Tropical Bar Cake

Name: A Taste of the Tropics Cake
Prep time: 1 h
Cook time: 1 h 10 min
Yield: 12
Ingredients: 200g Pure Valley salted butter, softened, plus extra for lining; 225g White Mill caster sugar; 4 Lodge Farm free range eggs; 1 tsp White Mill vanilla extract; 225g White Mill self-raising flour; 2 tsp White Mill baking powder; 125ml Farmdale full cream milk; 300g ripe pineapple flesh, thinly sliced; 2 tbsp White Mill icing mixture; 200ml Westcliff pineapple juice; 375g Pure Valley salted butter, softened; 450g Farmdale sweetened condensed milk; Zest of 1 lime; 100g Kensington Pride mango flesh, thinly sliced; Ripe pineapple slices; Lime slices; Golden and/or green kiwifruit wedges or slices; Kensington Pride mango slices; Papaya slices; Handful of Oh So Natural Foods coconut clusters, roughly chopped

How to make Tropical Bar Cake

Prep Time: 1 hour, plus cooling and chilling | Cook Time: 1 hour 10 minutes | Serves: 12

Ingredients

Cake:

200g Pure Valley salted butter, softened, plus extra for lining
225g White Mill caster sugar
4 Lodge Farm free range eggs
1 tsp White Mill vanilla extract
225g White Mill self-raising flour
2 tsp White Mill baking powder
125ml Farmdale full cream milk

Roasted pineapple:

300g ripe pineapple flesh, thinly sliced
2 tbsp White Mill icing mixture
Pineapple and lime buttercream:
200ml Westcliff pineapple juice
375g Pure Valley salted butter, softened
450g Farmdale sweetened condensed milk
Zest of 1 lime

To assemble:

100g Kensington Pride mango flesh, thinly sliced

To decorate:

Ripe pineapple slices
Lime slices
Golden and/or green kiwifruit wedges or slices
Kensington Pride mango slices
Papaya slices
Handful of Oh So Natural Foods coconut clusters, roughly chopped

Method

Cake:

1. Preheat oven to 170°C. Line and butter 2 x 1.2L straight-sided loaf tins.

2. Cream the butter and sugar together until pale and fluffy. Add the eggs, one at a time, followed by the vanilla extract.

3. Stir the self-raising flour and baking powder together and add to the batter, alternating with the milk until everything is fully incorporated, then pour into the prepared tins.

4. Bake for 35-40 minutes or until a skewer comes out clean, covering loosely with foil halfway through if they start to colour too much. Turn out onto a cooling rack to cool completely.

Roasted pineapple:

5. Preheat oven to 200°C. Toss the pineapple in the icing mixture, place in a single layer on a baking sheet and cook for 20 minutes or until tender and slightly sticky. Set aside to cool.

Pineapple and lime buttercream:

6. Reduce the pineapple juice in a small saucepan set over a medium heat for 10 minutes or until syrupy. Set aside to cool completely.

7. Using a stand mixer with a balloon whisk attachment, whisk the butter for 5 minutes or until very light and fluffy, scraping down the sides a few times. Add the condensed milk in small increments, scraping down the sides often, until completely smooth. Add the pineapple syrup and lime zest and mix again.

To assemble:

8. Cut each cooled cake in half horizontally. Place one piece onto a platter. Top with the roasted pineapple in an even layer. Add another slice of cake. Top with about half a cup of buttercream, spreading it out evenly. Top with another piece of cake. Add the mango slices in a single layer, then place the remaining cake on top.

9. Using an offset spatula, cover the top and sides with buttercream and chill until the icing firms up.

10. Decorate with the fruit, sprinkle with coconut clusters and serve in slices.

TIP:

Chilling the cake after icing it allows it to cut more easily.