Dominican cake is the center of every Dominican celebration. No wedding, baptism or birthday is complete in the Dominican Republic without our delicious traditional cake. The traditional Dominican cake has a baked-in pineapple filling, but you can use other fruits that are suitable for this purpose (strawberries, orange, peach) or use pastry cream.

Volumes can be written about this cake, and have in fact already been written (check our forums). This cake seems to be the ultimate test for the expert Dominican cook, and however daunting, and confusing the instructions might look to the novice cook, let me assure you, if you follow the instructions carefully you will succeed.

If you are not familiar with this recipe, or it is the first time preparing it, please see our Tips and Tricks article about it. Because of the high volume of help questions regarding this recipe, we would like you to please post your help questions in the Help Forum, not before you check our archives by using our Search Feature. It is very possible that your question has already been answered before.

Time: 90 Mins
Difficulty: Advanced
Serve: 8 people

Before starting to cook: Grease and flour two 1.5 -inch deep by 8 inches in diameter baking pans. Heat up the oven to 350 °F (175 °C). Mix the flour and baking powder and sift together. Put aside.

Ingredients:

• 1/4 lb (110 grams) of creamed butter
• 1/4 lb (110 grams) of margarine
• 1 pinch of grated lime peel
• 1 cup of orange juice
• 1/2 lb (220 grams) of all-purpose flour
• 1/2 lb (220 grams) of sugar
• 2 tablespoons of vanilla extract
• 2 teaspoons of baking powder
• 3 eggs
  ~ For the meringue
• 5 egg whites
• 1/2 cup of sugar (for the caramel)
• 2 1/2 lb (1 kg) of powdered sugar, sifted (for the merengue)
• 1/2 cup of water
• 1/4 teaspoon of salt
• 1/2 teaspoon of cream of tartar (optional)
  ~ For the filling
• 4 cups of pineapple, cut into cubes
• 1 cup of water
• 1 cup of sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon of vanilla extract

Preparation:

1. To prepare the filling: Mix all the ingredients together and simmer covered over very low heat until the pineapple is tender and you obtain the consistency of marmalade. Stir often to avoid scorching. Cool to room temperature. Reserve.
   
2. To prepare the cake batter: Beat together the margarine, butter and sugar until it is light and fluffy and has a very light yellow color (about 4 mins). One by one add the eggs and continue beating about a minute after adding each new egg. Slowly add the lime peel, and vanilla. Add one third of the juice, when it is well mixed add one third of the flour. Repeat adding the flour and juice in thirds and keep whisking until all is well-mixed before adding the next third. As soon as you've stopped mixing the last batch of flour turn off the mixer, you should have obtained a fluffy batter with a smooth and even consistency.
   
3. Pour half the pineapple filling on each baking pan. Make sure you do not disturb the cover of butter and flour. Pour in half the batter in each one. Bake until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean (about 30 mins). While the cake is baking prepare the meringue.
   
4. To make the meringue: Prepare the caramel by boiling sugar and water over very low heat until it reduces to a quarter of the original quantity. Make sure it doesn’t burn. In the meantime whisk the egg whites in a glass or stainless steel bowl until it forms peaks. Slowly add the sugar until it is completely mixed. Add the salt and cream tartar while still whisking. Very slowly pour the caramel into the mixture while beating at high speed until all is well mixed.
   
5. Cool down cakes to room temperature. Cut any crust that might have formed. Join both cakes filling-side in. To decorate the cake spread the meringue on top and around the cake, add decoration according to your taste and skills.

Cake for 40 people.
how do I know the amount of ingredients to use for a larger cake?

Multiplying the ingredients by 5? Just a guess, I've never baked cake that size.

I've made some additions to the recipe, mostly on how to make the meringue. Please post your help requests in the Help Forum.

nice i like how you spread your feeling out of the dominican food

this is a larger cake than it looks. I doubled the recipe and baked it in a rectangle pan. When done I cut it in half, added pineapple filling and iced.

Go girl! That looks yummy, but I have something bad to say about it: I didn't get to try it. :(

What did it taste like?