Bake me a cake for the holidays

MANILA, Philippines - It’s the holiday season and you know what it means. It’s cakes galore! Moist cake, spiced cake, and just about any cake you can imagine. The Maya Kitchen shares two special recipes that will show you how to bake decadent creations as gifts to friends and loved ones. They also make a lovely centerpiece for your holiday table.

Creamy moist cake is enveloped with rich butter frosting and topped with sweet mango slices. Spiced cake gives a new twist to the ubiquitous fruitcake made more irresistible by nutmeg, cinnamon, all spice and walnuts.

For more holiday recipes and other culinary tips, visit www.themayakitchen.com or e-mail contactus@themayakitchen.com.

Festive Super Moist Cake

Ingredients:

Cake:

1 pck. (550g) Maya Devil’s Food Cake Mix 550g

1/2 cup     butter, melted

6 pcs.         egg yolks

1/2 cup     water

3/4 cup     mango nectar

1 tsp.            vanilla

6 pcs.          egg whites

1 tsp.         cream of tartar

1/3 cup sugar

1/2 cup diced mangoes

1/2 cup   toasted almond or pili nuts, chopped

Frosting:

1 cup     butter

1 1/4     cups confectioners’ sugar

1/3 cup milk

1 pck.     all-purpose cream

1/3 cup almond or pili nuts (halves) slices of mangoes

Procedure:

Preheat oven to 350ºF. In a large bowl, combine the first six ingredients. Beat until batter is smooth, add diced mangoes. Set aside. Beat egg whites with cream of tartar until soft peaks are formed. Add sugar gradually and continue beating until stiff but not dry. Fold in the batter mixture into the beaten egg whites. Pour mixture into two 8-inch round pans and bake for 15 to 20 minutes or until done.

Cream butter until light and fluffy. Combine sugar, milk, cream and add slowly to the creamed butter. Continue beating until of spreading consistency. Reserve some icing for borders.

Place one layer of cake in a platter. Spread creamed frosting. Top with diced mangoes and sprinkle half of nuts. Top with another layer of cake. Frost top and sides of the cake. Decorate top of cake with borders using reserved icing, arrange slices of mangoes on cake, and sprinkle remaining nuts as desired.