CAKE - Piña Colada Cake

By Aemelia

Ingredients

• Brown sugar cake:
• 3 3/4 cups (525g) cake flour*
• 1 3/4 teaspoons baking soda
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 1/4 cups (393g) packed light brown sugar
• 1 cup (226g/2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 1 3/4 cups (420ml) buttermilk
• 5 eggs
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 2/3 cups (160ml) rum (light, amber or dark), to assemble the cake
• Pineapple filling:
• 1 can (560g/20oz) sliced pineapple in syrup
• 1 cup (200g) caster sugar
• 1/3 cup (80ml) freshly squeezed lime juice
• 3 tablespoons water
• 1/2 vanilla bean, split and seeds scraped with the back of a knife
• Coconut buttercream:
• 3 eggs whites
• pinch of salt
• 1 cup (200g) caster sugar
• 1/4 cup (60ml) water
• 2 1/2 sticks (280g/10oz) unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 2/3 cup (160ml) unsweetened coconut milk
• Decoration:
• 1/2 cup (50g) sweetened shredded coconut, lightly toasted (if desired)
• pineapple slice

Details

Adapted from technicolorkitcheninenglish.blogspot.com

Preparation

Step 1

Start by making the cakes: preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F. Butter three 22cm (9in) cake pans, line the base with baking paper and butter the paper as well.
Sift together the flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt into the large bowl of a stand mixer. Whisk gently to combine. Add the brown sugar, butter and 1½ cups of the buttermilk to the dry ingredients. With the mixer on low blend to incorporate. Raise the speed to medium and beat until light and fluffy, 2 to 3 minutes.
Whisk the eggs with the remaining ¼ cup buttermilk and the vanilla and add to the batter in 3 additions, scraping down the sides of the bowl well and beating only long enough to incorporate between additions. Divide the batter between the 3 pans.
Bake for 25-28 minutes or until a cake tester or wooden toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Let the layers cool in the pans for 10 minutes, then turn out onto wire racks, carefully peel off the paper and allow to cool completely.

Now, the pineapple filling: drain the pineapple and discard the syrup. Set aside 1 slice of pineapple (for decoration) and finely chop the other slices. Place in a medium saucepan with the sugar, lime juice and water. Add the vanilla seeds you scraped from the vanilla bean. Warm over a medium-low heat, stirring to dissolve the sugar, 2 to 3 minutes. Raise the heat to medium and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the juices have almost completely evaporated and turned jam-like in consistency. Let the filling cool completely before using. Can be made a day in advance and refrigerated.

Make the buttercream: put the eggs whites and salt in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a whip attachment so they are ready to go.
Combine the sugar and water in a small saucepan and place over a medium heat, stirring to dissolve the sugar. Bring to the boil and cook without stirring until the syrup reaches the sold boil stage, 114°C/238°F on a candy thermometer.
Beat the egg whites briefly at medium speed. Slowly add the hot syrup in a thin stream, being careful to avoid the beaters. Continue to whip until the meringue has cooled to body temperature.
With the mixer on low speed, gradually add the butter, several tablespoons at a time and continue to beat until a smooth fluffy frosting forms.
Add the coconut milk in several additions, scraping down the sides of the bowl well after each addition. Measure 1 cup of the buttercream and mix with the pineapple filling.

Assembling the cake: place one layer flat side up on a cake stand. Sprinkle a generous 3 tablespoons** rum over the cake. Spread half of the filling over the layer, leaving a small gap around the edge. Add the second layer, sprinkle with more rum and cover with the remaining filling. Top with the third layer and sprinkle with the remaining rum.
Frost the top and sides of the cake with the coconut buttercream. Decorate the sides of the cake with
the shredded coconut and top with the reserved pineapple slice.

* homemade cake flour: 1 cup (140g) all purpose flour minus 2 tablespoons + 2 tablespoons corn starch

** I used only 1 tablespoon of rum per cake layer

Serves 14-16 – I made 2/3 of the recipe above and used 20cm (8in) cake pans