Princess Cake

Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and line two 8-inch round cake pans with parchment paper. In a large bowl, beat the eggs and granulated sugar until pale and thick. Sift the flour and baking powder together and fold into the egg mixture. Heat the milk until warm and gently fold into the batter. Divide the batter between the prepared pans and bake for 20-25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Let cool completely on a wire rack.

Prepare the Pastry Cream: In a medium saucepan, heat the milk and vanilla bean seeds over medium heat until just boiling. In a separate bowl, whisk the egg yolks, granulated sugar, and cornstarch until smooth. Slowly pour the hot milk into the egg mixture, whisking constantly. Return the mixture to the saucepan and cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until thickened and boiling. Remove from heat and stir in the butter. Pour the pastry cream into a bowl, cover with plastic wrap touching the surface, and chill in the refrigerator.

Whip the Cream: In a large bowl, whip the heavy cream, powdered sugar, and vanilla extract until stiff peaks form. Set aside.

Assemble the Cake: Place one sponge cake layer on a serving plate. Spread a thin layer of raspberry jam over the cake. Pipe or spread a layer of pastry cream on top of the jam. Place the second sponge cake layer on top. Cover the entire cake with the whipped cream, shaping it into a dome.

Cover with Marzipan: Dust a clean surface with powdered sugar and roll out the green marzipan into a circle large enough to drape over the entire cake. Carefully lift the marzipan and cover the cake, smoothing it over the dome shape and trimming any excess at the base.