Diplomat Cake

Ingredients:

For the cake:

8 large eggs at room temperature

8 tablespoon fine granulated sugar

8 tablespoon flour

1/8 teaspoon baking powder

For the filling:

6 eggs

6 tablespoons sugar

250 ml milk

30 g gelatin

500 ml heavy cream

1 can pineapple chunks , drained – reserve juice

1 can peach halves in syrup

100 g raisins soaked in rum

To decorate:

whipped cream

2-3 Kiwis, thinly sliced

Peaches, thinly sliced

Pineapple, chopped

Raspberries

Method

Preheat oven to 350°.

Grease a round baking pan, line sides and base with paper. Grease the paper.

In a bowl, mix the egg yolks with the sugar. Beat on high speed until pale, thick and fluffy, about 5-7 minutes. Sift the flour over the egg mixture.

In a large bowl, beat egg whites with an electric mixer until thick and creamy.

Using a rubber spatula, fold the whites into the yolk mixture, add the flour and the baking powder and mix gently until no streaks remain.

Spread the mixture into the prepared pan.

Bake for 20 to 25 minutes until just golden brown (when cooked a toothpick inserted in the center will come out clean).

Remove the cake from the oven and turn immediately on to wax paper or a towel. Pull off the parchment paper gently.

Let the cake cool in the pan for about 10 minutes, take it out and let it cool completely on a cooling rack. When cool, cut it in 2 layers.

The filling:

In a bowl, mix the egg yolks with the sugar until light yellow, fluffy and the sugar is dissolved. Add the milk to the egg yolk mixture slowly and mix well. Put it in a double boiler and cook until becomes thick, whisking constantly for about 5 minutes.

Dissolve gelatin in cold water or pineapple juice and whisk the gelatin into the warm pastry cream. Let it cool.

If u are using heavy cream, beat the cream in a bowl until stiff, then add it to the pastry cream. If u have whipped cream from the store just fold it in the pastry cream, adding it gradually.

Whip egg whites. Add the egg whites, raisins and drained pineapple chunks, peaches to the cream and mix it gently.

Assembling:

Line the baking pan with parchment paper on the bottom and on the side.

Drizzle the cake with pineapple juice.

Place the first half of the cake on the bottom of a spring form pan, cut side up.

Pour the pastry cream over the cake.

Place the second half of the cake on top of the cream, cut side down.

The cake has to stay for at least 4 hours in the refrigerator, or overnight, then the cream will be set.

After about 4 hours (or in the morning), remove the side of the spring pan, take the cake out, place it on a platter, and decorate it with whipped cream and fruits.

#Note:

U can buy a vanilla cake and make just the filling if u want to save time.

U can make it with ladyfingers also. Sprinkle them with pineapple juice and place them on the side of the spring pan and on the bottom. Pour half of the cream on the first layer of ladyfingers, place another layer of ladyfingers on the cream and pour the remaining cream on top. Refrigerate for at least 4 hours.

#cake #koek