Time for cake . . . and pineapple.

To celebrate my mother-in-law, Joan’s 92^nd birthday I decided to bake a cake from the Golden Circle Tropical Recipe book. I thought that a fruit cake would be good as she could share it with friends for afternoon tea and the photograph on page 61 looked very festive. Sadly, I burned the pineapple on the top of the cake and decided that it wasn’t really appropriate for the birthday dinner. Mind you it was beautifully moist and still tasted great. Turning to page 54 I was attracted to the Pineapple Ice-Box Cake and had another go at preparing something that not only looked delicious but contained pineapple!  It was very sweet but must have been okay as my brother-in-law, John had a second piece!

To avoid burning the pineapple in the future, Ann suggested I lower the temperature to 150° and cover the cake with foil for the last 60 minutes of cooking, Anne.

Ruby's Country Club Fruit Cake

Anne's cake!

Country Club Fruit Cake

Pineapple Topping: 440g can Golden Circle Sliced Pineapple, glace cherries, blanched almonds.

The Cake: 250g butter, 250g brown sugar, 5 large eggs, 1 ½ cups plain flour, 1 cup self-raising flour, 1 tblsp mixed spice, 1 kilo mixed dried fruits.

Drain pineapple slices. Chop 2 slices finely and add to mixed fruits. Sift flours with spice. Cream butter and sugar, beat in eggs, one at a time. Beat well. Blend in flour. Stir in fruit. Spoon into paper-lined 22cm round fruit cake pan. Spread top evenly. Arrange remaining pineapple slices on top of cake. Place cherry in centre of each pineapple slice and decorate with almonds. Bake in slow oven 150° C about 3 hours. Cool in pan. Sprinkle cake with ¼ cup brandy while cooling (optional).

Pineapple Ice-Box Cake

440g can Golden Circle Crushed Pineapple, 2 tblsp cornflour, ¾ cup sugar, ¼ tsp salt, 2 tspn grated lemon rind, 4 egg yolks, 1 tblspn lemon juice, 30g butter, 1 sponge cake baked in a 22cm tin, 1 cup cream.

Drain pineapple. Mix cornflour, sugar and salt in saucepan. Stir in syrup made up to 1 cup with water. Add rind and boil for 2 minutes. Stir part of hot mixture into egg yolks. Return to pan and cook 1 minute. Add lemon juice, butter and pineapple reserving a little for decoration. Cool. Cut cake into 2 layers, spread with pineapple filling. Frost with cream. Chill.