Sponge Cake with Strawberry & Cream

This is another tempting recipe I tried from my friend’s blog, Saloomeh’s Kitchen, when I suddenly tumbled over my own cake-baking passion last year! – Sponge Cake layered, cleverly, with strawberry jam and cream. I got it only at the third go, though as it proved to be a delicate cake requiring extra gentle care and attention.

It feels so good to get something you first thought oh-so-hard-for-me, isn’t it!? Plus, this cake has no butter or oil in it which makes you feel less guilty eating it; it is not too sweat which suites my tastes too; it definitely looks so professional, and tastes absolutely awesome, especially if you mix the jam with fresh strawberries.

Ingredients:

• 100 gr. = ¾ cup, Self-raising flour
• 2 tbsp. corn starch
• 110 gr, = 1/2 cup, fine white sugar,
• 3 tbsp. icing sugar
• 4 eggs, at room temperature
• 110 gr = 1/3 cup, strawberry jam
• 185 gr = ¾ cup whipping cream 35%

You would need measuring cups and spoons, obviously, in addition to electric mixer and for the amount noted above two 8 inch (20 cm.) spring form pans. It is crucial that the size of the pans is in proportion to the amount of the ingredients. If for instance, you have 9 inch pans at home, you must increase the amount by 1/3.

Method:

Preheat the oven to 350 F. (180 C) Grease your pans and line them with parchment paper.

Mix and sift the flour and the corn starch twice in a bowl and put it aside.  Sifting flour makes its particles space out and away from each other.  This is one of the two things we must do in order to give sponge cake enough volume. The second secret in having a high volume cake is beating the eggs as described further down.

Separate eggs yolks and whites in two dry, clean bowls. Make sure there is no yolk left in white as this prevents white from whipping properly.

Add 2 tbsp. sugar to the yolks and beat on medium speed for about 5 minutes or until you get a thick and pale yellow mixture. Using a spatula, transfer the beaten yolks into a clean dry bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and put aside.

Wash and thoroughly dry the beaters.  Beat egg whites on medium and then high speed until they reach “stiff peak” stage; that’s when the peak on the egg white surface and on the beater holds and if you tilt the bowl the whites slide around.

Add the remaining sugar slowly into whipped white eggs at the side of the bowl and continue beating on medium speed until the foam is transformed into a thick shiny mixture.

Add yolks to the egg whites. Then add flour/starch mix in the same bowl and slowly fold the batter. Again, you don’t want to lose all the puff and volume you have so painstakingly achieved by beating the mixture: Folding is what you need to do at this stage.  Using a large spoon gently fold. Once the ingredients are mixed pour the batter in the two pans in equal amount and flatten the surface.

Bake for 10-15 minutes, that’s it! If you have done everything correctly that’s all the baking time it requires. The volume should of course increase (double would be good enough!)

Remove from the oven and let cool for a few minutes before you turn them back on a rack to cool more for another 5 minutes (don’t forget to peel off the parchment paper!)

Meanwhile prepare your whipping cream and strawberry jam. Simply beat the cream with 1 tbsp. of icing sugar on medium speed until it holds a stiff peak. Whisk your jam in a small bowl to make sure it is homogeneous.

I don’y have a good picture for this step, but will install one the next time I make this cake. Anyway, you should spread the cream over one cake. Spread the jam on top of the cream. Place the second cake on top of the first and gently press. Run back of a spoon around the outside edge of assembled cake to press back in or remove any excess cream/jam. Top the cake with icing sugar and fresh strawberry any way you fancy!

Place this gorgeous cake in the fridge at least for a couple of hours before eating it  but make sure the kitty doesn’t get in the fridge! 😉