Juanna Zhou made two delicious cakes in the Gilmore Park Church Cooking Club meet. She made a Fresh Fruit Cake and a Mango Swiss Roll. For this blog entry, I am blogging on her Fresh Fruit Cake.
The Fresh Fruit Cake is a soft sponge cake and decorated with thin slices of fruits. She used soft fruits like strawberries, kiwi fruit and cantaloupe. I think you can’t really use harder fruits like apples and pears for obvious reasons that it will be impossible to cut them. Moreover apples and pears can oxidize and turn brownish.
The fresh fruit cake is pleasing to the eyes and palate. What else could you think of using for this?
The Fresh Fruit Cake is very light and not overly sweet. A great cake for almost any occasion.
Both the Fresh Fruit Cake and Swiss Roll use the same base. The base is a sponge cake. Here is the first recipe for the Fresh Fruit Cake.
Ingredients
- 4 eggs
- 1/2 cup sugar, divided
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar
- 1/2 cup cake flour
- 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 1/4 teaspoon vinegar/lemon juice
- 50ml milk
- fresh fruits – strawberries, cantaloupe, kiwi fruit
- 1 cup whipping cream
- 3 tablespoons icing sugar
Instructions for making the sponge cake
Preheat oven to 350F.
 Sift the cake flour together with the baking powder twice to airate the flour. |
 Separate the egg yolk from the white and put in two different bowls. |
 In the bowl with the egg white, add the cream of tartar and vinegar and beat until thicken. Add 1/4 cup of sugar and beat further until the mixture shines. |
 In another bowl, beat the egg yolk with the remainder 1/4 cup of sugar until the sugar dissolve. |
 Add milk and vegetable oil into the egg yolk mixture and stir to mix well. |
 Gently fold in the cake flour mixture into the egg yolk mixture. |
 Gently fold in 1/3 of the egg yolk flour mixture into the egg white until blend. Repeat with the remainder of the egg yolk in 1/3 portions. |
 Pour the mixture into g greased or parchment paper lined 8″ circular cake pan for the Fresh Fruit Cake or 10″x15″ jelly roll pan for the swiss roll. Bake the cake in the preheated oven for 25 minutes for the circular cake pan or 16 minutes for the jelly roll pan. Remove the oven and invert the cake on a parchment paper to cool. It is very important to let the cake to cool completely before frosting. |
Instructions to assemble the Fresh Fruit Cake
 Cut the kiwi and cataloupe into thin slices. |
 Cut the strawberries into thin slices, reserving a few whole strawberries to decorate the center part. |
 Beat the whipping cream and the icing sugar together until thicken. |
 Cut the circular cake into three layers. |
 Spread the whipping cream on the surface of the bottom layer and top with strawberries ices (or your desired fruit). Spread whipping cream on a second layer and place it on top of the first layer. |
 Top the second layer with slices of cantaloupe. Spread whipping cream on the last layer and place it on top of the second layer. Spread whipping cream on the sides of the cake. |
| Decorate the top of the cake with more nicely cut slices of fruit. Place the cake in the refrigerator for at least half and hour before serving. |
Funny Pictures Funny Pictures
I wonder if kaya would work. Or a frosting made from durian.
– Chubbypanda
That looks delicious
is this blog for jan 1 or dec 23?
Date fixed. Thanks for pointing this out!
Buon Natale e Felice Anno Nuovo!
I’ m sure it is delicious. I will try it right now.
Eh, I didn’t know that that brand of egg seperator can be hung by the side of the bowl… COOL!!!
hi. my friend gave me a link to your site, and i tried this cake out. it was delicious, but for some reason my cake sunk in the middle. do you know what i’m doing wrong?
Hi Julia, my guess is that the cake is underbaked. Test the doneness of the cake at the time stated in the recipe with a wooden toothpick. If it’s still a bit moist, extend the baking time by 5 minutes and recheck. Another possible reason is there is some airpockets in the batter. Try tapping the pan a few times before you put the pan in the oven. Good luck to you and I hope you next try will be a successful one.
