Teatime Express Pineapple Cake

Jimmy Bottlehead

Right, here's an odd one.

My girlfriend has been dying for a Teatime Express Pineapple cake the last while but can't find them anywhere.

Thought I'd surprise her with one so I emailed the company - turns out they went out of business towards the end of December.

SO.... does anyone know of any shops which might have any left in Dublin? I'm doubtful with the two months that have passed, but if anyone does know it'd make for a nice surprise for her.

Cheers!

-JB

Dizzyblonde

As far as I know Teatime Express cakes were fresh so I doubt you'd be able to get one at this stage. I'm sorry to hear they've gone out of business, they were around a long time.

I've moved this to Cake & Pie - maybe someone in here will know where you can get a similar pineapple cake.

maximoose

The Teatime express at the back of the Irish Life Shopping centre is still going! I got cakes there the other day, there has been talk for a long time that it was shutting up shop but it's still there

Never had their Pineapple Cake but the apple squares and rhubarb tarts are beautiful

rubadub

We nearly always got the pineapple layer one, was lovely, had one at christmas. I have never had a similar cake though. Surprised I didn't hear of it as they are such and old & famous company.

They are not showing up on tesco online, they used to stock them all. no word of closing on their site http://www.teatime.ie

They were on a TV show a while back where the staff got to make cupcakes to try and boost business.

The Teatime express at the back of the Irish Life Shopping centre is still going!

This is good news, you are probably better off as it should be fresher. Dun Laoghaire had their own one and we used to get them there if passing and they were fresher tasting.

http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/ireland/2012/1106/1224326179805.html

he Tea Time Express bakery in Dublin which has been in business since 1938 is to close with the loss of 30 jobs.

The bakery, in Chapelizod Industrial Estate, recently took part in the RTÉ show The Takeover, which aimed to help the business survive the recession, but it will cease operation on December 21st.

Managing director Donal Hogan said he was devastated but claimed it was a logical move.

“The figures just do not add up,” he said. “Sales are down, but the cost of raw ingredients has been increasing significantly over the last three years. It has been particularly bad over the last 12 months.

“We are all just devastated. Some of the staff have worked there for around 30 years. They have dedicated many years of their life into working for the business.”

Mr Hogan said he hoped the bakery would be back in business in time. “There is a strong possibility that it could return . . . but it is up to someone else who wants to pick it up.”

Tea Time Express distributed to more than 1,000 shops throughout Ireland.

This could end up like the Walsh's food place, who make spiceburgers and loads of other things, they closed down and reopened just making spiceburgers. So teatime might reopen with a reduced range.

I am no baker but can tell you what it was like. The pinapple layer was a sponge with no apparent crust, it was like a cake baked and then with the brown outer edges cut off, like cutting crusts off a sandwich. There was a pineapple layer and pinapple sandwich cake. The only difference was the layer had 3 inner layers, the sandwich had 1, with thicker buttercream. The top was a harder icing like on fairy cakes, the inner layers was buttercream. The pineapple taste was subtle, think there were tiny bits mixed in the butter cream. The distinct thing was the side wall of the cake, as the crust was cont it was a perfect cylinder shape, it was coated in butter cream and then rolled in some sort of crumb. I guessed this was the cut off crusts liquidised up into a breadcrumb type mixture as it was brown, this stuck to the buttercream and allowed you pick it up without getting messy. This technique also meant every bite was fairly consistent, in its ratio of cake to icing. Some cakes have millions of icing in the middle and horrible icing free crusts.

biddywiddy

rubadub wrote: »

I am no baker but can tell you what it was like. The pinapple layer was a sponge with no apparent crust, it was like a cake baked and then with the brown outer edges cut off, like cutting crusts off a sandwich. There was a pineapple layer and pinapple sandwich cake. The only difference was the layer had 3 inner layers, the sandwich had 1, with thicker buttercream. The top was a harder icing like on fairy cakes, the inner layers was buttercream. The pineapple taste was subtle, think there were tiny bits mixed in the butter cream. The distinct thing was the side wall of the cake, as the crust was cont it was a perfect cylinder shape, it was coated in butter cream and then rolled in some sort of crumb. I guessed this was the cut off crusts liquidised up into a breadcrumb type mixture as it was brown, this stuck to the buttercream and allowed you pick it up without getting messy. This technique also meant every bite was fairly consistent, in its ratio of cake to icing. Some cakes have millions of icing in the middle and horrible icing free crusts.

I don't particularly like pineapple but I am just salivating reading that description.

Merkin

OMG these were seriously the best cakes EVER. Such a shame if the company have gone out of business. Does anyone have a recipe for something similar?

rubadub

biddywiddy wrote: »

I don't particularly like pineapple

There was a similar chocolate layer. The sponge itself was actually plain sponge. Mild chocolate buttercream icing inside, and browner harder chocolate icing on top. I think the side stuff on this one was a mixture of crumbs and broken up nuts, hazelnuts I would have guessed.

EDIT: found a tiny pic


the chocolate sandwich below




and the pineapple layer

ibarelycare

I was just thinking about these cakes last week, as they were so delicious, and came across this thread today when I was googling

I was in Dunnes and saw that Gateux are now doing a pineapple layer cake...they even call it a "Teatime" cake...must be a very similar recipe? Has anyone tried them? Was very tempted to buy one last week but I would have had to eat the whole thing on my own



Actually I'm just after zooming in on the image from Tesco's website...looks like it's all buttercream rather than having a harder icing on the top

http://www.tesco.ie/groceries/Product/Details/?id=287041673

rubadub

ibarelycare wrote: »

I was in Dunnes and saw that Gateux are now doing a pineapple layer cake...they even call it a "Teatime" cake...must be a very similar recipe?

I saw them too, very cheeky ripping off the style like that, like the crowd who now sells copies of walshes spice burgers. I thought it was the original back on the shelves.

I have not had one but found these posts from this year.

Jocelynel wrote: »

just back from dunnes stores and bought a Gateaux teatime coffee cake. they had other flavours, so I got my mum a pineapple one for sunday. are these new??? i've not seen them before.

the coffee layer cake is nice, not as nice as teatime...the sponge isn't as soft. the packaging is the same wine/red colour....

thought i'd mention it as our family still misses the teatime cakes!

and an aldi cake

texas star wrote: »

Well I'm very pleased to say I've also found a cake very similar to tea time express coffee cake and its Aldi coffee cake its delicious.Highly recommend

The originals had an extra layer too.

ibarelycare wrote: »

Was very tempted to buy one last week but I would have had to eat the whole thing on my own

you say "but" as though there was some sort of catch or downside? :pac:;)

They used to go great with a big glass of cold milk.

ibarelycare

Thanks for that! I've had the Aldi coffee cake and it is very nice, but the pineapple one was my favourite. I might just have to buy the whole thing and give it a go

Merkin

I have an indescribable desire for a Teatime Express pineapple cake. I know they are now out of business but I'm wondering if anyone has found anything similar? I'd absolutely love some! It says the Tesco equivalent is no longer available and I really need some in my life!

L1011

I did a market research survey for a relaunch of TTE a while ago but clearly nothing has come of it. I would consider phoning one of the more traditional Dublin bakeries like Mannings or Thunders to see if they do something similar.