I found the recipe for the yeast free fruit cake, written in pencil and discolored, on a piece of paper inside the phone book that belonged to my Zia Anna. I immediately remembered our summer holidays and how she served us this delightful cake immediately upon our arrival. My auntie Anna offered it with peaches, but it can also be made with other fruits such as pineapple or strawberries.
Here, you’ll find Zia Anna’s recipe – just like she used to make it. But be careful: After the first slice, it’s almost impossible to stop!
Zia Anna’s recipe for yeast free fruit cake
Ingredients:
For the cake:
6 eggs
1 ½ cups | 180 g powdered sugar
1 cup | 120 g sifted flour
1 ½ tbsp | 20 g softened butter
1 untreated lemon, juice and peel
salt, a pinch
For the peach cream:
1 ¼ cups | 3oo ml milk
6 tbsps sugar
3 tbsps flour (or starch)
4 large peaches (or 5-6 if small)
Method:
Separate the egg yolks from the egg whites. Transfer the yolks to a bowl with the sugar and whip using an electric mixer until spongy and thick. Add the grated peel and lemon juice to the mixture. Whip the egg whites until stiff peaks form and set aside. Add the pinch of salt to a bowl and gently pour in the sifted flour, followed by the egg whites in several stages, incorporating them from bottom to top with a spatula. Bake the cake in a buttered cake tin for 40 minutes in a static oven preheated to 390°F (200°C) or 355-375°F (180-190°C) if ventilated. Use a toothpick to pierce the center and see if it’s baked evenly. Let cool.
Now, the peach cream. Warm the milk and use a little to mix in with the flour. Blend 3 peaches with the sugar – setting 1 or 2 aside for garnish). Add them to the milk and cook gently for 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and add the melted flour. Continue cooking for 10 minutes on low heat or in a bain-marie for 15 minutes. Add the melted butter and let cool.
Cut the cake in half and fill it with the peach cream. Or use it to cover the cake and decorate with peaches in thin slices. Finally, if you like, add some tufts of fresh whipped cream.