Hi, I just came across to your site and I found this recipe. So I tried it. And it went well, however I dont know if i misunderstood your recipe because the pictures showed more than 4 eggs and the recipe showed 4? Anyway, I tried it according to the recipe and it came out very well…just that it came out dense rather than fluffy like yours. So i baked 2 of the same cake and made 2 layers :D. Anyhow the cake tasted good and thanks for the recipe :).
Here is a pic of my cake 🙂
http://img515.imageshack.us/my.php?image=dsc00147kw0.jpg
Hi Henry, there were more than 4 eggs in the picture because we doubled up the recipe to make a mango swiss roll. I’m glad that you enjoyed the cake.
Hi,
Wonderful site I loved this cake as my friend and I tried to make it, but I would like to make the wipping cream at home as well instead of buying it from store could you please tell me how to make it?
Thanks
I was looking for a cake to make and I came across this blog. This cake look delicous, I have to make it with one of my friends soon, thanks for sharing the recipe.
just trying this fruitcake recipe later,i’l be back soon!thanks…eusan
wonderful–thanks a lot for the recipe—would try it out definitely
I am anisha.
I like that Fresh Jelly Fruit Cream.
I will make that awel on tomorrow?
bye……
i tried out u’r recipe 2 weeks ago —it was good , really wonderful . Then i made the same again for my kids birthday. Thanks
But i have a problem, how come my cake is not fine–it is somewhat gritty??/ i am sure i followed the steps–can u point out , where i could have gone wrong???
Hi Rabia, the sifting of the flour should remove all the lumps. The only step which I think could cause the grittiness is the beating the egg yolk with sugar. You must beat until all the sugar dissolves.
Anyone out there can help answer Rabia’s question?
Hi Suanne,
Where can i buy cake flour? Is it the all purpose flour or yellow cake mix in the box? Could you please show me the picture of the brand of cake flour you used? Thanks a lot Suanne!
Hi Amy, cake flour can be found in the baking section of the groceries. It’s should be near where you find the all purpose flour or cake mixes. Cake flour is also known as self raising flour or cake and pastry flour. I do not have a specific brand which I stick to. Here is a picture which I found from google image: http://farm1.static.flickr.com/38/98334905_dd8abd9fbc.jpg. I hope this help.
Hi Suanne,
What was the temperature you used to bake this cake?
Thanks for sharing this recipe.
Hi Lena, the oven should be preheated to 350F. It’s mentioned at the beginning of the instruction section.
Hi can I know where can I get the egg separator.? Been trying to get my hands on it..
Hi Fina, I’m sure you can find it in stores which sell kitchen wares. I had even seen it in Dollar store.
Hi Suanne,
What is the measurement for cup in grams? you mention you need 1/2 cup of cake flour, 1/2 cup sugar and 1 cup whipping cream.
Hi Susie,
1/2 cup cake flour = 50g
1/2 cup granulated sugar = 115g
1 cup whipping cream = 240ml = 242g.
Hope the above measurement conversion helps.
mmmm, the cake was delicious and loved by my whole family.. i made it for my grandpas birthday today.. first time making a cake and it was successful! thanks a lot for the recipe, its hard finding a good chinese style of the fresh fruit cake (i see a lot of those western fruit cake loafs when i google it)
heres a picture of my masterpiece:
http://www.badongo.com/pic/5102546
ps. when i was following the instructions, the pictures didnt quite equal what i had, but then my product ended up more or less the same.. oh wells, all is well =]
We tried this recipe to the dot and it came out REALLY thin – like 1 cm high… it wasn’t fluffy like the picture… we tried it twice and followed the recipe exactly. I don’t think this works…
hi, im planning to make this cake again, but need advice as to if i should change the temperature and/or time to bake the cake for
i will be using, instead of an 8 inch cake pan, an approximately 5 inch heart-shaped cake pan, about 1 inch tall
is it recommended that i decrease the temperature and shorten the time im going to be cooking the cake?
im not a baking expert, so i have no idea and would appreciate your help! thank you!
