My blog is a reflection of my life and the people who made a difference in it. I spent the first 20 years of my life in Poland, forging lasting friendships with many individuals who were there for me in times when I needed a friendly shoulder to lean on. One particular recipe that holds a special place in my heart is this cake, shared with me over 30 years ago by my dear friend from Poland, Madzia. This delightful 3-layered cake comprises a sponge cake base, a luscious custard pineapple filling, topped with coconut meringue, and generously coated with a decadent chocolate glaze. Whether for a special celebration or just to enjoy on your own, this cake promises an explosion of flavors that are sure to delight your palate. I hope you savor it just as much as I do.

Yield: 20-24 slices

Ingredients: TO MAKE A SPONGE CAKE

• 5 large eggs, room temperature

• 1 cup all purpose flour or cake and pastry flour

• 1 cup sugar

• 1 tsp baking powder

• 1 tsp white vinegar 10%

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 356°F or 180°C.

2. Line a baking pan (size:9x13inch or 23x33cm) with parchment paper. Lightly brush with oil.

3. Separate egg whites from yolks.

4. Whisk egg whites with sugar to a stiff consistency.

5. Mix egg yolks with baking powder and vinegar. Add to egg white mixture.

6. Sift flour and add to egg mixture. Gently mix with the hand spatula until well combined . Do not over mix.

7. Add cake batter to an oiled baking sheet.

8. Bake for 30 minutes and check it using a wooden toothpick. If the cake is ready, the dough should not stick to the toothpick.

9. Let the cake cool off on the rack.

Ingredients: TO MAKE A COCONUT MERINGUE

• 4 egg whites, room temperature

• 200g unsweetened shredded coconut

• 1 cup sugar

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 356°F or 180°C.

2. Line a baking pan (size:9x13inch or 23x33cm) with parchment paper. Lightly brush with oil.

3. Whisk egg whites with sugar to a stiff consistency.

4. Gently fold in the coconut.

5. Bake it until meringue topping starts to brown and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, 20-25 minutes.

6. Cool for 25 minutes (meringue will crisp as they cool).

Ingredients: TO MAKE PINEAPPLE BUTTER FILLING

• 1 Can crushed pineapple (398ml)

• 4 egg yolks

• 1 package Dr. Oetker vanilla pudding( this is a cooked pudding)or Custard powder also called Crème Anglaise

• 1 tablespoon flour

• 250g soft unsalted butter(best quality if possible as it will enhance the flavor)

• 1 shot vodka or rum(optional)

Instructions:

1. Strain a can of crushed pineapples.

2. Obtained juice will be used to make vanilla pudding. If you haven’t managed to get 1 full cup of juice, add water to make up for it.

3. Preparation of pudding: In a small glass bowl mix 1/4 cup of juice with pudding powder, 1 tbsp sugar and 1 tbsp flour and stir until smooth. Boil 3/4 cup of pineapple juice and remove from the heat. Stir in prepared mix and whisk it well. Put back the pudding on the stove and let it cook for 1 minute until it boils stirring constantly. Pour pudding in a bowl and let cool.

4. Whip egg yolks in a bowl above simmering water (also known as a double boiler) until light and creamy.

5. Cream the butter, add egg mixture and prepared pudding and finally crushed pineapples. Add 1 shot of rum. Mix it until fluffy.

Cake Assembly: building your cake

1. Make a cake syrup to moistened the sponge cake. You will need 1/4 cup sugar, dissolved in 1/4 cup water and 1/4 cup any of your flavor extract such as lemon juice, pure vanilla or rum/brandy or any liqueur. Bring the mixture to boil and set it aside to cool.

2. Soak the sponge cake evenly with the syrup. You can use a bottle spray or just brush.

3. Coat the top of the sponge cake with the pineapple butter cream using a palette knife or spatula. Distribute the cream evenly.

4. Cover the cake with the coconut meringue.

5. Make chocolate glaze if you wish or you can leave the cake as it is. The chocolate glaze is simply made by melting good chocolate. I used a chocolate with 60% of cacao. Break the chocolate into chunks and put into a heatproof bowl. Place this over over a pan of simmering water—you need enough water to come close to the bottom of the bowl but not actually touch it. Turn the heat very low so that you don’t get steam into the bowl, as this can make the chocolate stiffen and look dull. Let the chocolate melt slowly, stirring all the time. Remove from the heat. I suggest you use it as a drizzle as it will be easier to cut the cake. I must admit a used too much of melted chocolate. Unless you want to add 1 tablespoon butter to the glaze to be less solid. Make sure the butter is melted and brought to the same temperature as melted chocolate otherwise it can cause the chocolate to seize.

6. Drizzle melted chocolate over the cake. Refrigerate the cake over night. It will taste delicious the next day and the day after!

   Enjoy it!