Bolo Ginja9 (Ginja9 Cherry and Cream cake)
by Jeremiah Duarte Bills
This cake is a wonderful and delicious way to enjoy Ginja9 in a dessert! I adapted my quintessentially Portuguese Orange Cake (bolo de laranja) recipe to show off Ginja9. Out went the oranges and in came cherries (fresh or frozen), a dash of cinnamon and lots of whipped cream as a filling. Of course the cakes are lightly soaked with Ginja9! The cake is composed in the style of a British Victoria Sandwich with naked sides and filling exposed between the layers. You can finish the top with a homemade stencil in the shape of a Ginja9 heart or simply dust the entire surface with powdered sugar. I promise you and your guests will cry for more!
Ingredients:
4 large eggs, separated (120 grams whites, 75 grams yolks)
1/2 tsp cream of tarter or lemon juice (optional)
125 grams (9 tbsp) unsalted butter, slightly softened
250 grams (1 + 1/4 cup) sugar
118 grams (1/2 cup) water (and any juice left from defrosting frozen cherries if using)
250 grams (1 + 3/4 cup) bleached all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp fine sea salt
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
59 grams(1/4 cup) whole milk, room temperature
280 grams (2 cups) fresh or defrosted frozen cherries
Cake soak:
158 grams (2/3 cup) Ginja9 Liqueur
Filling:
350 grams (1 + 1/2 cups) heavy cream, cold
4 tbsp powdered sugar
2 tbsp Ginja9
1 tsp vanilla extract
Garnish:
parchment paper
powdered sugar
Method:
by Jeremiah Duarte Bills
This cake is a wonderful and delicious way to enjoy Ginja9 in a dessert! I adapted my quintessentially Portuguese Orange Cake (bolo de laranja) recipe to show off Ginja9. Out went the oranges and in came cherries (fresh or frozen), a dash of cinnamon and lots of whipped cream as a filling. Of course the cakes are lightly soaked with Ginja9! The cake is composed in the style of a British Victoria Sandwich with naked sides and filling exposed between the layers. You can finish the top with a homemade stencil in the shape of a Ginja9 heart or simply dust the entire surface with powdered sugar. I promise you and your guests will cry for more!
Ingredients:
4 large eggs, separated (120 grams whites, 75 grams yolks)
1/2 tsp cream of tarter or lemon juice (optional)
125 grams (9 tbsp) unsalted butter, slightly softened
250 grams (1 + 1/4 cup) sugar
118 grams (1/2 cup) water (and any juice left from defrosting frozen cherries if using)
250 grams (1 + 3/4 cup) bleached all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp fine sea salt
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
59 grams(1/4 cup) whole milk, room temperature
280 grams (2 cups) fresh or defrosted frozen cherries
Cake soak:
158 grams (2/3 cup) Ginja9 Liqueur
Filling:
350 grams (1 + 1/2 cups) heavy cream, cold
4 tbsp powdered sugar
2 tbsp Ginja9
1 tsp vanilla extract
Garnish:
parchment paper
powdered sugar
Method:
- Preheat oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Grease and flour two 9 inch round cake pans (you may also use 8 inch pans but be sure to increase the baking time). Line the bottom of each pan with a circle of parchment paper.
- Place egg whites and optional cream of tarter (or lemon juice) in a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Beat slowly, gradually increasing speed until stiff peaks form. Transfer meringue to a separate bowl.
- Combine butter and sugar in the bowl used for the meringue (no need to wash) and mix with the paddle attachment on medium speed (speed 6) for five minutes until light and fluffy.
- Add yolks and beat on medium high (speed 8) for 1 minute.
- Add water and beat until combined. Scrape sides of bowl as needed.
- Mix flour, salt, baking powder and cinnamon together.
- Add flour mixture all at once. Mix on low (speed 1).
- Add milk and stop mixing when flour is almost all incorporated.
- Using a rubber spatula fold half of the meringue into the batter then the remaining half until no streaks of meringue remain.
- Divide batter evenly between cake pans.
- Scatter 1 cup of cherries evenly over each cake. Using an offset spatula or spoon gently press cherries into batter. There’s no need to cover them because the batter will bake up around them.
- Bake for 30 to 40 minutes until the cake springs back when lightly touched and a toothpick comes out clean.
- Place on wire racks and cool in pan for 10 minutes
- Run a knife around the sides of the pan then turn out and cool.
- Soak the cakes by brushing them with a 1/3 cup of Ginja9 each.
- Allow to cool completely.
- To prepare the filling chill a mixing bowl and the whisk attachment in the refrigerator for 10 to 15 minutes.
- Place the cream in the bowl and beat gradually increasing speed until medium peaks.
- Add powdered sugar, Ginja9 and vanilla.
- Continue to beat until stiff peaks but do not over beat.
- Fit a piping bag with a medium sized round tip or simply cut the tip off the bag. Fill with the cream.
- Invert one cake on a serving platter. Pipe the entire surface with cream. Pipe your best around the edge. This will be visible once the other cake is stacked on top. I like the cream to be as thick as a layer of cake. If your kitchen is warm or your cream soft, place the cake in the refrigerator for the cream to chill and stiffen before placing the second cake on top.
- Carefully place this layer on top of the cream. You want the flat bottom to be the top of the cake.
- To make the Ginja9 heart stencil sketch a heart on a piece of parchment paper the size of your cake pan. Cut out the inside of the heart. Place the stencil on top of the cake and dust powdered sugar in the center. Carefully remove parchment. You may also simply dust the entire surface with powdered sugar.
- Keep refrigerated until ready to serve.
