Crema de fruta is a popular Filipino dessert or snack which consists of layers of sponge cake, sweet custard, canned fruits and finished off with gelatin glaze on top. It is usually served during Christmas time but can be enjoyed the whole year round.
I have seen other versions of this traditional cake. Some use graham crackers or lady fingers as the base instead of the sponge cake. Others use whipped cream instead of the custard and some use fresh fruits instead of the canned ones. Whichever version of crema de fruta you make, they will surely satisfy your sweet cravings.
I am not fond of cakes but crema de fruta is one of those cakes that I love to indulge with. Eating a slice of this fruit cake brings back fond memories of me eating it as an after-school snack. I never thought I would be able to make this at home and enjoy it with my family. Making the cake soft and fluffy, getting the right texture and consistency for the custard were some of the challenges I faced. After plenty of painstaking hours of testing, I finally was able to create a crema de fruta that I am proud to share with you all.
Ingredients:
To make the sponge cake:
- Dry ingredients – cake flour, salt and sugar
- Wet ingredients – egg yolks, water, vegetable oil and vanilla extract
- Meringue – egg whites and sugar
To make the custard:
- Milk – fresh milk or evaporated
- Egg yolks
- All-purpose flour – serves as thickener
- Sugar
- Water
- Vanilla extract
To make the gelatin glaze:
- Unflavored gelatin powder
- Water
- Fruit cocktail juice
- Sugar
Toppings: canned fruit cocktail and maraschino cherries
How to make Crema de Fruta:
The first step in creating this colorful dessert/snack is to make the base layer, the sponge cake. First, whisk the dry ingredients together in a medium bowl. Then, mix the egg yolks and the rest of the wet ingredients in a separate bowl. After that, add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients until combined and set aside. Next, whisk the egg whites and sugar until stiff peaks form. Fold the egg white mixture into the cake batter, a third at a time. Then, pour the cake batter into an 8-inch baking pan lined with parchment paper and bake in the preheated 350 degree oven for 30 to 35 minutes. Cool the cake, remove from the pan and cool completely on a wire rack.
To prepare the sweet custard, heat the milk and then set aside. Nex, whisk together the egg yolks, flour, sugar and water until smooth. Whisk the hot milk slowly into the flour mixture. Sift the mixture into a clean pan and then cook further until thick. Afterwards, add the vanilla extract. Transfer the mixture into a bowl to cool.
To make the gelatin glaze, dissolve the gelatin powder in water. Add the gelatin mixture to the boiled mixture of reserved fruit cocktail juice and sugar. Set aside to cool.
The final step is to assemble the layers. First transfer the cooled sponge cake into an 8-inch glass container. Spread the sweet custard over the cake and then cover the custard with the drained canned fruits and cherries. Finally, pour the gelatin mixture over the fruits. Place the cake in the fridge to chill for 6 hours or overnight.
Tips:
- The eggs should be at room temperature.
- Separate the egg yolks from the egg whites carefully.
- In making the sponge cake, do not over-mix when you are folding in the egg white mixture (meringue) into the cake batter.
- In making the custard, slowly add the hot milk into the egg-flour mixture while whisking constantly. This step will prevent the eggs from scrambling.
Crema de Fruta
Ingredients
For the Sponge Cake:
- 1 cup cake flour
- 1/8 tsp salt
- 1 cup sugar , divided
- 3 large eggs , at room temperature, divided
- ¼ cup water
- ¼ cup vegetable oil
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
For the Custard:
- 1 1/4 cups milk
- 2 egg yolks
- 3 tbsp all-purpose flour
- ¼ cup sugar
- ¼ cup water
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
For the Toppings:
- 1 ½ cup canned fruit cocktail , drained
- 15 pieces maraschino cherries
For the Gelatin Glaze:
- 1 tbsp unflavored gelatin powder
- ¼ cup water
- 1 cup reserved fruit cocktail juice
- 2 tbsp sugar
Instructions
To make the sponge cake:
- Preheat the oven to 325 degree F. Line the bottom of an 8-inch cake pan with parchment paper.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the cake flour, salt and ¾ cup sugar. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, beat together 3 egg yolks, water, oil and vanilla extract until just combined. Add the flour mixture and beat until well combined. Set aside.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with whisk attachment, add 3 egg whites and beat on medium-high until foamy. Gradually add the remaining ¼ cup sugar and beat until stiff peaks is achieved, about 3 to 5 minutes.
- Using a spatula, gently fold in the egg white mixture into the batter, a third at a time. Fold in until well combined. Do not over-mix.
- Pour the cake batter into the prepared pan and bake for 30 to 35 minutes or until a cake tester comes out clean. Let the cake cool in the pan then remove from the pan by sliding a knife around the edges. Transfer to a wire rack and remove the parchment paper. Cool completely.
To make the custard:
- Heat the milk in a small pan to just below boiling point. Remove from the heat.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the egg yolks, flour, sugar and water until smooth and lump-free. Gradually pour the hot milk into the sugar mixture, whisking constantly.
- Sift the mixture once into a clean pan. Cook on medium heat, stirring until the custard is thickened, about 5 to 8 minutes. Stir in the vanilla. Transfer to a bowl and set aside to cool. Cover with a plastic wrap, making sure the plastic touches the entire top surface of the custard to prevent a skin from forming.
To make the Gelatin Glaze:
- In a small bowl, dissolve the gelatin in water. Set aside.
- In a saucepan, whisk together the reserved fruit cocktail juice and sugar. Bring to a boil. Stir in the dissolved gelatin. Set aside to cool.
To assemble:
- Transfer the sponge cake into an 8-inch square glass baking dish.
- Spread the custard evenly over the sponge cake.
- Cover the custard with the drained fruit cocktail and maraschino cherries, making sure the fruits and cherries are evenly distributed.
- Pour the gelatin mixture on top and allow to set in the refrigerator for at least 6 hours or overnight.
- Serve cold.
Nutrition
I remember my grandma always made this for us when we were little. Now we’re the ones making this for our families on occasions. Especially during christmas.