This Lady Fingers Fruit Cake is extremely easy to make and a very refreshing dessert. I love it because it’s very light, not overly sweet and perfect for any occasion! Also, it’s a no-bake cake that requires just a few ingredients: fresh or canned fruits, whipping cream, some eggs, gelatine and lady fingers. My mom used to make this cake quite often when I was a kid. In Romania it’s called “Tort Diplomat”. There are different variations of the recipe but, most of the time, the cake filling is made using whipped cream set with gelatin and mixed with fruit pieces (pineapple, oranges, mandarins, kiwi and others).
Ingredients (12-16 servings)
- lady fingers (400 g)
- 8 eggs
- 16 Tbsp sugar
- 40 g gelatine, softened in 350 ml water
- 750 ml whipping cream
- 1 can of pineapple chunks (350 g) – save the pineapple juice to moist the lady fingers
- 400-500 g fruits, cut into small cubes (I used 1 orange, 2 kiwi fruits, 1 banana). Toss the banana pieces in 1-2 tablespoons of lemon juice so that they don’t oxidize / become brownish.
- Extra fruit slices for decorating the cake (optional)
You also need a springform pan, 26.7 cm (10.5 inch) in diameter, lined with plastic wrap. Allow wrap to extend over the edge of the pan as you’ll use this to cover the cake
Directions
Read the steps below or watch this video tutorial to see how to make this Lady Fingers Fruit Cake.
Cut your fruits into small cubes. Don’t forget to toss the banana pieces in 1-2 tablespoons of lemon juice so that they don’t oxidize / become brownish.
Place the eggs and sugar in a metal bowl over a pot of boiling water and beat until the mixture becomes thick and creamy. Note that once the water starts boiling, you need to turn the heat to low. Also, the water should not touch the bottom of the bowl.
At the same time, in a small bowl, soften the gelatine in 350 ml water for at least 10 minutes. Then place the bowl in pot with hot water until the gelatine is completely dissolved. The gelatine should be dissolved by the time your egg and sugar mixture becomes thick and creamy. You can also melt the gelatine in the microwave, 10-5 seconds at a time, until all the gelatine granules are dissolved.
Remove the egg mixture from the heat and let it cool off just a bit. Then, add the melted gelatine. Keep stirring for half a minute or so to make sure the gelatine is incorporated into the mixture.
Dip one side of each lady finger in the pineapple juice (from the can). Line the sides of the springform pan with lady fingers, with the dry sides facing outwards. Lady fingers absorb moisture very rapidly so you need to dip them quickly (do not over soak). Don’t forget to line the pan with plastic wrap!
Beat the whipping cream with an electric mixer until soft peaks form. Combine the whipped cream with the warm egg mixture. If the mixture is too “soupy” let it sit for a few minutes to allow the gelatine to start setting a bit; stir once in a while. Then, add the pineapple chunks and fresh fruits and mix to combine.
Then, pour the cake filling into the pan. Dip one side of a few lady fingers in pineapple juice and place them on top of the cake, with the moist side down. Carefully cut off the top part of the lady fingers with a sharp knife. Cover the cake with plastic wrap and refrigerate it for at least 4 hours or overnight.
Lastly, uncover the cake and invert the pan onto a serving platter. Decorate it as desired.
Voilà!
Reteta iese cu lapte. Cam 500 ml. Se încheagă de la gelatina, nu îți fie frica. De asemenea, folosește numai gălbenușurile. Nu și albușurile! Acestea se gatesc și schimba textura cremei. Încearcă, va fi mult mai fina.
Hi there,
I tried a similar recipe that didn’t come out very well. I ran across your recipe and would like to make another attempt as your recipe looks very promising.
There are two things though that I would like to understand better.
First, you say regarding the gelatin, “Then place the bowl in pot with hot water until the gelatin is completely dissolved”. Is the bowl with gelatin supposed to be placed in a separate pot with hot water than the one with the egg mixture? This is a bit confusing.
Second, regarding combining the whipped cream with the warm egg mixture, and not letting the egg mixture chill too much, doesn’t the warmth of the mixture melt the whipped cream and make it more runny?
Thanks
Hi Iulia,
1. Yes, the bowl of gelatin is supposed to be placed in a separate pot (or a bigger bowl) with hot water. Not the one with the egg mixture. The purpose of this is to melt the gelatin (should be in liquid form) before you actually add it to the egg mixture.
2. If the egg mixture is warm (not hot) it shouldn’t make your whipped cream runny.
I hope this helps!
Cred ca in reteta initiala, dupa ce se freaca ouale cu zaharul se adauga si lapte …altfel iese o papara cu zahar pe foc.
E posibil sa fie si cu lapte in alte retete dar eu fac crema numai cu zahar si oua si iese buna. Exact la fel fac si crema pt torturi la care se poate adauga unt, cacao, nuca macinata etc…. crema pe baie de aburi se poate taia daca nu o bati cum trebuie.
