If you're looking to make something special with fruits but don't want a heavy dessert, this recipe is definitely worth trying. I've made it many times, especially when I have fruits on hand or some leftover jam that I want to use up. It's a cake that turns out light, is quite easy to assemble, and features a cream made with white chocolate and whipped cream. The base is simple but gains flavor from the jam, lemon, and blueberries. The semolina topping really matters for the texture – don't skip it.
Quick Info
Total time: approx. 2 hours (including cooling)
Preparation time: 40 minutes
Baking time: 35-40 minutes
Servings: 20-24 small pieces (depending on how you cut them)
Difficulty: medium
Recipe type: homemade fruit cake, suitable for platters or festive days
Ingredients
Base:
6 eggs
6 tablespoons sugar
1/2 packet baking powder
1 pinch of salt
1 pinch of turmeric (for color)
3 tablespoons apricot jam
6 tablespoons sparkling water
Juice of 1/2 lemon
10 tablespoons flour (sifted)
4 tablespoons fresh or thawed blueberries
2 tablespoons semolina
Cream and decoration:
500 ml liquid cream (like Hulala)
100 g white chocolate
50 g milk chocolate
1 packet gelatin
2 oranges
1 large peach from a can
5 kiwi fruits
50 g blueberries
A little red food coloring (for decoration)
White and pink heart-shaped decorations
Instructions
1. Preparing the base
Crack the eggs and separate the egg whites from the yolks. Beat the egg whites with a pinch of salt until stiff peaks form.
In a separate bowl, mix the yolks with the sugar and baking powder. The mixture should lighten in color and increase in volume.
Add the apricot jam, turmeric, and lemon juice to the yolks. Mix gently on low speed. Gradually incorporate one tablespoon of sparkling water at a time, mixing continuously on low speed.
Set aside the mixer. Use a wooden spoon to fold in the beaten egg whites, mixing gently to preserve the air in the foam. Gradually sprinkle in the flour and fold it in without overmixing.
Prepare a baking tray (approx. 25x35 cm): grease it with oil and dust it with flour.
Pour the batter into the tray. Sprinkle the semolina evenly over the top. Add the blueberries on top, letting them fall gently without mixing them into the batter. Place them directly over the semolina.
Put the tray in a preheated oven at 170°C for 35-40 minutes. The base is done when it passes the toothpick test.
Remove the tray and let the base cool completely in the tray.
2. Preparing the cream
Peel the fruits: oranges, kiwi, and canned peach. Cut everything into small cubes. Set aside.
Pour half of the liquid cream into a small saucepan. Break the white and milk chocolate into pieces and add them to the cream.
Place the saucepan over low heat, stirring constantly until the chocolate is completely melted. Be careful not to bring it to a boil. If it gets too hot, remove it from the heat and stir until smooth. Let it cool, then refrigerate to firm up a bit. This is important for whipping the cream later.
Hydrate the gelatin in 50 ml of cold water. Let it swell for a few minutes, then melt it in a double boiler until it becomes liquid.
Once the chocolate cream has cooled well (it should be cool to the touch), whip it with a mixer on high speed. While mixing, add the liquefied gelatin and the remaining liquid cream. Continue mixing until it thickens and becomes a fluffy cream.
Set aside 6 tablespoons of cream. In this, you will add red food coloring for decoration.
Mix the rest of the cream with the diced fruits and blueberries.
3. Assembly and decoration
Spread the fruit cream over the cooled base in the tray. Level it with a spatula and refrigerate for at least an hour.
Remove the cake from the refrigerator, trim the edges, then cut it into squares or rectangles, as preferred. Place the pieces on paper liners.
Take the reserved cream, mix it with the red food coloring, and decorate each piece as desired. Sprinkle with white and pink heart decorations for the final touch.
Why I make this recipe often
It has a light texture, isn't too sweet, and pairs well with any fruits you have on hand. The base doesn’t dry out, and the cakes can be kept in the fridge without losing flavor. It's great for platters and is easy to adjust for more or fewer servings.
