Opportunity Cake with Pineapple Frosting

Products Used

Opportunity Cake with Pineapple Frosting Imperial

By Chef Eddy Van Damme

Prep Time:

1h 40m

Bake/Cook Time:

30m

Yield:

1, 8 or 9-inch cake

A true gem from the past, this Opportunity Cake first appeared in one of our vintage Aunt Cora's cookbooks. A true gem from the past, this cake embodies the spirit of creativity and resourcefulness, as it was often made during times when ingredients were scarce, and bakers seized every opportunity to create something special. Chef Eddy updated the frosting to include the sweet taste of pineapple.

Rating:

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Products Used

Ingredients

Opportunity Cake

3 cups (360g) all-purpose flour*
3 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup (226g) unsalted butter or shortening, soft
1 1/2 cups (300g) Imperial Sugar Extra Fine Granulated Sugar
4 large egg yolks, must be at room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 1/4 cups (300g) milk, must be at room temperature
4 large egg whites, no yolk traces

Frosting

10 pineapple slices (unsweetened) from a 1 pound, 4 ounce (567g) can
1/4 cup (60g) tablespoon pineapple juice
1 pound (454g) unsalted butter, very soft
2 cups Imperial Sugar Extra Fine Granulated Sugar

Filling and Finishing

10 pineapple slices (unsweetened) from a 1 pound, 4 ounce (567g) can
1 1/2 cups (140g) coconut flakes

*Spoon & Sweep method: Use a spoon to fill measuring cup with flour until required amount is obtained. Scooping measuring cup directly into flour bag will firmly pack flour resulting in too much flour required for recipe.

Directions

Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter and flour three 8 or 9-inch cake pans and set aside. Fitting a round piece of parchment paper on bottom of baking pan will ensure flawless removal from pans.
Sift together flour, baking powder, and salt twice and set aside.
Mix butter until very creamy and smooth. Add sugar and mix until light and fluffy. Add one egg yolk at a time and mix at least 30 seconds between each.
Mix for another 3 minutes to ensure mixture is light and fluffy. If it is cold and dense, use a hairdryer to heat sides of bowl while mixing.
Add 1/3 of flour and mix until combined. Add half of milk and vanilla and mix gently until smooth. Add another 1/3 of flour and mix gently until smooth. Add remaining milk and once combined add remaining flour.
Whip 4 egg whites to soft-medium peaks and gently fold into batter.
Divide batter into pans and place in oven and bake for about 30 minutes until center of cake bounces back when lightly pressed with a finger or until an inserted toothpick comes clean.
After 10 minutes turn upside down on plastic food-lined surface and allow to cool completely before frosting, about 1 hour. Do not peel parchment paper off cake layers.
For frosting, place pineapple slices on paper towels to remove excess juice. Place in a blender (or use a stick blender) with 1/4 cup pineapple juice and blend until very smooth. Set aside.
Mix butter until light and creamy. Add sugar and keep mixing until light and fluffy. If mixture is cold and dense, use a hairdryer to heat sides of bowl while mixing.
Add pineapple puree in 7-8 increments, beating cream very well in between additions. If needed, heat frosting with hairdryer. Frosting must be light and fluffy. If cream has a curdled appearance, it is a sign that it is too cold.
Set aside 3 pineapple slices for decoration. Cut remaining pineapple in small pieces.
Place a cooled cake layer on a serving platter. Remove parchment paper.
Spread frosting on cake layer and top with half of cut pineapple pieces. Cover with a thin layer of frosting.
Top with second cake layer and repeat with frosting and pineapple. Cover with remaining cake layer.
Frost cake on sides and surface keeping some frosting for rosettes. Press coconut onto cake.
Place remaining frosting in a piping bag fitted with a medium star tip and pipe a circle of rosettes on cake.
Decorate with pineapple pieces.

Imperial Sugar Insight

This recipe originally appeared in the 1940 edition of Aunt Cora's cookbook.

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Opportunity Cake with Pineapple Frosting