Sand Cake

I show this kind of cake at a website but as in Portugal some ingredients are difficult to find, I adapted to what I could do. Everyone loved!

Ingredients:

• 6 eggs
• 300 grams sugar (1 1/2 cups)
• 180 grams flour (just under 1 1/2 cups)
• 1 tsp. baking powder
• 2 Tbsp. orange blossom water
• 2 Tbsp. milk
• 4 pkgs vanilla pudding
• 2 liters of milk
• 12 Tbsp. sugar
• 1 packet biscuits
• gum and chocolates with marine motifs to decorate

Directions:

Start by making the cake. Separate the eggs whites from the yolks. Whip the whites. Reserve. Beat yolks with sugar until it forms a smooth eggnog. Add flour with baking powder and gradually add whipped whites. Add the 2 tablespoons of milk and orange blossom water. Bake in a low greased pan for about 15 minutes.

While cake bakes, place the cookies in food processor and grind until they are very fine like sand. Reserve.

When cake is done, cut into cubes. Place in a layer at the bottom of the plastic bucket.

Prepare the pudding. Do it according to package. I always mix pudding powder and sugar with a little milk separately and then join the remaining milk when boiling. When ready pour over the cake. Do this slowly as the cake is not a whole piece and it will tend to rise. The idea is to be done gradually to allow for time to get harder and join the various parts.

Continue making layers of cake and pudding to fill almost all the bucket and finish with a pudding layer. Top with the finely ground cookies (to simulate sand). Garnish with gum shaped like fish and seashells, and Belgian chocolates.

Use the bucket's shovels to decorate and also to serve the cake.

By Orquidea Pires from Porto, Portugal