Tips and Variations
Tips
Don't skip cooling the cream before whipping it; otherwise, it won't set.
Use fruits cut into small cubes so that each slice is easy to eat.
When making the base, don't overmix after adding the flour and egg whites to maintain the airy texture.
If you want the cake to look nice when cut, clean the knife blade after each cut.
Substitutions
The apricot jam can be replaced with another stone fruit jam, but not one that is too tart.
Milk chocolate can be replaced with white chocolate for a lighter-colored cream.
If you don’t have fresh blueberries, you can use frozen ones, but make sure to drain them well beforehand.
Variations
For a different flavor, you can add vanilla to the cream.
Oranges can be replaced with other citrus fruits, but be sure to remove the peel to avoid bitterness.
If you don’t want colorful decorations, you can leave the cream white and just use fruits for appearance.
Serving Ideas
The cakes keep best on cold platters or metal trays. They are suitable for festive days or assorted platters with small desserts. They can also be served directly from the tray if you don't want a special presentation.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. Can I use a different cream than Hulala?
Yes, any plant-based cream that whips firmly will work, just make sure it's cold.
2. Do I have to use food coloring for decoration?
No, it's just for appearance. You can leave the cream plain or top it with extra fruits.
3. Can I add other fruits to the cream?
Yes, you can use other seasonal fruits, just make sure they are not too juicy.
4. If I don’t have powdered gelatin, can I use sheets?
Yes, use the equivalent amount for 500 ml of liquid, hydrate, and melt the same way.
5. What should I do if the base sinks in the middle?
This usually happens if the flour and egg whites are overmixed or if the oven isn’t hot enough.
Nutritional Values
Estimation for a small serving (approx. 70 g):
Calories: 120-140 kcal
Protein: 2-3 g
Fat: 6-7 g
Carbohydrates: 15-17 g
These are approximate calculations, as the type of chocolate, cream, or fruits can influence the values. The cake isn't very fatty but does contain sugar and carbohydrates from the fruits and base.
Storage and Reheating
Store in the refrigerator, covered, for up to 3 days. Do not reheat. If using fresh fruits with a lot of juice, try to consume it quickly to avoid excess moisture in the cream.
This is how I make this cake at home, with everything that matters for a good result.
Quick Info
Total time: approx. 2 hours (including cooling)
Preparation time: 40 minutes
Baking time: 35-40 minutes
Servings: 20-24 small pieces (depending on how you cut them)
Difficulty: medium
Recipe type: homemade fruit cake, suitable for platters or festive days
Ingredients
Base:
6 eggs
6 tablespoons sugar
1/2 packet baking powder
1 pinch of salt
1 pinch of turmeric (for color)
3 tablespoons apricot jam
6 tablespoons sparkling water
Juice of 1/2 lemon
10 tablespoons flour (sifted)
4 tablespoons fresh or thawed blueberries
2 tablespoons semolina
Cream and decoration:
500 ml liquid cream (like Hulala)
100 g white chocolate
50 g milk chocolate
1 packet gelatin
2 oranges
1 large peach from a can
5 kiwi fruits
50 g blueberries
A little red food coloring (for decoration)
White and pink heart-shaped decorations
Instructions
1. Preparing the base
Crack the eggs and separate the egg whites from the yolks. Beat the egg whites with a pinch of salt until stiff peaks form.
In a separate bowl, mix the yolks with the sugar and baking powder. The mixture should lighten in color and increase in volume.
Add the apricot jam, turmeric, and lemon juice to the yolks. Mix gently on low speed. Gradually incorporate one tablespoon of sparkling water at a time, mixing continuously on low speed.
Set aside the mixer. Use a wooden spoon to fold in the beaten egg whites, mixing gently to preserve the air in the foam. Gradually sprinkle in the flour and fold it in without overmixing.
Prepare a baking tray (approx. 25x35 cm): grease it with oil and dust it with flour.
Pour the batter into the tray. Sprinkle the semolina evenly over the top. Add the blueberries on top, letting them fall gently without mixing them into the batter. Place them directly over the semolina.
