Sweet Pink Cake for this Christmas? – I usually make simple agar-agar jellies and agar-agar cakes. This time I wanted to go beyond that and make a whole cake with jelly.
Went through a lot of ideas and testing and finally decided on a Pink Ombre Jelly Fruit Cake for Christmas. I just love the sweet pink colour of the Jelly Cake. Not traditional colours but I hope it does bring brightness and joy!
Jelly and Cake taste delicious! – The jelly works like cream and adds freshness and moisture to the cake. The combination of smooth, custard-like jelly and the soft, light cake elevates the flavour of the overall cake. In this recipe, the jelly is intentionally less sweet than the cake, which balances the taste nicely. I added fruits for freshness and tanginess, which enhances the taste of cake overall. Do try this! I hope you like it! Merry Christmas!
EXPLANATION OF KEY INGREDIENTS
Agar-agar
Agar-agar is extracted from seaweed and is plant-based. It works like gelatin and is often used to make jelly, especially in Asia. Being plant based, it has become very popular amongst vegetarians or vegans as a substitute for gelatin. It is odorless and does not contribute much taste to the jelly, perhaps just a slight hint of fragrance.
Agar-agar comes in powder form or strips. You can substitute agar-agar powder with agar-agar strips if preferred.
Jelly Powder
For this recipe, I added Jelly Powder. Agar-agar texture is more stiff. Jelly powder makes the jelly more springy, clearer and more resilient (i.e. less likely to break easily)
The Instant Jelly Powder is made of Carageenan, Konjac Gum and Sodium Citrate (information provided by Bake With Yen staff). Konjac Gum is derived from Konjac plant. As for Carageenan, according to wikipedia “Carrageenans or carrageenins are a family of natural linear sulfated polysaccharides that are extracted from red edible seaweeds. Carrageenans are widely used in the food industry, for their gelling, thickening, and stabilizing properties.”
FLOUR
I used superfine flour in my video for this recipe. You can use plain flour, cake flour or self-raising flour. If you use self-raising flour, don’t need to add baking powder. Superfine flour is basically fine plain flour. The texture of the cake is more fine with this flour. The superfine flour I used is Prima Top Flour.
IMPORTANT COOKING TIPS
IMPORTANT COOKING TIPS FOR THE PANDAN JELLY
- Agar-agar needs to be added to cold/room temperature liquid so that it does not clump up when cooking.
- Mix the agar-agar powder, caster sugar and liquid well so that the jelly powder don’t clump up.
- Cook the jelly mixture on low heat and mix often especially at the beginning while cooking so that the jelly powder does not clump up when cooking
- The jelly liquid needs to be cooked to boiling point to activate the gelling properties
- Remove air bubbles from the liquid to get a smooth jelly texture
IMPORTANT COOKING TIPS FOR THE CAKE
- The bowl you use for the egg whites should be clean. No oil or water. Also no traces of egg yolks in the egg white. If not, the egg whites won’t fluff up well.
- When mixing the batter, do not move in a continuous circular motion. We don’t want to create too much gluten.
- Use a whisk to mix the batter. It will mix in faster and the batter won’t deflate due to too much mixing.
- Don’t over mix the batter, the air bubbles will deflate.
- When beating the egg whites, you can reduce to low speed towards the end of the mixing process so that the cake is more fine and have less air bubbles.
- For the egg whites, beat until you get medium firm peaks.
- The jelly tends to release moisture overtime. So it can make the cake base slightly wet if kept longer than 1-2 days. A slightly less moist cake will balance well with the moist jelly layer. So it’s ok to bake the cake until it’s more dry than usual. The instructions in my recipe for the cake will make a moist cake. But if you are going to keep the cake more than a day or two, you can make a less moist cake. To do that, bake until the top of the cake turns golden brown instead of just brown in colour.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
What is Agar-agar?
Agar-agar is extracted from seaweed and is plant-based. It works like gelatin and is often used to make jelly, especially in Asia. Being plant based, it has become very popular amongst vegetarians or vegans as a substitute for gelatin. It is odorless and does not contribute much taste to the jelly, perhaps just a slight hint of fragrance.
Agar-agar comes in powder form or strips. You can substitute agar-agar powder with agar-agar strips if preferred.
My jelly texture is too soft/firm, can I change the texture?
Yes, you can. The texture of the jelly is based on the ratio of water/liquid to agar-agar powder. So if you prefer softer texture, reduce the jelly powder or vice versa.
Why does my jelly not set?
Not enough agar-agar powder used. Different brand of jelly powder have different liquid to agar-agar powder ratio. Generally the ratio is 1g powder = 100ml liquid but may differ from brand to brand.
Agar-agar starts to activate its gelling properties when the liquid is heated above 80-90°C. So it is necessary to make sure the liquid is cooked until it is boiling. Then leave to cool to room temperature. It will start to solidify below 40°C.
What is the texture of agar-agar?
Agar-agar texture is more stiff compared to gelatin. Hence it is not so jiggly and springy.
HOW TO STORE ?
Unmould just before serving as the jelly tend to release water after unmoulding. They can be stored in the fridge for 2-3 days. They are enjoyed cold.
Troubleshooting – My jelly did not set, what can I do about it?
Step 1 – If it is your first time trying the recipe there is a test you can do. Before pouring into the mold, just scoop up a small portion of the liquid into a small saucer. Place it into the fridge to set. It should take about less than 5 minutes. Check the texture of the jelly. If you are happy with it, the proceed to pour into the mold. If it did not set, add more jelly powder (before adding the powder, dilute it in some room temperature water first), pour into the existing jelly liquid and heat up the liquid again. Redo the test and once you are happy with the texture, pour into the mould
Vice versa, if you find the texture of the jelly is too stiff/hard, add more water into the existing jelly liquid and heat up the liquid again. Redo the test and once you are happy with the texture, pour into the mould
Step 2 – If you have already poured into the mold and eventually find out that it did not set. Don’t throw it away! You can always fix it. Just simply place the liquid into a pot, add jelly powder, mix well and reheat again. Then repeat the above step 1 to test the jelly.
