Description
This nostalgic Old-Fashioned Pink Jelly Cake features soft sponge cakes dipped in strawberry jelly and rolled in coconut, then sandwiched with whipped cream. It’s a delightful treat combining fluffy cake, fruity jelly, and creamy filling for a refreshing and visually appealing dessert.
Ingredients
Scale
Cake Batter
- 80g butter, softened
- 1/2 cup (110g) caster sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 egg
- 2/3 cup (160g) milk
- 1 cup (130g) self-raising flour, sifted
Jelly
- 85g packet strawberry jelly crystals
- 1 cup (240g) boiling water
- 1 cup (240g) cold water
Coating and Filling
- 3 1/2 cups (280g) desiccated coconut
- 1 cup (240g) whipped cream
Instructions
- Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 175°C (fan-forced) ensuring it reaches the right temperature for even baking.
- Prepare Tin: Lightly grease two 12-hole patty-pan tins to prevent the cakes from sticking during baking.
- Cream Butter and Sugar: In a large bowl, cream together softened butter, caster sugar, and vanilla extract until the mixture is pale and fluffy to incorporate air for a light texture.
- Add Egg: Add the egg and beat it in thoroughly to combine it smoothly with the creamed mixture.
- Fold in Milk and Flour: Gently fold in the milk and sifted self-raising flour alternately in two batches, taking care not to overmix to keep the batter airy.
- Fill Patty-Pan Holes: Spoon the batter evenly into the prepared patty-pan holes, filling each just below the top to allow for rising.
- Bake Cakes: Bake in the preheated oven for 15–18 minutes or until golden and a skewer inserted comes out clean, indicating doneness.
- Cool Cakes: Let the cakes cool in the tin for 5 minutes to firm up, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely, preparing them for the jelly coating.
- Prepare Jelly: Dissolve the strawberry jelly crystals in boiling water, stir in cold water, and refrigerate until partially set, about 1–2 hours, creating a thick jelly for coating.
- Dip Cakes in Jelly: Using a slotted spoon, dip each cooled cake into the jelly mixture, allowing excess jelly to drip off for an even coat.
- Roll in Coconut: Roll each jelly-coated cake in desiccated coconut to get a sticky, textured and flavorful outer layer.
- Assemble Cakes: Spoon whipped cream onto one half of a jelly-coated cake, then sandwich it with another half to create the layered finished treat.
- Chill Before Serving: Refrigerate the assembled cakes for 30 minutes to set the cream and enrich the flavors before serving.
Notes
- Ensure the jelly is only partially set before dipping cakes to achieve a good coating without the jelly being too liquid or too firm.
- The whipped cream filling can be sweetened slightly if desired for extra sweetness.
- Serve chilled for best texture and flavor contrast.
- Use self-raising flour to avoid the need for additional leavening agents.
