This is one of my favorite desserts that I frequently find in one of the Philippines' most well-known pastry shops. This cake consists of layers of soft sponge cake, creamy custard filling, and a refreshing and sweet fruit cocktail, topped with colorful and festive peaches and cherries, and sealed with crystal clear gelatin for a shining and beautiful finish. The preparation and stages in making this cake are fairly challenging, beginning with carefully tempering eggs for the custard, folding meringue and batter to form a flawless flat yet soft sponge cake, layering, and preparing the finishing touches. But once served, you can tell that this fresh and delightful dessert was cooked with a lot of love.
The mix of the soft cake, sweet creamy custard, refreshing fruits, and chewiness of gelatin in just one mouthful offers you that perfect comfort food that seems reminiscent of your youth, at least for me. You'll adore it if you give it a shot.
Makes 1 9x13 double layered cake
Ingredients:
Fillings and toppings:
30 oz canned fruit cocktail, strained and dried using paper towel (save syrup!)
15 oz canned sliced peaches, strained and dried using paper towel
20 maraschino cherries, strained and dried using paper towel
Custard:
3 eggs, separated (yolks only)
1/3 cup granulated sugar
2 tbsp cornstarch
1/2 tsp salt
1.5 cups whole milk
2 tbsp unsalted butter
2 tsp pure vanilla extract
1 cup heavy cream
1/3 cup powdered sugar
Sponge Cake:
5 eggs, separated
1 1/4 cups cake flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1/2 tsp salt
1/3 cup plus 1 tbsp vegetable oil
2/3 cup water
1/4 tsp orange zest
1/4 tsp lemon zest
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
1/2 tsp cream of tartar
1/3 plus 1 tbsp sugar
Powdered sugar for dusting
Gelatin:
1/4 cup cold water
1 tbsp unflavored gelatin
Fruit cocktail syrup
2 tbsp granulated sugar
Instructions:
Make the custard. Using a stand mixer with whisk attachment, combine egg yolks, sugar, cornstarch and 1/2 tsp salt, mix until well combined, stop the mixer. Using a medium saucepan, pour milk and cook on medium heat until bubbles forms on the side of the pan (do not boil), turn off the heat. Turn on stand mixer with whisk attachment, temper egg yolks by pouring 1/3 cup of the hot milk into the egg mixture, stop mixer once well combined. In the saucepan (with heat off) with the remaining hot milk, while whisking with a hand whisk transfer tempered egg mixture into the milk, whisk until well combined. Turn on heat, continue whisking and cook until mixture boils and thickens in consistency (1-2 mins). Once thick, remove from heat then add unsalted butter and vanilla then whisk until butter is melted and well incorporated. Cover with plastic wrap, making sure that plastic touches the surface of the custard to prevent skin formation. Refrigerate until ready to use.
Make the Sponge Cake: Preheat oven to 350F, line a 13x18 baking sheet with parchment paper. In large bowl, using a stand mixer or hand mixer with paddle attachment, combine cake flour, baking powder, granulated sugar, and salt, mix until combined. Add in egg yolks, vegetable oil, water, zests, and vanilla, then beat until well combined and smooth. In separate large, dry and clean bowl or stand mixer bowl, and using a dry and clean whisk attachment, make the meringue by combining egg whites and cream of tartar, whisk until frothy, then add sugar, continue whisking until it reaches stiff peaks. Fold meringue into the egg yolk mixture 1/3 at a time, until no streaks of meringue is seen. Pour into your prepared sheet pan and bake at 350F for 20-23 minutes or until cake springs back when pressed gently on the surface. Cool completely then dust surface with powdered sugar. Once the cake is cooled completely, top the surface with a clean parchment paper, then carefully invert cake, slowly peel off the parchment paper, then cut the cake into 2 rectangles that will fit your 9x13 deep dish (preferably clear glass, no need to grease pan).
Prepare the custard filling. Remove pastry cream from the fridge. In a large mixing bowl, whisk heavy cream and powdered sugar until stiff peaks, then transfer prepared pastry cream into the heavy cream mixture, mix until well combined.
Assemble the cake. In your 9x13 deep dish, place half of the cut sponge cake, pour 1/3 of the custard filling on top of the cake, spread evenly. Top with fruit cocktail, distribute evenly. Put the 2nd half of the sponge cake on top of the fruit cocktail, then transfer remaining 1/2 of the custard filling, spread evenly. Arrange peach slices into 5 rows and place cherries on the concave side of peaches (as seen on the picture). Let it rest in the refrigerator until ready to use.
Make the gelatin topping. In medium bowl, mix unflavored gelatin with cold water, let it rest until mixture blooms (10 minutes). In a medium saucepan, pour in cocktail syrup and sugar, mix until it boils and sugar is well dissolved. Turn off heat, then pour hot syrup on gelatin mixture, mix until well combined. Let it cool for 10 minutes.
Final touch. Take out cake from the fridge, using a ladle, gently pour gelatin mixture on the cake, just enough to cover the surface of the cake. (You don't need to use all of the gelatin mixture). Refrigerate for at least 4 hours or overnight.
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