Receta Celebrating 100 posts with Pineapple Sponge Cake!
I was in India when my blog completed its 1 year so I couldn't make anything special and celebrate. Yesterday I posted my 100th recipe and I was so happy after posting it. I didn't want to miss celebrating this time and hence decided to bake a cake for the occasion. Pineapple Sponge Cake -- I am sure it takes everyone (who belongs to India) down a memory lane. This is one of the best cakes you get from the bakeries back in India. Whether India won a cricket match or after school/college results(of-course good results :P), a happy family moment or a mid-night birthday celebration- Pineapple Sponge Cake was everyone's choice!
This cake is so soft (I think it's evident from the name- Sponge Cake) with delicious chunks of pineapple and fluffy creamy icing. Yum! Yum!
I loved baking and decorating this cake. I think I should decorate my cakes more often so that I get to improve every time I do it. I would love to take some professional cake decorating classes and make beautiful icings and cake decorations.
I adapted the recipe of Sponge from Martha Stewart's website and made some small changes to match my taste.
Ingredients:
- For Sponge Cake
- 1/2 cup all purpose flour
- 1/2 cup corn starch
- 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1 cup sugar
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 4 eggs (separated)
- 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
- For Icing
- 1 cup heavy whipping cream
- 3.5 tbsp sugar
- 1 tsp imitation rum extract
- For filling and decoration
- Pineapple chunks (you can use fresh pineapple or use the canned ones that comes in pure pineapple juice)
- I used Dole's pineapple chunks and used the juice to sprinkle the cake. Also some cherries would be nice.
- Sugar water (1/2 cup sugar dissolved in 1/4 cup of water)
Method:
Preparing the Sponge Cake:
1. Heat oven to 350 degrees F and grease a 9-inch baking tray.
2. In a small bowl, sift together the flour, cornstarch, baking powder and salt. Keep aside.
3. In the bowl of your electric mixer (or using electric hand blender) using whisk attachment, beat together the egg yolks, vanilla essence and 1/2 cup of sugar on high speed until thick and pale. The mixture will double in amount. Transfer the egg yolk mixture to a bowl and clean and wipe dry the mixer bowl and whisk attachment.
4. Now beat the egg whites with rest 1/2 of sugar at medium speed until stiff and glossy about 3-4 minutes.
5. Fold the egg yolk mixture into egg white mixture and mix lightly with the use of a spatula.
6. In three additions, add the flour mixture mixing lightly after each addition.
7. Now transfer the batter to the greased baking pan and smooth the top with an offset spatula.
8. Bake for 30-35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
9. Let the cake cool for 10 minutes before transferring to the cooling rack.
10. Let it cool completely on a cooling rack.
Preparing the icing:
1. Put the bowl of your electric mixer and whisk attachment in the freezer for 5 minutes.
2. Add the heavy cream and sugar in the chilled bowl and using whisker attachment beat for high speed until it forms a soft peak. It won't take more than 2-3 minutes.
Assembling the cake:
1. Cut the cake in half horizontally using a sharp knife to make a 2 layer cake. You can also make a 3 layer if you want.
2. Now sprinkle some sugar syrup and pineapple juice on the 1st half of the cake. Spread a layer of icing and some pineapple chunks.
3. Put the second layer on the cake. Poke the cake at some places using a fork and sprinkle the sugar syrup and pineapple juice.
4. Now cover the whole cake with icing and even the top and sides with a help of a flat spatula or cake decorating spatulas.
5. Decorate as you like with cream, pineapple and cherries.
6. Chill the cake in the refrigerator.
Serve chilled! Ehh..I think you got some icing on your upperlip....or should i say a moustache!! :D