GAteau Claudine

° Serves 6

This is a cake I’ve made many times for my daughter, Claudine. Even though I often make fancy multilayered cakes and decorate them elaborately with rich buttercream frostings, Claudine likes this one, which is frosted with a mixture of instant vanilla pudding and whipped cream.

The cake can be one you make yourself or a store-bought sponge cake. Decorate it as elaborately as you like; there is ample vanilla cream to fill the middle and cover the outside of the cake, with enough left over to pipe on some additional decorations from a pastry bag fitted with a star tip. Candied fruit or violets also make an attractive, festive addition.

• 1 cup heavy cream
• One 3½-ounce package instant vanilla pudding
• 1 cup milk
• 1 round sponge cake (8 ounces), about 7 inches in diameter and 1½ inches thick
• ¼ cup apricot preserves (warm to make spreadable)

Whip the cream until it holds a peak but is still soft. Set aside.

Mix the instant pudding with the milk in a bowl according to the instructions on the box (using only half the milk called for on the box) until combined. As soon as it’s combined, before it has a chance to start to set, fold in the whipped cream. Set the frosting aside. It will set and be ready to use within 15 minutes.

Cut the cake horizontally in half and place one of the halves on a serving plate. Spread the preserves over it and cover the preserves with a layer of the frosting. Place the second cake layer on top and cover the top and sides with frosting. If desired, spoon any remaining frosting into a pastry bag fitted with a star tip and add decorative touches to the cake.

Cut the cake into wedges and serve.