Honestly I have just attempted this cake and it the mixture turned out nothing like it was supposed to. I have followed your receipe exactly the way you have instructed. Not sure if you used the whole egg or just yolk. As I had to try both ways. The texture is nothing like you’ve said. The egg and gelatin started to seperate right away. Nit sire if you put two layers of lady fingers on top because you’ve only inidicated one and it looks like two. Unfortunately this is going to be a dessert for a family dinner and now it’s to late for a back up. Not sure what is wrong here just kinda frustrated now.
Not quite sure what went wrong for you… I used the whole egg and there is only one layer of lady fingers on top, as indicated in the recipe. Perhaps your egg mixture was too cold when you combined it with the gelatin?! Or the gelatin was not dissolved completely or it was too cool?!
luv this recipe! this was my favorite cake growing up…haven’t had it in 13 yrs!
Glad to hear you love this recipe…it’s time to get in the kitchen and make that cake. Let me know how it turns out 🙂
Salut!
Nu obisnuiam sa gatesc variatiuni pe tema data mai ales in materie de diplomat pe care pana la 35 de ani nu l-am gatit niciodata … cum sotiorul din dotare si fiica mea sunt lesinati dupa, recent am testat reteta ta – cunosti, probabil, rezultatul… MULTUMIM FRUMOS , a fost foarte foarte bun!!! Urmeaza sa trisej de ziua lui bebe care face un anisor in cateva zile, si un strat din cele doua ale tortului va fi de diplomat cu fructe, al doilea de vanlie … sa poata papa si bebeii.
Ma mai zgaiesc pe aici, sigur gasesc ceva care se face repede si usor si e gustos … ca timp, din pacate, nu am.
Salutari din Budapesta, relocata fiind eu de 2 ani 🙂
Ma bucur ca a iesit bun si ca i-ai facut pe sotul si fiica ta fericiti :). La multi ani lui bebe si sa va aduca numai bucurii!
Daca mai testezi retete sa-mi spui cum ti-au iesit.
p.s. am trecut in fuga prin Budapesta anul trecut… am fii vrut sa avem mai mult timp sa vizitam orasul ca e superb… cel putin in poze 🙂
Stii ce…? Desi nu este chiar de reclama, am sa indraznesc sa iti arat si cum a iesit in final (dai tu singura click stanga sau dreapta, dupa caz, ca sunt 2 poze :-))) )
Cel de bebe il fac mai ingrijit – asta a fost un test …
Deja stiu ce mai testez, dar nu saptamana asta ca arde treaba imprejur…. Multumim frumos!
https://picasaweb.google.com/anca.alexia/Bb912Mths#5586208844199263298
Ti-a iesit fain, imi place ideea cu fundita. Am vrut sa pun si eu la tortul asta dar nu am avut nimic potrivit la indemana la mom respectiv. Merci ca mi-ai aratat pozele…. cred ca esti prima care imi incearca retetele si imi arata si rezultatul final 🙂
Spor la bucatarit cand iti gasesti timp!
Hello again!
Au trecut 2 luni aproape si nu am aratat ce a iesit … crede-ma ca bebe a fost in delis, la fel si restul beneficiarilor … singurul complaint a fost ca tortul, mare cat ditai tava, a fost prea greu de carat de la masina la locul petrecerii ….
https://picasaweb.google.com/anca.alexia/BirthdayParty1Year#5599151849214342082
Acum mai incerc, vineri, de ziua dragului tati inca o varianta, cu fructe prrrrroaspete si cu un strop de alcool 🙂
Caulifloweru’, sarut mana, tocmai l-am papat … speechless 🙂
Imi place cum l-ai ornat / personalizat pt ziua lui bebe si intradevar imens tortul. A fost cat bebele de mare : ))?
La multi ani si sotului, buna ideea ta cu putin alcool…. probabil ca o sa ii incante si mai mult papilele gustative :).
Super arata si cred ca a fost si delicios.Am si eu o reteta asemanatoare: 5 oua, 1 cana zahar, 1 cana lapte, coaja rasa de la 2 portocale si 1 plic gelatina (canile sunt din cele mari de 250 ml).Se fierb la baie de aburi si la sfarsit se adauga gelatina topita.Cand este rece se amesteca cu 1 l de frisca batuta in prealabil.Si mie mi se pare ca se aseaza mai usor dc nu amestec fructele si atunci peste stratul de piscoturi pun fructele taiate cubulete si apoi un strat de crema si tot asa. In general eu il fac intr-o tava dreptunghiulara dar o sa incerc si varianta ta.
Am facut si reteta ta cand eram in Romania….. o am de la Carmen :). O sa o mai incerc cu prima ocazie.