Quick and good vanilla cake with fruits
Vanilla fruit cake is an excellent choice for moments when you want to impress friends or family with a delicious and elegant dessert. This cake is not only quick and easy to prepare but also very versatile, as it can be adapted according to the season of the fruits or personal preferences. The subtle aroma of vanilla perfectly combines with the sweetness of the fruits, creating a contrast of textures and flavors that delights the taste buds.
To prepare the vanilla fruit cake, start by gathering all the necessary ingredients. You will need 200 grams of butter at room temperature, 250 grams of sugar, 4 eggs, 300 grams of flour, 1 packet of baking powder, 200 milliliters of milk, a teaspoon of vanilla extract, and a pinch of salt. Choose your preferred fruits; strawberries, raspberries, blueberries, or even fresh peaches are ideal for adding a touch of freshness to the cake.
The first step in preparing this cake is to preheat the oven to 180 degrees Celsius and prepare a baking tray by greasing it with butter and sprinkling flour to prevent sticking. In a large bowl, combine the butter and sugar, mixing well until you obtain a creamy and homogeneous mixture. Add the eggs one at a time, ensuring they are fully integrated before adding the next. At this stage, also add the vanilla extract, which will enrich the cake's aroma.
In another bowl, mix the flour, baking powder, and salt. Start incorporating the dry ingredients into the butter and egg mixture, alternating with the milk, gently mixing until everything is well combined. Once you have obtained a homogeneous batter, transfer it to the prepared tray, leveling it evenly.
To create an attractive appearance, add the cut fruits on top of the batter, gently pushing them into the batter. Then, place the tray in the preheated oven and bake the cake for 30-35 minutes or until it turns golden and a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean. Allow the cake to cool in the tray for 10 minutes, then transfer it to a wire rack to cool completely.
For a final touch, you can caramelize some fruits for decoration. In a small saucepan, melt the sugar until it turns into caramel, then add the fruits and gently stir to coat them evenly. Arrange the caramelized fruits on top of the cooled cake and, if desired, sprinkle a little cinnamon or powdered sugar for a more festive look. This vanilla fruit cake not only looks spectacular but is also delicious, making it the perfect choice for holidays or any special occasion. Enjoy each slice with your loved ones!
The 4 egg yolks are mixed with sugar, butter, and vanilla sugar until homogeneous (2-3 min.). Cold milk is added and then gradually flour (the flour is mixed with a whisk to avoid lumps). It’s not a problem if the ingredients do not mix properly, if the butter separates from the milk. It’s normal. Then the beaten egg whites are incorporated (the egg whites are mixed quite well into the mixture) along with diced fruit, and the mixture is poured into a greased and floured baking dish. The egg whites that rise above are smoothed out with a spoon as much as possible. It is baked at a moderate heat for 90 minutes and cut only after it cools down. The fruit slices are placed in a pan with a bit of butter and covered with sugar, left on the heat until all the sugar has melted, mixed well to ensure they are all coated in melted caramel, and then taken out onto a sheet of parchment paper to harden. I did not include the baking time in the preparation time. What attracted me to this cake (I make it very often) is the simplicity of preparation, the short preparation time (until it goes into the oven), and last but not least, the fact that it comes out like a cream puff, with cream in the middle (it’s very tasty, my 6-year-old son loves it). After it cools down well, the vanilla and fruit cake is dusted with powdered sugar (optional) to make it look better, decorated with caramelized fruits, cut into squares, placed on plates, and served with a spoon. Enjoy your meal!
Ingredients: 4 eggs, 300g granulated sugar, 500ml cold milk (from the fridge), 2 packets of vanilla sugar, 1 pack of butter or margarine, 12 tablespoons of flour, fruit cubes, sugar for caramelized fruits, slices of fruit
