Grilled Seasonal Stone Fruit Milk Cake

Milk Cake with Roasted Fruits

A fluffy cake topped with roasted plums is not only a stunning centrepiece dessert, it’s also mouth-wateringly good. Created by UK-based recipe creator and photographer Suze Morrison (gourmetglow), this cake is soaked in sweet milk so each slice is not only light and airy it’s also incredibly moist. Topped with plums that've been roasted in the high heat of an Ooni oven until charred and juicy, it’s sure to be a festive stunner.

We think of this as a cross between a classic American angel food cake (which is sponge made without the use of butter) and a milk-based tres leches cake, giving the best combination of texture and taste. The cake's airiness is thanks to the inclusion of whipped egg whites, and it rises up in the cake tin just like angel food cake. Cooked until golden brown, it’s then covered in a combination of evaporated, condensed and full fat milk and is left to rest until it’s completely soaked through, like a traditional tres leches cake.

Of course, this cake wouldn’t be complete without the inclusion of roasted fruit–we’ve chosen plums here, but really, any stone fruit will do. Cooked in a cast iron skillet, the fruit gets wonderfully blistered, charred and extra juicy.

Pro tip: Suze takes the juice left over from the fruit after roasting and drizzles it over the cake, sort of like a fire-roasted coulis; a sauce made from fruit or vegetables, and in this case, luscious plums.

Difficulty

Servings

6 to 8

Prep Time

3 hours

Cook Time

55 minutes

By Suze Morrison

Note

Pro tip: Suze takes the leftover juice and drizzles it over the cake, similar to a fire-roasted coulis – a sauce made from fruit or vegetables.

Method

1. Begin with the cake.

Grease and line a 9-inch springform tin with butter and then lightly dust with flour. Set aside in the fridge. Preheat your home oven to 160°C.

2. Whip the egg whites into soft peaks and add the sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time, making sure each tablespoon is dissolved before adding the next.

The end result should be a glossy meringue with stiff peaks.

3. Whisk in the egg yolks one by one.

4. In a small bowl, whisk together the evaporated milk with the dulce de leche and vanilla seeds.

Pour this into the egg mixture and carefully mix through.

5. Sift the baking powder and flour over the mixture and very gently fold them in with a spatula, taking care to keep as much air in the batter as possible by folding together until just combined.

Tip: Overmixing will deflate the batter and lessen the rise in the oven.

6. Using a flexible spatula, put the batter into the springform tin and smooth the top.

7. Bake on the middle shelf of your home oven for 40 to 50 minutes or until risen, light golden in colour and with no wobble.

A skewer inserted into the centre of the cake should come out clean. Remove and cool for 5 minutes before carefully turning out onto a wire rack.

8. Allow to cool for a further 20 minutes, then mix the milks together.

9. Place the cooling rack on top of a baking sheet or place the cake onto a plate with edges that can hold in any excess liquid.

10. Perforate the cake with holes using a skewer to make small but noticeable holes and pour over ¾ of the soaking liquid.

11. Place the cake in the fridge, covered, for 1 to 2 hours, to allow the flavours to mature.

12. Preheat your Ooni to its lowest setting for around 5 minutes, aiming for a temperature of 250°C.

Mix the plums (and any other fruit you’re using) with the sugar and star anise and set snugly into a roasting tin or cast iron skillet so that the plum halves are touching, cut side up.

13. Roast for 5 to 7 minutes until lightly charred but still maintaining their shape.

14. Remove from the oven; with a fork, mash down 2 or 3 plums into the roasting liquids to make a coulis.

15. Allow to cool a little, around 15 minutes.

16. Carefully spoon the roasting juices and mashed fruit, discarding the star anise, on top of the cake.

Then top with the roasted fruit. Tip: As you’ll see in the photo; Suze likes to add figs and a few other fruits for decoration. Feel free to add or leave out. It will be delicious either way!

17. Drizzle the final ¼ of the soaking liquids over the cake just before serving.

18. Serve with fresh cream (we recommend chantilly cream which is slightly sweetened or creme anglaise; you can also add Madagascan vanilla ice cream or cinnamon ice creams!).

Suze Morrison

UK-based recipe writer, chef and food photographer Suze Morrison (gourmetglow) combines artistic touches to distinctive flavor combinations for tasty, beautiful dishes.

Equipment