Hi flown, if you are going to bake the cake in smaller pans, you certainly have to shorten the baking time. Check the doneness of the cake around 16 to 18 minutes (you can roughly judge by the color of the cake) and if it’s not done, bake for another 5 minutes.
thanks suanne for helping me out with that.. i ended keeping the cakes in there for 20 minutes after all, for it to turn into a nice golden brown on top, and they came out beautifully
i was able to make 5 (thick, about an inch+ high) separate layers from this recipe so i made 3 cakes from them..
i am not sure, but one of the reasons the other readers’ cakes may not be rising and having that sponge cake texture may be because they did not beat the egg whites enough.. i beat my egg whites until they have soft-stiff peaks rather than just when it starts getting “thick”
anyways, i have left some more photos of my beautiful cakes =] i love this recipe
cake #1 – http://www.badongo.com/pic/5207059
cake #2 and 3 – http://www.badongo.com/pic/5207047
This is a great recipe. I’ve never made a cake quite like it. I made a double recipe and baked it in one batch in a 12 inch springform pan (as for cheesecakes, the sides can be lifted off). I also cut the amount of oil in half, and used half and half instead of milk. I added a little extra h-n-h to make up for the missing oil. Half and half is richer than whole milk but can’t be whipped. It’s for coffee or baking.
I used peaches from Chile (as it is winter) peeled and sliced on the interior, and blueberries on top. I bought kiwis, but didn’t use them. I’m not sure about the honeydew melon, or cantaloupe as you call it (to me, cantaloupe is muskmelon and is orange).
I wonder why you chose to bake the cake instead of steam it? From what I’ve read, steaming would produce a light and moist cake, like those found in chinese bakeries (which I am looking to make). Do you know if it would turn out alright if I steamed instead of baked, with no changes in the procedure?
look delicious too! Thank you for formula ^ 6
For a gritty cake, you could try using 10x superfine sugar, or just putting the measured amount of sugar in the blender. That is what I have done and my cake is not gritty.
I have made this cake about six times now. I just had a race to see how fast I could get it in the oven — 18 minutes.
I also make sure my eggwhites are in peaks, and I bake until a fairly dark golden brown. Otherwise it sinks a lot in the middle.
I make a double recipe and use a spring form pan, with parchment on the bottom. When I assemble it with the cream and fruit, I use the upside down bottom as the top layer.
My family and friends absolutely love this cake.
I think this cake could be steamed as is. I would make smaller individual layers to put in the stacked steamers for even cooking.
hi ainwa, can you please tell me what went wrong with my cake ?it just shrunk ..after few minutes taking it out from the oven..i did the soft peaks with the whits…should i also beat the yolk & sugar until its smooth/fluffy? please help me….
did you ever get an answer? I’m having the same problem.
Hi rruna and angie, could the shrinking prob be due to humidity? Where do u live? I live in SIngapore where the humdity is v high. My baking doesn’t turn out like it should be sometimes, unless I work in an air conditioned room. Thus, I suspect its humidity?
hi there !!! i tried it once …at first it looked great,but after few minutes..when it was cooling…in the middle it totally shrukk into 1/2
inch…so can you tell me what went wrong ??????
it was delicious! everyone couldn’t wait to get their hands on it!!! my favorite cake in the whole world and now i know how to make it!!!! thank you so much. and it was a lot of fun!!!
hi, may i know what can i use to substitute vegetable oil and what measurements should i use? butter?
Hi dee, you can substitute the same amount of melted butter for the oil. You can use corn oil or canola oil for this recipe. Suanne
I tried this recipe recently, it turned out very very good, thanks for sharing!!!! I tried some recipes before and none turned out good…not spongy enough. This one is really spongy. I planned to make another one today for a BBQ party.
For some people that the outcome is not as good, may be because of the egg yolk…..you need to beat the egg yolk and sugar until it is light pale, not just beat until it is all mixed. Hope this helps.
i love eating fruit cakes, specially with extra walnuts, almonds and raisins. another favorite of mine is the Dresdner Stollen or German Fruitcake
how have your made your whipping cream and icing sugar really thick? as mine has turned out to be runny and really sweet.
