Italian Mimosa Cake

First of all, we prepare the vanilla cream and let it cool for 5-6 hours, of which at least 2-3 hours in the refrigerator.

In a heavy bottom saucepan, pour 250 ml of milk, 250 ml of heavy whipping cream, one teaspoon of vanilla essence and 150 g of sugar. Mix well and place over heat until it starts to boil.

In a bowl, beat well with a whisk two eggs and 65 g of flour, making sure there are no lumps.

When the milk mixture starts to boil, remove from the heat and add it gradually to the egg and flour mixture, pouring half a ladle at a time. Mix quickly and thoroughly after each time, so that the eggs won't turn into omelette.

Return the egg and milk mixture to the saucepan and place back over heat. Stir continuously with the whisk all this time, until the cream begins to boil and thickens visibly. Make sure lumps do not form, mix properly.

Move the cream into a bowl, cover with plastic bag or cling film, so that the top won't form a skin as it cools.

Leave like this for a few hours at room temperature, then for another 2-3 hours in the refrigerator.

Meanwhile, remember to put 300 ml of heavy whipping cream in the fridge. We'll use that later, but it must be cold.

We prepare the sponge cake while the cream cools.

In a large bowl, combine seven eggs with 180 g of sugar, a teaspoon of salt, the grated zest from half a lemon and, optionally, 0.5 teaspoon of curcuma/turmeric.

Mix everything well at maximum speed for ten minutes (using a hand mixer or a stand mixer), until the batter becomes fluffy and increases in volume about three times.

Add in here 160 g of flour and 50 g of cornstarch. Stir with a spatula, with slow movements, until fully incorporated.

I also mix with the whisk a few more times, to help the lumps break up more easily.

Pour the sponge cake dough into a 26-28 cm diameter springform pan, lined with baking paper.

Carefully, hit the pan against the table several times, or shake it 3-4 times in the same direction, to release large air bubbles.

Bake in the preheated oven at 160 degrees C for 40-45 minutes, or until it passes the toothpick test.

Do not open the oven during the first 15 minutes of baking. When it's done, turn off the heat and leave in the hot oven, with the door closed, for another 15 minutes.

You'll notice that, while baking, the top forms a dome shape, which usually sinks back when the cake starts to cool, then it becomes perfectly straight.

Leave it to cool in the pan for at least 4-5 hours. Slide a thin knife around the edge of the pan.

Remove the sides of the pan and see the exemplary sponge cake you have now.

If you make the cream and the cake at the same time, both will cooled and you'll will be able to assemble the cake.

We start assembling the cake.

With a long knife, cut the sponge cake into 3 thin layers. We'll use the top and bottom as such.

But we will use the middle layer to make that fluffy coating that covers the cake.

Trim off the browned edges, so as not to spoil the nice yellow color.

Cut the middle layer into cubes, as small as possible.

Open the can of pineapple and let drain in a sieve.

Reserve the juice for soaking the cake.

Cut the pineapple rings into small pieces.

Now we have two cake layers, the sponge cubes, plus the pineapple pieces and the juice.

In a large bowl, beat 300ml of heavy whipping cream, until firm peaks form.

To this cold whipped cream, add the cold vanilla cream, little at a time. Mix well with the mixer or whisk after each addition.

We get a delicious cream that holds its shape very well.

Place the first cake layer on a platter. Soak with pineapple juice and spread over about half of the vanilla cream.

Notice that I put baking paper under the sides of the cake. This way, I won't smear the plate and I won't have to wipe it at the end.

Spread half of the pineapple pieces over the top.

Place the second cake layer. Brush with pineapple juice.

Spread the top and sides of the cake with the rest of the cream.

Sprinkle over with the remaining pineapple pieces.

Place the sponge cake cubes over the entire surface.

At the end, gently press with your palms, so that they stick better to the cream and won't scatter when handling the cake.

Cover with cling film and refrigerate for at least 8 hours, so that all the flavors blend together.

Now serve and savour. It's super fluffy, light, fresh and tasty.

Enjoy!