Bizcocho Dominicano (Dominican Pineapple Meringue Cake)
Local name: Bizcocho dominicano
In short: Two tender vanilla butter cake layers filled with cooked pineapple and covered in fluffy white meringue frosting. A Dominican party cake. It takes about 1 h 35 min in total and makes 12 servings.
- Prep
- 1 h
- Cook
- 35 min
- Resting
- 2 h
- Total
- 1 h 35 min
- Servings
- 12
- Difficulty
- Challenging
- Calories
- 470 kcal
Bizcocho dominicano is the cake served at Dominican birthdays, weddings and baptisms: a moist vanilla butter cake split into layers, filled with sweet pineapple filling and covered in a snowy meringue frosting. The pineapple adds a bright tartness and the frosting is light and marshmallowy. Bakers often decorate the top with piped rosettes or sprinkles. The cake slices cleanly after an hour in the refrigerator.
Instructions
- Heat the oven to 175°C (350°F). Grease two 20 cm (8 inch) round cake pans and line the bases with parchment.
- Whisk the flour, baking powder and salt together. In a large bowl, beat the butter and sugar for 4 to 5 minutes until pale and fluffy. Beat in the eggs one at a time, then the vanilla and lime zest.
- Add the flour mixture in three parts, alternating with the milk, mixing just until combined.
- Divide the batter between the pans and level the tops. Bake for 28 to 32 minutes, until golden and a skewer comes out clean. Cool in the pans for 10 minutes, then turn out onto a rack and cool completely.
- For the filling, simmer the pineapple with its juice and the sugar in a saucepan for 8 minutes. Stir in the cornstarch mixture and cook for 1 to 2 minutes until thick and jammy. Stir in the lime juice and cool completely.
- For the frosting, whisk the egg whites, sugar and cream of tartar in a heatproof bowl set over a pan of simmering water for 4 to 5 minutes, until the sugar dissolves and the mixture reaches 71°C (160°F).
- Take the bowl off the heat and beat with an electric mixer for 7 to 10 minutes, until stiff, glossy peaks form and the bowl feels cool. Beat in the vanilla.
- Set one cake layer on a plate. Spread the pineapple filling over it, leaving a 1 cm (1/2 inch) border, and top with the second layer.
- Cover the top and sides of the cake with the meringue, swirling it into peaks with the back of a spoon. Chill for 1 hour before slicing.
Tips
- Make sure the filling is completely cool before spreading it, or it will melt the frosting and soak into the cake.
- Frost the cake on the day it will be served, because meringue frosting weeps after about 24 hours. The layers and filling can be made ahead.
Questions and answers
Can I make Dominican cake ahead of time?
Bake the layers up to 2 days ahead and wrap them tightly, and make the filling a day ahead. Frost on the day of serving, since meringue frosting is best fresh.
Is the meringue frosting safe to eat?
Yes. The egg whites are heated to 71°C (160°F) over simmering water before whipping, which makes the meringue safe.
Can I use fresh pineapple for the filling?
Yes. Use 400 g (14 oz) finely chopped fresh pineapple with 120 ml (1/2 cup) of water and simmer about 5 minutes longer. Canned crushed pineapple is simpler and more consistent.
How long does it take to make Bizcocho Dominicano (Dominican Pineapple Meringue Cake)?
About 1 h 35 min in total: 1 h of preparation and 35 min of cooking.
How many calories are in Bizcocho Dominicano (Dominican Pineapple Meringue Cake)?
About 470 kcal per serving, with 7 g of protein, 70 g of carbohydrates and 18 g of fat. These values are estimates.
Nutrition per serving
| Calories | 470 kcal |
|---|---|
| Protein | 7 g |
| Carbohydrates | 70 g |
| Fat | 18 g |
| Fiber | 1 g |
| Sugar | 50 g |
| Sodium | 240 mg |
Estimated values, calculated from the ingredients.
