Polish Cream Cake Śmietanowiec or śmietanowiec z galaretkami, cream cake with jelly to be more precise is one of the most visually striking desserts you’ll ever see. Cut a slice and you’ll have a white background embedded with a variety of colorful jewels.
The base of this cake is whipped heavy cream with cold gelatin, which sets it firmly. There is a similar-looking cake which is actually a cheesecake. Maybe we’ll try that next?
Stained Glass Cake of the 1950s in USA
I sent friends pictures of the cake the day I made it. I knew the appearance reminded me of something. My friend, Sally, said it reminded her of Brach’s nougat candies with the colorful jellies – a perfect comparison. Letha, on the other hand, said it reminded her a stained glass cake a relative used to make back in the day.
I’d never heard of a stained glass (or broken glass) cake, so I had to google it. Come to find out, it’s the same recipe, other than the difference in how Americans and Poles make a cookie crust. This recipe didn’t make the rounds in my family. The closest I’ve come is the jello poke cakes of the 1970s.
A Polish Cookie Crust
I love a cookie crust. The rest of the world will understand when I say, of course, Americans add more sugar and butter to cookie crumbs. What’s not to like? The Polish version of a cookie crust is simply to line the bottom of the pan with cookies.
I have to admit prepping the latter is quicker and less messy!
Less Sugar
Everyone in my house is watching what they eat, so I did something I don’t usually do, I bought sugar-free jello for this recipe. Typically, I avoid artificial sweeteners.
I knew it would work structurally, but I wasn’t sure about taste. Because you used only half the normal amount of water, the artificial sweetener taste was more concentrated. In the end, it didn’t seem to matter. My daughter and son-in-law, both enjoyed it.
I know what you’re thinking – less sugar, but lots of fat in the whipped cream. I had to draw the line in cutting corners somewhere.
Preparing the Cake
This is a simple recipe, but it does involve some advance planning. The jello you’re cutting up needs to be firmly set, so allow time for chilling; the lemon should cool at room temperature.
Once you’ve assembled your Polish Cream Cake Śmietanowiec, it will again need to chill for several hours or overnight before slicing. You want a nice, clean cut to get the most out of the presentation.
I know this cake was popular at my house because I had to hurry to get photos. It was disappearing quickly. I hope it will be a favorite in your kitchen too.
Smacznego!
Lois
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Polish Cream Cake Śmietanowiec
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Total Time: 7 hours including chill time
- Yield: 10-12 servings 1x
- Category: Dessert
- Method: No Bake
- Cuisine: Polish
Description
A creamy mousse studded with colorful gelating
Ingredients
- 4-3 ounce (85 grams each) packets of different flavors of jello, one should be lemon
- 4 cups boiling water (1 l)
- 2 cups heavy cream (500 ml)
- graham crackers, vanilla wafers, or other plain cookie for crust
Instructions
- In four separate bowls, prepare the jello using 1 cup (250 ml) of water for each. This is half of what the box calls for and will make a very firm gelatin. Leave the lemon jello at room temperature to cool while you chill the other three.
- When the 3 bowls of gelatin are set, slice into small cubes, about 1/2 – 3/4 of an inch (1 – 2 cm).
- Whip the cream until stiff peaks form. Start on a low speed and increase as the cream thickens to avoid splashing. Add the cooled lemon jello to the whipped cream, gently fold it in.
- Line your pan with parchment paper. A springform works well. Mine is an 11-inch square. a 9 or 10-inch round spring form pan would work well too.
- Gently fold the diced jello into the whipped cream mixture, folding to combine until the pieces are evenly distributed. Pour into prepared pan and chill for at least four hours or overnight.
An accountant by trade and a food blogger since 2009, Lois Britton fell in love with Polish cuisine during the years she lived in Poznań, Poland. As the creator of PolishHousewife.com, she loves connecting readers with traditional Polish recipes. Lois has a graduate certificate in Food Writing and Photography from the University of South Florida. She is the author of The Polish Housewife Cookbook, available on Amazon and on her website.
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