When someone bakes as much as I do, some cakes inevitably become personal classics. This is one of those cakes.
It is not one of those show-stopping cakes that take a lot of time to prepare and assemble. It is also not something that makes people go out of their way to find the ingredients. It is a simple, flavourful, light cake that is suitable as an everyday treat and as a really pretty celebratory cake.
It is actually my mother's favourite cake, and it is a staple when it comes to family celebrations. Rightfully so, as well. Soft vanilla cakes, plenty of creamy vanilla filling, and lots of fresh pineapple. A marvellous little cake, indeed.
My tips for success.
Because semolina absorbs liquid quickly, it is quite important to work equally quickly once you mix it with the wet ingredients. That is why I advise preparing your pans in advance and having the oven nicely preheated.
When choosing the milk, go for the one you enjoy drinking, always. You can even choose a barista-style milk, such as oat or rice milk, but do be careful of any vanilla added to it, and adjust the quantity of vanilla you add yourself, so it doesn't turn bitter.
You can use all brown sugar in the filling, if you like; it will give a marvellous caramel undertone that pairs so well with vanilla and fresh pineapple. You can also add a dash of caramel flavouring, for the same purpose, of course.
Speaking of pineapple, I find that small dice works best, as it allows for the cleanest slices. However, you can even mince it and drain it well; it will be just as delicious.
Ingredients
For the vanilla cake layers
180 grams plain flour
40 grams semolina
100 grams granulated sugar
80 grams light brown sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 ½ teaspoons vanilla bean paste
180 millilitres cold water
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
For the vanilla filling and frosting
400 millilitres soy or almond milk
40 grams plain flour
40 grams cornflour
50 grams granulated sugar
50 grams light brown sugar
1 ½ teaspoons vanilla bean paste
150 grams vegan block butter, at room temperature
300 grams fresh pineapple, diced
Preparation
Start by making the vanilla cream filling, as it needs to cool down completely before whipping and assembling.
Pour the cold milk, soy or almond, into a heavy-bottomed pot, add in the flour and the cornflour, sugars, and vanilla. Whisk very well, place the pot over medium-high heat, and let it slowly heat up. As soon as it starts to steam, start whisking. Let it come to a gentle boil and cook, stirring constantly, for about 2-3 minutes, until it thickens. Remove from the heat and immediately add 30 grams of vegan block butter. Whisk until melted and incorporated or emulsify using an immersion blender. Cover the top with cling film or a piece of baking parchment, and let it cool down to room temperature.
To make the vanilla cake layers, sift together the plain flour and the baking powder into a large bowl, add in the semolina and the sugars, and whisk everything well. Set the bowl aside. Let the oven preheat to 180°C and line three small round cake pans (15 cm) with baking parchment. Combine all the wet ingredients in a separate bowl.
Just before baking, pour the wet ingredients over the dry ingredients and quickly whisk until just blended. As soon as the batter is ready, divide it between the prepared pans and bake immediately in a preheated oven, at 180°C, for 12-15 minutes, checking for doneness with a toothpick. As soon as a toothpick inserted into the cake comes out clean, it is done. Remove them from the oven and let cool down in the pans completely.
Once the filling is at room temperature and ready, place the remaining softened vegan butter into a large bowl, and whip it with an electric mixer on high for about 5 minutes, so it becomes light and airy. Separately whip the cooked custard until it becomes smooth, and without stopping the beaters, add a tablespoon of the custard at a time to the whipped butter, blending them together until smooth and creamy.
Once the filling is ready, proceed to assemble the cake. Level the cakes, if necessary, and divide the filling into three equal parts. Set one of them aside, as it will be used as frosting. Chop the pineapple into desired pieces, keeping in mind that smaller dice works best for serving.
Place the first cake layer onto the serving platter, put a tall sheet of acetate around it, and close the cake ring tightly. Spread one-third of the vanilla filling over the first layer and add half of the chopped pineapple. It is fine if it sinks into the whipped custard. Place the second cake layer on top, spread another third of the filling, and top with the rest of the pineapple. Top with the final layer, cover with a piece of cling film, to stop it from drying out, and then place it into the refrigerator for at least 8 hours.
Once ready, take the cake out of the refrigerator, remove the cake ring and the acetate sheet, and decorate as desired. If using fresh pineapple for decoration, place it on the cake just before serving. Serve well chilled. Yields 16 generous servings.
