Raspberry Punch Cake

It’s hard to believe I’ve been doing this blogging thing for 2 years now. I would have completely forgotten about my blog’s 2nd Birthday, only I was looking for something in my previous posts and I stumbled at my very first post and it had a 3/2/2010 date and I was like ..on no, that’s next week!

Thanks to you, all my wonderful readers I’ve made it this far, your comments, emails, words of encouragements, they all keep me going and I’m still doing what I really enjoy and for that I THANK YOU.

To celebrate I also have a couple of giveaways planned, so stay tuned, they are coming later in the week.

Last year I skipped the whole cake thing and so this year I decided to dig deep into my recipe box and make one of my favorite childhood desserts – Fruit Punch Cake Bars, I took a traditional dessert bars and made into a round cake.

Raspberry Punch Cake

Sponge Cake Layers

10 eggs, separated egg white and egg yolks

pinch of salt

6tbl warm water

3cups (300grams) powdered sugar

2cups(300 grams) all purpose flour

2tsp vanilla extract

1tsp cocoa(optional)

Raspberry Punch Syrup

1 1/2 to 1 3/4 cups(375-385)grams) sugar

2cups frozen raspberries

2 1/2 cups water

1/4 cup raspberry jam

Juice of one lemon

1/3cup to 1/2 cup of Light Rum or use 1- 2 + tbl Rum Flavor Baking Emulsion from LorAnn Oils

Optional : few drops of Tropical Punch Flavor

Glaze

3tbl raspberry punch syrup

2tbl light rum or use 1tsp a flavoring mixed with 1 1/2 tbl water

2 1/2cup (250grams) powdered sugar

Raspberry Jam for filling

Preparation

Preheat oven to 350F. Butter and flour 8 inch round pan, you can also use 9 inch pan, but cake won’t be as tall. Line the bottom of the pan with parchment paper and butter the parchment , or you can use Pam Spray as well. Set the pan aside

Sponge Cake Layers

In a clean bowl of your mixer whip the egg white with a pinch of salt until stiff but not dry, gently scrape the meringue into a large bowl and set aside.

Sift flour into a bowl and set aside.

Into the same bowl you used to whip the egg whites, add egg yolks and all the powdered sugar, start on low speed, beat until pale in color and doubled in volume, about 5 minutes or so. Gradually increase speed as all the powdered sugar is absorbed by the egg yolks. Add vanilla extract, beat till combined.

To the egg yolk mixture gradually add 6 tbl warm water, reduce speed to medium and beat well after each addition of water.

Into the egg yolk mixture fold in flour and meringue you prepared earlier. Sift about 1/3 of the flour into the egg yolk mixture, fold it in with a silicone spatula, add about 1/3 meringue and fold that in, continue with remaining flour and meringue.

Measure about 1 1/2 cup of sponge cake batter into the 8 inch cake pan, gently spread the batter with spatula and bake for 10 minutes, or until edges are lightly brown. Remove from the oven, invert onto a wax paper and then gently invert cake onto a cooling rack. Proceed with remaining sponge cake batter.

Once you are ready to bake the last sponge cake layer add 1tsp dark cocoa to the remaining sponge cake batter and gently fold it in.(OPTIONAL) Bake as usual.

Let all the layers cool completely.

Prepare Raspberry Syrup

In a medium size sauce pan, cook together, raspberries, sugar, water, raspberry jam and lemon juice. Cook until raspberries are falling apart. 10-15 minutes. Once done, strain the syrup through a fine mesh strainer to remove seeds, set aside to cool completely. Once cooled add rum or rum flavoring.
Set aside 3tbl of syrup for the glaze.

Filling the Cake

Have the syrup and sponge cakes ready

Use seedless raspberry jam
Spread generous amount of jam on the first cake layer
Place another cake layer on top, poke small holes into sponge cake layer
Pour generous amount of raspberry punch syrup onto the the cake, until soaked
Follow with placing another cake layer on top of the soaked layer, spread generous amount of jam on top
If you made chocolate layer(optional) place the cake on top,(if you optioned for vanilla sponge cake instead of chocolate use that one) poke small holes in and once again soak this layer with raspberry punch syrup
Place another cake layer on top, poke holes in and soak the layer with syrup, also spread generous amount of jam on top
Place the last sponge cake layer on the top
Gently wrap the cake into plastic wrap so it doesn’t dry out
Place a piece of wax paper on the top
Put a little weight onto the cake
Let rest the whole cake in the fridge overnight

Glazing the Cake

In a small bowl beat together : 3tbl raspberry syrup, 2tbl light rum or use 1 to 2 tsp rum flavoring mixed with 1 1/2 tbl water ad 2 1/2cup (250grams) powdered sugar.Beat for 5 minutes.

Pour glaze directly onto the cake and spread with the spatula. Led the glaze drip from the sides, it doesn’t have to perfect. Let the cake rest in the fridge for an hour or so, until the icing sets. Cut the cake and enjoy. Store in the bakery box or in a plastic box in the fridge.