Pineapple Cake -

Pineapple Cake

Ingredients

1 fresh pineapple (sliced and diced) and 2-3 tablespoons caster sugar or 1 large can pineapple slices
1 tablespoon kirsch

For sponge:

3 eggs
4½ oz caster sugar
3 oz plain flour
Pinch of salt

To decorate:

¼-½ pint double cream
6-8 tablespoons apricot glaze
Strip of angelica cut into 8-10 diamond shapes

9 inch diameter sandwich tin

Method

If using a fresh pineapple, re­move the skin, cut in even slices (about ¼ inch deep) and stamp out the core with a small cutter. Take the smaller slices from the top and bottom and cut into dice. Sprinkle both the slices and dice with the sugar and kirsch and leave for at least 1 hour.

If using canned pineapple and the slices are very thick, drain and divide them. Dice about two slices and sprinkle both dice and slices with kirsch. No extra sugar is needed for canned pineapple.

To make sponge: set oven at 350°F or gas mark 4. Prepare sand­wich tin: brush or smooth a thin layer of butter on the bottom of the tin and line with a disc of greaseproof paper. Grease the paper and sides of the tin and dust first with caster sugar and then with flour; tap the tin to shake out any surplus. Break the eggs into the bowl and slowly stir in the sugar. If whisking by hand, have ready a saucepan half-full of boiling water on which your mixing bowl or basin will sit without touching the water. This heat is necessary to get the greatest volume from the eggs and to dissolve sugar. Remove the pan of water from the stove, sit the mixing bowl on top and whisk the mixture over this gentle heat until it thickens and becomes mousse­like; this will take some 7-8 minutes. The batter is ready when a little lifted on the whisk falls in a thick ribbon on mixture in the bowl and holds its shape.

Remove the bowl from the heat and continue whisking until the mixture is cold. If using an electric beater, no heat is needed, just whisk for a longer time. Sift the flour with the salt and, using a metal spoon, fold it into the mixture quickly and lightly. Turn this into the pre­pared tin and bake for 15-20 minutes in the pre-set oven. Cool on a wire rack.

Whip the cream until thick and flavour with a little of the kirsch from the pineapple. Split the sponge cake in half and fill with cream and diced pineapple. Brush top with hot apricot glaze, and when set arrange pineapple slices overlapping to cover the top ; brush again with hot apri­cot glaze and decorate cake with diamonds of angelica.

Apricot glaze: This can be made in large quantities at a time, as it keeps well in a covered jar. To make 1 lb of glaze: turn 1 lb of apricot jam into a sauce­pan and add the juice from ½ a lemon and 4 tablespoons water. Bring slowly to the boil, then simmer for 5 minutes. If glaze is to be kept, strain, return to pan and boil for a further 5 minutes before cooling and putting into a jam jar. To use immediately, continue boiling until the mixture is thick, then brush generously over the fruit. If using a smooth jam (with no lumps of fruit) water is not needed.

Related food category:

• Gâteaux and Cakes