Book a delivery
Total number of items in your trolley: 0. Trolley amount:
Pineapple Rum Baba Cakes

By OcadoLife
If you want to dial up dessert for a special occasion, these exquisite upside-down Pineapple Rum Baba Cakes are guaranteed to wow. They were lovingly created by cake maker and author Lily Jones of Lily Vanilli Bakery:…
Shop for ingredients

Time and servings

Total time
Serves 12602 kcal/serving
Prep time
Cooking time

Ingredients

16 total
  • 1 medium pineapple, topped and tailed, with skin, seeds and ‘eyes’ removed (optional)
  • 300g unsalted butter, at room temperature, plus extra for the tins
  • 150g caster sugar
  • 4 large eggs, separated
  • 4 tbsp pineapple juice
  • 160g wholemeal spelt flour, sifted
  • ½ tsp baking powder
  • 3 tbsp desiccated coconut
  • 1 tsp freshly grated nutmeg
  • ½ tsp ground mixed spice
  • 150g ground almonds
  • 8 tbsp dark rum
  • 300g golden icing sugar, sifted
  • 75ml double cream
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 12 maraschino cocktail cherries (optional)

Method

6 steps

  1. Step 1

    To make the pineapple decorations (if using), preheat the oven to 120°C/100°C fan/gas ½. Cut the pineapple into 4 mm-thick (or thinner) slices, pat dry with kitchen towel, then space out on a baking tray lined with baking paper. Bake for 40 mins; flip and bake for 30 mins more or until dried and just starting to brown on the edges. While still warm, press the slices into a cupcake tin to shape them into fans. Once cool, store in an airtight container until needed.

  2. Step 2

    To make the cakes, preheat the oven to 180°C/160°C fan/gas 4. Grease 12 pudding moulds generously with butter.

  3. Step 3

    Using a stand mixer or electric whisk, beat 200g butter and the caster sugar together for about 4 mins, until light and fluffy. Gradually beat in the egg yolks and 3 tbsp of the pineapple juice, followed by the flour, baking powder, desiccated coconut, nutmeg, mixed spice, almonds and a good pinch of salt. Stir the remaining pineapple juice into the batter.

  4. Step 4

    In a clean bowl, whisk the egg whites to stiff peaks. Gently fold into the batter, a third at a time, then divide the mixture between the moulds. Bake for 20 mins, or until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean. Prick the cakes all over and drizzle with the rum liqueur; leave to cool in the moulds.

  5. Step 5

    For the buttercream, beat the remaining 100g butter for 4-5 mins on high. Add the icing sugar, cream and vanilla (or citrus zest – see intro); beat on low to combine, then on high for 2-3 mins.

  6. Step 6

    To decorate, pipe or spoon buttercream on top of each cake, then add a pineapple fan and/or cherry, if using. The cakes keep for 4 days in an airtight container, or freeze (wrapped and undecorated) for 3 months.