Pineapple Short Cakes

This is a simple treat which should appease both the kid & adult crowd alike!!! While the following procedure calls for the regular baking steps, this can also be prepared with the instant cake mix that is available. The only thing you would have to note during this is where they call for use of water, substitute it with pineapple juice. The sweet factor for these shortcakes are quite subtle, so one need not worry about any excesses here!!

Ingredients

• 125 gms plain flour
• 250 gms granulated sugar
• 5 eggs separated
• A pinch of salt
• 1 tsp. baking powder
• 1 tsp. vanilla essence
• 1 cup pineapple fined chopped ( I used Delmonte Canned pineapples)
• 1 cup whipped cream

Preheat oven to 180°C.

Grease a 9 inch round cake pan and line with a parchment paper.

Sift the flour and baking powder together in a bowl 3 times.

In a bowl, beat egg yolks and sugar with a help of a hand mixer/electric mixer until its pale yellow in colour.

In another bowl, whip the egg whites till stiff peaks form. Add egg whites to the yolk mixture; add vanilla essence and ½ cup of pineapple and beat for a minute until combined.

Now, carefully stir in the flour and do not beat. With a spatula or a spoon, fold in the flour until combined. Don’t just stir, but fold. Make sure the bottom of the bowl doesn’t have any flour mixture left. Take your time and fold in… It takes around 5- 8 minutes.

Pour into the cake pan and bake for about 15-20 minutes until a tooth pick inserted comes out clean.

Transfer to a wire rack and let cool completely.

Meanwhile when the cake is cooling, to the whipped cream add the rest of the pine apple bits and mix completely. Chill for an hour.

OPTION 1-When the cake is cool enough to handle, with a cookie cutter, cut the cake into small circles. You will get a small miniature cake. Divide that cake and spread a tbsp. of cream in the middle and top with the other half. Just like sandwiching the cake with cream.

Option 2- You can just spread the cream on the cake and serve it just like that.

Now how easy was that!!!!! Easy, tasty !!!!!