Preparation time: 15 minutes
Cooking Time: 25 minutes
Total Time soaking, cooling and decorating etc: 90 minutes
Materials that are required for this cake include:
2 round sandwich cake tins or 1 deep round tin
greaseproof paper
A Sieve
A 180ml measuring cup, I use the cup that comes with rice cookers
A Mixing Bowl and Spoon
Measuring spoons
An Electric Whisk/ Stand mixer or a hand whisk
A wiring rack
Ingredients for the cake:
Half of a 397g can of condensed milk
2 1/4 cups / 450g plain flour
1/2 cup /90g cooled melted butter
1/2 cup / 90g crushed pineapple
1/2 cup / 90g pineapple juice
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp cardamom powder
1/4 salt
1 tsp Pineapple essence (optional)
Extra juice, for soaking
Cream Topping:
200ml Fresh double cream
1 1/2 Tbsp icing sugar
1/2 tsp pineapple essence (optional)
Fresh Fruits to decorate
Method
1) Preheat oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit / 170 degrees Centigrade. For Fan ovens it is 150 degrees centigrade. Line the tins with a bit of butter and some greaseproof paper, I do this by drawing round the base of the tin onto the greaseproof paper and cutting it out and then placing on the base of the tins.
2) Start by melting the butter, as it will require time to cool before adding to the cake mix. There are 2 ways this can be done. On a stove in a pan or I just put butter from the fridge and roughly measure it and put it in the microwave, for 20 seconds at a time. If you put it for longer intervals it literally explodes all over the microwave. So I put it for 20 seconds, then give the cup a stir, and then another 20 seconds, until the butter is nearly all melted. I then leave this aside and continue with the rest of the ingredients.
3) In a large mixing bowl sift in the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt
4) For the cardamon powder I crush 2 or 3 cardamom pods, and remove the coating. I then add a teaspoon of normal white sugar and crush the sugar and cardamom seeds together to form a powder. This is added to the flour mixture.
5) For the pineapple juice and crushed pineapple, I buy a tin of pineapple rings in pineapple juice, and crush the pineapples myself using a hand blender. However you can buy tins of crushed pineapple and buy separate juice. Add the crushed pineapple and juice to the flour mixture
6) Add in the condensed milk and cooled melted butter and mix everything together. At this point I add pineapple essence, however this is not essential. The cake still comes out amazing without it :) The mixture is quite a thick mixture and it should have lumps in it because of the crushed pineapple, so don't expect a smooth dropping consistency like most other cake batters.
7) Divide the mixture between the 2 prepared tins. To make sure they are equal weigh them individually to make sure they are the same weight. Place them in the oven for 25 minutes. I usually put them for 20 minutes just to check their progress and then put them for another 5.
8) The cakes can be tested for 'doneness' by inserting a knife or a skewer into the centre of the cake. It should come out clean, if not it needs more time in the oven. If it does come out clean the cakes are done. Leave them to cool for 15 minutes before inverting onto a wiring rack.
9) After removing the greaseproof paper, spoon pineapple juice on to the cakes so that it soaks the inside, this will make the cake moist inside. Once this is done, leave the cakes to cool completely.
10) Whip the cream and icing sugar and essence if using together until it forms soft peaks.Spread some of the cream onto one of the cakes. I then add pieces of pineapple and place them on top of the cream. Then place the other cake on top. If you are going for the professional look put the cut flat side up, I like the homemade imperfect look so I put it flat side down. Then smother the rest of the cream over the cake and on the sides and smoothen it as much as possible.
11) Now to decorate. The best part. I love to finish this cake with fresh fruits, as it has fruits in the cake too. Sometimes I sprinkle pomegranate seeds over it, the seeds look so bright on the white cream. Glace cherries also look lovely on this cake, with colourful fruits such as kiwi, strawberry and mango. Any fruit with vibrant colours looks good on the white. Below the cake is decorated with grapes, raspberries
and pineapple.
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| The Finished Cake! with just enough space in the middle for a candle :) |
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| With Pomegranate Seeds instead of Fruit, and little monkeys as it was for a little boy's birthday |
Hope you enjoy making this cake as much as I do. It tastes so good! especially as it is soaked with juice it is very moist. Making this is so relaxing and the kitchen smells of pineapple throughout. Happy Baking everyone!!!! :)
