Two colors shortbread cake with blackcurrant jam (pleśniak)

Very popular in Poland two colors shortbread cake with blackcurrant jam (pleśniak). I present the autumn version of this cake with leaves cut out of cake.

Ingredients for the shortbread cake:

• 500g all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup of white sugar
• 1 pack of vanilla sugar
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 200g butter (softened to room temperature),
• 4 yolks
• 4 tablespoons dark cocoa
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup blackcurrant jam

Ingredients for the meringue:

• 4 egg whites, room temperature
• 1/2 cup powdered sugar

Recipe:

1. Sift the flour, add all dry ingredients (except cocoa) and mix everything together,
2. Add: yolks , butter,
3. Process the dough with your fingers until it is smooth and formed,
4. Divide the dough into 3 pieces. Put two pieces in the fridge for about 30 minutes,
5. Add cocoa and 1 tablespoon of cold water to the third cake peace and process the dough until it gets uniform colour,
6. Heat the oven to 180 degrees,
7. Prepare the rectangular springform pan for baking. Line the bottom of the pan with parchment paper,
8. Roll out the first portion of light dough and place on the bottom of the springform pan. Bake at 180 degrees for about 15 minutes.
9. During this time cut out leaf shapes from the second light dough,
10. Remove the first dough from oven. Spread the blackcurrant jam on top,
11. Roll out the dark dough and put it in the blackcurrant jam layer,
12. In additional bowl beat egg whites until they are foamy, at the end add powdered sugar and mix gently,
13. Decorate the top of the cake with prepared leaves decorations.
14. Bake at 180 degrees for about 50 minutes.