Hi jenny, one of the reason why the whipped cream is runny is the temperature of the ingredients and equipment. It is best to whip the cream which is chilled and in a cold environment. I found a recipe that can stabilized whipped cream here: http://www.recipezaar.com/Stabilized-Whipped-Cream-79506. Hope this help.
Suanne
Wow I finally found a Fresh Fruit Cake Recipe!
I have enjoyed these from a bakery in Calgary for many years and now that I’ve moved away have been searching for a recipe. I am going to make this for my in laws anniversary and sub half the sugar (mixed with egg yolk) for splenda as she is diabetic.
Thank You!
i decided to try the cake, but i made a few changes. i added about 1/2 – 1 tsp of vanilla essence. i also decided to use whipped cream and yogurt for the frosting. as for the fruits, i used strawberries and mango. in between layers, i spread hazelnut cream. i’ll let you know how it turns out in a bit. 🙂
the cake turned out perfectly. fantastic recipe. thanks. 🙂
i want to know where i can find non dairy whipping cream
I tried the recipe tonight and it turned out perfectly. My kitchenaid stand mixer helped alot too. I mixed 2 tablespoons purple taro powder into the whipping cream to give some taro essence and it tasted really good. Thanks
hai,look so yummie for this fruit cake …wana have a try for this recipe…
can i omit vinegar or lemon juice??
and can i use milk powder instead of fresh milk?? 🙂
Hi sherene, I’m sure you can substitute the fresh milk with milk reconstituted from milk powder as the amount is not significant, just 50ml.
I made this cake a few weeks ago. I doubled the recipe and baked it in two 8-inch cake rounds, and then just had two layers. It was perfect! Thanks for sharing!!
Yum, the cake was delicious. Great Recipe!
Hi i was wondering do you have to use the cream of tartar? its hard to find in Uk.
I actually want to make this cake for my boyfriend birthday. which is next week.
thank you.
Hi Amy, from my research, the function of the cream of tartar here is to stabilize the egg whites and increase their volume. You may substitute 1/4 teaspoon of lemon juice or white vinegar for each 1/8 teaspoon cream of tartar but this may alter the taste. Any baker out there with advice or tips on this?
I’m not a baker, but I tried baking it without the cream of tartar (and I didn’t substitute it for anything else) and it turned out great. 🙂
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I have made this cake numerous times and I never use the cream of tartar, nor do I substitute it for anything else and it turns out fluffy and perfect!
I tried this recipe and loved it. it is so fluffy but i don’t know why it is only fluffy at the half top and the other half bottom is not that fluffy. any idea why?
it’s delicious, but what could i use as replacement to tartar cream.
I MADE IT ONCE IT TURN OUT GOOD BUT FOR SOME REASON THIS ONE I MADE IS A 10″ X10″ LOOKS LIKE IT WRINK IN THE SIDES WHY DOES THIS HAPPEN i bake for 25 test it then added another 5 minutes i greased the sides of the pan but didnt flour it could that be why?
Hi,
I have found this recipe,and tried it out for my first ever fruit cake for my father’s birthday.. it’s very soft and delicious.. but the problem is it’s not easy to cut it to layers, i manage to cut one layer..but still very nice.
Thanks for the recipe. my cake turned out great.
here’s a pic
http://www.flickr.com/photos/shutterbugdoll/7177893214/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/shutterbugdoll/7183513736/
Inside of the cake
I don’t know what I did wrong but my cake shrink. Any suggestions?
Hi Sara, I found this page which is useful to cake baking tips, common problem and cure; http://www.great-recipes.com/baking-tips/cake-baking-tips.html
I was wondering if you could bake this cake with all purpose flour because I don’t have cake flour.
Hi Lily, here is an article (http://bakingbites.com/2007/05/subbing-all-purpose-flour-for-cake-flour/) which answers your question. Hope it helps.
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