Carajillo Christmas Cake with Orange Vanilla Custard & Brandy Fruit Mix

A Christmas celebration cake with a Spanish inspired twist. Queen vanilla, orange and brandy flavours combine
with espresso in this fresh take on a seasonal cake. Layered with delicious orange vanilla custard and fruit mix.

Recipe by Queen Professional Brand Ambassador & Pastry Chef Angelica Iuliano

Prep

40 minutes, plus cooling and infusing

Cook

1 hour

Portions

1 x 8" round cake

Download Recipe

Vanilla Orange Yoghurt Cake

(Prep: 10 min Cook: 35 – 45 min)
2 eggs
150mL vegetable oil
270g yoghurt
2 tsp Queen Pro Natural Orange Extract
1 tsp Queen Pro Organic Vanilla Bean Paste
350g self raising flour
357g caster sugar
2g salt

Coffee Brandy Soak

(Prep: 5 min Cook: 5 min)
300mL espresso
100mL Queen Pro Natural Brandy Flavour
100g caster sugar
1 cinnamon stick

Brandy Soaked Fruit Mix

(Prep: 10 min Infuse: 24 hours)
100g sultanas
100g raisins
100g golden raisins
2 apples
100g red glace cherries
100g currants
1 tsp mixed spice
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp Queen Pro Natural Orange Extract
300mL Queen Pro Natural Brandy Flavour
50g caster sugar

  1. For the cake; preheat oven to 160°C. In a bowl, whisk together eggs, vegetable oil, yoghurt, orange extract and vanilla bean paste. Sift self-raising flour, salt and sugar over the top. Mix until cake batter is formed.
  2. Pour into 8” round cake tin. Bake for 35-45 minutes or until a skewer comes out clean when poked through the center. Allow cake to cool before removing from the cake tin. Slice cake in half lengthways and set aside until ready to assemble.
  3. For the coffee brandy soak; bring espresso, brandy flavour, caster sugar and cinnamon stick to a simmer. Poke vanilla cake with a skewer and brush coffee brandy soak over both halves.
  4. For the fruit mix; mix all ingredients together in a bowl. Place bowl in the fridge for 24 hours to soak and infuse all the flavours. Put the fruit mixture into a saucepan and simmer gently for about 5-10 minutes, until fruit becomes soft and syrup reduces. Allow to cool and set aside.
  5. For the orange vanilla custard; split the vanilla bean pod lengthways and scrape out the seeds. Heat milk, vanilla bean including seeds, cinnamon stick and orange extract in a saucepan.
  6. Mix sugar and cornflour in a bowl, make a well in the middle and place yolks in hole. Temper yolk and dry mixture by adding some of the hot milk over the yolks and whisking until smooth. Add yolk mixture into the saucepan and continuously whisk until bubbles begin to appear on the surface and a thick consistency is achieved. Strain immediately into a bowl, place cling wrap over the top to prevent a skin forming and cool in the fridge for 30 minutes.
  7. Once chilled, place custard into a bowl and whisk by hand or on a machine until smooth.
  8. To assemble the cake; pipe a good layer of custard on top of the first cake half, then top with half of the fruit mix. Place other cake half on top and spread remaining custard over the top of the cake and sprinkle on remaining fruit mixture. Dust with icing sugar and serve.

Products used in this recipe

Natural Orange Extract 500 mL

1-96-000206

Organic Vanilla Bean Paste with Vanilla Seeds 320 g

1-96-000264

Natural Brandy Flavour 500 mL

1-96-000157

Vanilla Bean Pods 10 Pack

1-96-000537

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