Pink Ombre Christmas Jelly Layered Fruit Cake | Agar-agar Cake | 圣诞水果果冻蛋糕食谱
Ingredients
Kitchen tools:
Ingredients 蛋糕材料:
- 3 egg yolks (3粒蛋黄)
- 40g sunflower oil or neutral tasting oil (40克葵花籽油或中性口味的油)
- 60ml/grams water (60 毫升、克水）
- 80 grams plain/AP flour, superfine or self raising flour（80克中筋面粉面粉、细腻中筋面粉或自发面粉）
- 10g corn starch （10克玉米淀粉）
- 1/4 tsp baking powder (don’t add if use self raising flour) 1/4茶匙泡打粉（如果用自发粉就不用加）
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla essence (1/2 茶匙 香草精)
- 3 egg whites (3 粒蛋白)
- 70g caster sugar (70克细砂糖)
- 1/2 tsp lemon juice (1/2茶匙柠檬汁）
Jelly :
- 600 ml water, room temperature 600毫升水，室温
- 100 grams caster sugar 100 克 细砂糖
- 10 grams agar-agar powder 10克燕菜粉
- 10 grams cornstarch 10 克 玉米淀粉
- 5-6 pandan leaves 5-6片香兰叶
- 400 ml coconut milk or any milk of choice 400 毫升 椰奶或任何的奶
- Pinch of salt 少许盐
Fruits:
- 1 kiwi 1 猕猴桃
- 6-8 strawberries 6-8 个草莓
Jelly Balls:
- 10 grams instant jelly powder 10克速溶果冻粉
- 60 grams caster sugar 60 克 细砂糖
- 450 ml water, room temperature 450毫升水，室温
- 30 grams coconut milk or milk of choice 30克椰奶或自选奶
- 2-3 pandan leaves (optional)
Colour:
- Dragon fruit 火龙果
Instructions
- First, let's make the cake. If you don’t feel like making the cake, you can buy any sponge cake.
- Separate egg yolks from egg whites. Set them aside. For the egg whites, make sure the bowl has no water or oil. There should also be no traces of egg yolks in the egg whites.
- Add oil and water into a mixing bowl. Give it a good mix. Then sieve in flour, cornstarch and baking powder into the mixing bowl. (In this video, I used superfine flour. The texture of the cake will be more fine. You can also use all purpose flour or self-raising flour. If you use self-raising flour. You don't have to add baking powder). While mixing, don't move in a continuous circular motion as we don't want to create too much gluten. Mix until you get a smooth batter. There should be no clumps of dry flour. Set it aside.
- Then beat the egg whites on medium speed. When it starts to foam up, add sugar and lemon juice. Add the sugar in 3 batches. Beat until you get to a medium firm peak. The egg whites will also look shiny and glossy. Don't over beat the egg whites.
- Add 1/3 of the beaten egg whites into the egg yolk batter. Use a whisk to mix. Don't move in a (continuous) circular motion. Then add the batter into the remaining egg whites. Use a whisk to mix in. Then use a spatula to fold it in gently just to make sure the base is well mixed in. Pour into the mould. Tap the mould on the table to release air bubbles. Then with a fork or chopstick, place it into the batter and move in a zig zag motion to release any remaining air bubbles.
- Bake in pre-heated oven at 140°C for 40 minutes. Then increase to 160°C bake another 160°C for 10 minutes or until the top of the cake turn brown or golden brown. Let it cool down before slicing. To test whether it is fully baked, insert a skewer into the middle of the cake, if it comes out clean (i.e no wet batter) or with just a few crumbs, it is done.
- Cut the fruits into thin slices and set aside.
- Now let’s make the jelly. Place the water, sugar, agar-agar powder, cornstarch and pandan leaves into a pot. Mix well so that there are no clumps while cooking. Cook on low heat until it boils. While cooking, mix often especially at the beginning so that there are no clumps formed. Then add coconut milk and pinch of salt. Cook on lowest heat (stir constantly) until it starts to steam (Do not boil it, the coconut milk will split).
- Now, let's assemble the cake. Pour 120 grams of the jelly mixture into the mould. Then let it cool until it starts to thicken. Remove air bubbles if any
- When it thickens and forms a film at the top, place the cake on top. Don’t let the jelly set for too long, the layers won’t stick. Then add slices of kiwi on top of the cake. Reheat the liquid until it starts to steam again. Stir constantly. Pour 240 grams jelly liquid.
- Repeat the same process. When it starts to form a film at the top (if the liquid sticks a little to your finger but not runny, it’s fine)(Note: don’t wait until the jelly set completely, the layers won’t stick), place a layer of cake on top. Add strawberry on top of the cake layer.
- For the remaining jelly liquid in the pot, add dragon fruit or food colouring to get a light pink tone. Heat up the liquid on low heat until it starts to steam again. Scoop up 240 grams jelly liquid and pour into the mould.
Repeat the same process, I’m going to add more dragon fruit to get a darker tone. Remove air bubbles for each layer of jelly, if any. Let it set completely. Then chill in the fridge for 2-3 hours. - While waiting, let’s make the jelly balls for decoration. Please watch video on how to make the jelly balls.
- Once the cake is ready, unmould. Secure the jelly balls with some toothpick. Then add gold leaves.
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