and flavors of Havana, Cuba.
Ingredients
Bottom layer
- 2 egg yolks
- 7 tbsp (100 g) butter, room temperature
- 3 tbsp all purpose flour
- 8 tbsp ground caramel hazelnuts
Filling
- 4 cups (1 l) milk
- 2 cups (500 ml) heavy cream
- 3 tbsp sugar
- 3 tbsp vanilla extract
- 3 packets (each 10 g) vanilla flavored sugar
- 3 packets (each 10 g) powdered gelatin
Middle layers
- 4 egg whites
- 8 tbsp ground caramel hazelnuts
Decoration
- scant 1 cup (200 ml) whipping cream
Caramel hazelnuts
- 1 cup (250 g) hazelnuts
- 4 tbsp sugar
Instructions
- First make caramel hazelnuts: on low heat dissolve sugar, let it caramelize. Roughly crush hazelnuts and add to caramelized sugar, stir to coat, remove from heat. Spread on an oiled pan or parchment paper, let cool and then roughly grind.
- For the filling, prepare gelatin according to package instructions. Cook milk with vanilla essence and sugar until it boils. Remove from heat and add dissolved gelatin, stir and let cool at room temperature. Then put in fridge and let cool completely. You should get the consistency of pudding or panna cotta.
- For the bottom layer, mix egg yolks with butter. Add caramel hazelnuts and sifted. Spread over the bottom of springform pan (26 cm) lined with parchment paper and bake for 10-15 min. at 180 Celsius.
- For middle layers, whip egg whites until stiff peaks form. Gently add caramel hazelnuts and divide the batter in two. Spread each part of over the bottom of springform pan (again 26 cm) lined with parchment paper and bake for 30 min. at 120 Celsius.
- When the filling is completely chilled, beat it with electric mixer. In a separate bowl beat whipping cream and then add to the milk mixture, mix the two .
- Assemble: Put bottom layer on a serving plate. Put the ring of the springform pan around it (before you do that, cover the ring with plastic wrap). Put 1/3 of the filling over the bottom layer, cover with 1 inner layer. Pour another part of the filling over that layer and cover it with the second inner layer. Pour the rest of the cream over it and put in the fridge overnight. Remove the ring of the pan the next day. Whip cream and decorate cake with it. Sprinkle with some hazelnuts.
Notes
- You can freeze the cake and cut it into pieces for easy transport.
- Try adding fruit or marmalade for extra flavor.
- The cake is versatile and can be customized with different ingredients like cinnamon or crushed biscuits.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Category: Cake
- Cuisine: European
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice
- Calories: 350
- Sugar: 18
- Sodium: 50
- Fat: 25
- Carbohydrates: 25
- Fiber: 2
- Protein: 6
- Cholesterol: 120
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Frequently Asked Questions
Why is this cake called “Havana” cake if it has no direct Cuban connection?
The article acknowledges that an internet search finds no clear Havana-Cuba link. The author’s theory is that the name reflects the cake’s character: it is light, creamy, and perfect for warm sunny days — qualities associated with Cuba. The base recipe is milk-and-hazelnut-forward, not Cuban in origin.
What are the caramel hazelnuts, and do I have to make them from scratch?
Yes, the caramel hazelnuts are homemade: 1 cup (250 g) of hazelnuts are mixed into 4 tbsp of caramelized sugar on low heat, spread on a pan to cool, and then roughly ground. They appear in both the bottom crust layer and the egg-white middle layers, giving the cake its characteristic nutty crunch.
Why does the filling need to chill in the fridge before being beaten and assembled?
The gelatin-set milk base (4 cups milk, 3 packets of gelatin, vanilla, and sugar) must chill completely to a pudding-or-panna-cotta consistency before it can be beaten with an electric mixer and folded with whipped cream. If you beat it warm, the gelatin won’t have set and the filling will be too liquid to hold the layered structure overnight in the springform pan.
Can the cake be frozen for transport?
Yes — the notes and article both explicitly confirm the cake freezes well and can be cut into pieces once frozen, making it convenient to transport. The article mentions the author has done this for parties.
This havana cake looks heavenly!
you need to make easier steps to make this confusing to me….
Where can I find caramel hazelnuts in the US?
From the colors to the look it says warm summer days to me. What a fantastic cake Tamara. So beautiful too.
This looks absolutely divine!!! I must try it, but I really wish I could reach out and grab it through my computer screen.
Thanks, I’m really glad. Oh, I wish the same so many times when I browse through the lovely photos and recipes here! :)
What a gorgeous looking cake! I love anything with hazelnuts :)
Beautiful! This looks as delicious and creamy as a cheesecake, but without the cream cheese.
Thank you! Yes, it does resemble cheesecake :)
A really beautiful cake. I am sure it tastes as good as it looks!
Wow, this sounds absolutely delicious.
Thank you, Emiko!