Bizcocho Mojadito (Puerto Rican Cake)

Recipe Ingredients

*All your ingredients must be at room temperature before using them.

• Eggs- I used 6 eggs that we separated to beat them separately.
• Butter- I use salted butter in the cake because I like the flavor it adds. But you can also use unsalted butter or even margarine.
• Sugar- I use 1 ½ cups of sugar because I think it is the perfect balance of sweetness. But some people use more and less too.
• Almond extract- The almond extract is the typical flavor used, but it is usually an almond emulsion that is used for flavoring. I use the extract because it is what I always have in my house to use in other recipes. Both work well.
• Self-rising flour- I always use self-rising flour, no particular brand.
• Water & sugar- The water and sugar combination make a simple syrup, which is the secret to making the mojadito part of a Puerto Rican cake.

Buttercream Ingredients

• Butter- For the buttercream, I like using unsalted butter. Some people use salted butter, but I would rather not.
• Powdered sugar- I used 2 pounds of powdered sugar, which I think is just the perfect amount. Remember, you need a good amount of sugar because we use shortening.
• Almond extract- I used almond extract to keep the typical flavor. But any flavor you like is fine.
• Vegetable shortening- The shortening is the secret to making a stable buttercream.
• Milk- The milk is used to make the buttercream smoother and less thick.

How to Make A Puerto Rican Cake

• Photo 1: Before starting to make anything, make sure you preheat the oven to 325°F. The first step is to cream the butter with the sugar in a big bowl. After 5 minutes, you’ll see the difference and be ready for the next step.
• Photo 2: We need to separate the egg whites from the egg yolks. Make sure you use a big bowl to put the egg whites in. If you get a little bit of egg white with the yolks, that is fine, but make sure no yolk goes into the egg whites’ bowl.

• Photo 3: We then add the eggs one by one to the butter. We scrape the bowl, add the extract, and mix. Then we add the flour, about ½ cup at a time. Mixing it in just enough. You will still have white spots from the flour, and that’s fine. We don’t want to overmix.
• Photo 4: We take the egg whites and beat them on high heat for about ten minutes. At first, you’ll see a very bubbly mix, then it will start changing color to a white one. It will keep growing in size, but you’ll know they’re ready when you know you can flip the bowl and nothing will fall.

• Photo 5: We then have to fold the cake batter into the egg whites. I do it by adding half of the cake batter first, folding that in, and then adding the rest. Then, we have to add the mix to a pan that is greased and lined with parchment. Bake the cake for 1 hour. Do not open the oven while the cake bakes!
• Photo 6: After cooking the cake, let it cool before unmolding. Then take a large piece of plastic wrap and place the cake on top. Take the cake by the plastic and put it in the mold again.

• Photo 7: In a small pan, add the water and sugar to make our syrup. We have to cook it for 5 minutes on high heat. Then, we let it cool.
• Photo 8: We slowly pour the syrup onto the cake, going around in circles. Do it slow so the cake has time to absorb it. Then, cover the cake with the plastic film. You can put it on the fridge while you make the frosting.

• Photo 9: In a big bowl, add the butter and shortening. Beat on high speed for 5 minutes. Add the almond extract and mix it in. Add half of the powdered sugar and mix it in. Scrape the bowl and add the other half. Your mix will look lumpy by now. Add half of the milk and mix it in, then add the other half. Add the rest of the sugar and beat for 5 minutes. Until smooth and creamy.
• Photo 10: Put a tip to a piping bag and add 2 cups of butter cream. Then, add 2 cups of buttercream on top of the cake. With a spatula, spread the frosting on top and sides of the cake. Then pipe the cake to decorate.