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–+ servings
California Fruit Cake

Vanilla Custard Cake

California Fruit Cake is loaded with custard & iced up with a light almond buttercream, sliced toasted almonds& all the fresh fruits of the season

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Prep Time 2 hours
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 2 hours 30 minutes
Servings 12

Ingredients
  

For the Yellow Cake Batter:

  • 1½ cups Plant Milk 355ml
  • 1½ Tbs White Vinegar
  • ½ cup Vegan Butter 113g
  • ½ cup Vegetable oil 117ml
  • 1¾ cup Granulated Sugar 350g
  • ½ teaspoon Salt
  • 3 teaspoon Vanilla Extract 15ml
  • 2 cups All Purpose Flour 250g
  • 1 cup Cake Flour 120g
  • 2 teaspoon Baking Soda

For the Custard:

  • 2¼ cups Plant Milk 533ml
  • ¾ cup Granulated Sugar 150g
  • 6 Tbs Cornstarch 48g
  • ¼ teaspoon Turmeric *optional for color
  • 1½ Tbs Vegan Butter 21g
  • 1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract 5ml

for the icing & garnish

  • 1 Recipe your favorite buttercream
  • 1 teaspoon Almond Extract
  • ¾ cup Sliced toasted almonds for garnish
  • Assorted fresh or canned fruits of your choice
  • ¼ cup Apricot Jam ¼ cup *optional see notes above

Instructions
 

  • Grease & Parchment line 2-8" cake pans Preheat the oven to 350℉
  • First prepare the cake by combining the vegetable oil with the melted vegan butter add the vanilla extract & set aside
  • Combine the plant milk with the vinegar& let stand for 5 minutes to thicken. *soy milk is the only plant milk that will thicken but you can use any milk you like best
  • Sift all the dry ingredients together in a large mixing bowl, including the sugar.
  • Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients in the mixing bowl & whisk smooth (this will be the plant milk mixture & the butter/oil mixture)
  • Pour the batter into the greased & parchment lined pans& bake immediately in the preheated 350°F oven for 15 minutes, then turn the open temperature down to 325°F to bake the rest of the way, approximately 15 minutes more or when you gently press the centers they are springy to the touch. Or do the toothpick test for moist crumbs.
  • Cool in the pans until you can safely touch without burning yourself then turn the cakes out onto a cooling rack to cool the rest of the way.
  • Meanwhile prepare the buttercream recipe according to the instructions on that recipe post be sure to add the almond extract at the last stage of mixing
  • Next prepare the custard: combine all the ingredients except for the vanilla extract & the vegan butter in a medium sauce pot & cook over medium to high heat whisking constantly as you bring to a boil
  • Once it starts to bubble let it boil on low heat for about 10 seconds.
  • Remove from the heat & add the vegan butter & vanilla extract ~ stir until melted & smooth.
  • Once the cakes are completely cooled (I Like to refrigerate mine for several hours to make sure they are very COLD)
  • Build the cake with a ring of buttercream to hold in the custard filling.
  • Crumb coat & then ice final icing with the almond buttercream
  • Decorate the edge with sliced toasted almonds & arrange the fruits on top. Melted apricot jam with 1Tbs of water will help to keep the fruits shiny & fresh

Notes

Be sure to read all the notes for success above the recipe 
Storage California Fruit Cake must be kept refrigerated at all times and will stay fresh for about 6 days wrapped loosely to prevent drying. I do not freeze cakes filled with custard as they turn soggy & the custard will crystallize
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!