Put the tray in a preheated oven at 170°C for 35-40 minutes. The base is done when it passes the toothpick test.
Remove the tray and let the base cool completely in the tray.
2. Preparing the cream
Peel the fruits: oranges, kiwi, and canned peach. Cut everything into small cubes. Set aside.
Pour half of the liquid cream into a small saucepan. Break the white and milk chocolate into pieces and add them to the cream.
Place the saucepan over low heat, stirring constantly until the chocolate is completely melted. Be careful not to bring it to a boil. If it gets too hot, remove it from the heat and stir until smooth. Let it cool, then refrigerate to firm up a bit. This is important for whipping the cream later.
Hydrate the gelatin in 50 ml of cold water. Let it swell for a few minutes, then melt it in a double boiler until it becomes liquid.
Once the chocolate cream has cooled well (it should be cool to the touch), whip it with a mixer on high speed. While mixing, add the liquefied gelatin and the remaining liquid cream. Continue mixing until it thickens and becomes a fluffy cream.
Set aside 6 tablespoons of cream. In this, you will add red food coloring for decoration.
Mix the rest of the cream with the diced fruits and blueberries.
3. Assembly and decoration
Spread the fruit cream over the cooled base in the tray. Level it with a spatula and refrigerate for at least an hour.
Remove the cake from the refrigerator, trim the edges, then cut it into squares or rectangles, as preferred. Place the pieces on paper liners.
Take the reserved cream, mix it with the red food coloring, and decorate each piece as desired. Sprinkle with white and pink heart decorations for the final touch.
Why I make this recipe often
It has a light texture, isn't too sweet, and pairs well with any fruits you have on hand. The base doesn’t dry out, and the cakes can be kept in the fridge without losing flavor. It's great for platters and is easy to adjust for more or fewer servings.
Tips and Variations
Tips
Don't skip cooling the cream before whipping it; otherwise, it won't set.
Use fruits cut into small cubes so that each slice is easy to eat.
When making the base, don't overmix after adding the flour and egg whites to maintain the airy texture.
If you want the cake to look nice when cut, clean the knife blade after each cut.
Substitutions
The apricot jam can be replaced with another stone fruit jam, but not one that is too tart.
Milk chocolate can be replaced with white chocolate for a lighter-colored cream.
If you don’t have fresh blueberries, you can use frozen ones, but make sure to drain them well beforehand.
Variations
For a different flavor, you can add vanilla to the cream.
Oranges can be replaced with other citrus fruits, but be sure to remove the peel to avoid bitterness.
If you don’t want colorful decorations, you can leave the cream white and just use fruits for appearance.
Serving Ideas
The cakes keep best on cold platters or metal trays. They are suitable for festive days or assorted platters with small desserts. They can also be served directly from the tray if you don't want a special presentation.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. Can I use a different cream than Hulala?
Yes, any plant-based cream that whips firmly will work, just make sure it's cold.
2. Do I have to use food coloring for decoration?
No, it's just for appearance. You can leave the cream plain or top it with extra fruits.
3. Can I add other fruits to the cream?
Yes, you can use other seasonal fruits, just make sure they are not too juicy.
4. If I don’t have powdered gelatin, can I use sheets?
Yes, use the equivalent amount for 500 ml of liquid, hydrate, and melt the same way.
5. What should I do if the base sinks in the middle?
This usually happens if the flour and egg whites are overmixed or if the oven isn’t hot enough.
Nutritional Values
Estimation for a small serving (approx. 70 g):
Calories: 120-140 kcal
Protein: 2-3 g
Fat: 6-7 g
Carbohydrates: 15-17 g
These are approximate calculations, as the type of chocolate, cream, or fruits can influence the values. The cake isn't very fatty but does contain sugar and carbohydrates from the fruits and base.
Storage and Reheating
Store in the refrigerator, covered, for up to 3 days. Do not reheat. If using fresh fruits with a lot of juice, try to consume it quickly to avoid excess moisture in the cream.
This is how I make this cake at home, with everything that matters for a good result.