Strawberry sponge cake

This cake is definitely one of my favorites, especially suitable to enjoy on hot summer days. It’s best to start the recipe a day in advance, so that the cream can become firm and the flavors develop just a little more. Heavenly!

Sponge

- 120 g sugar

- 1/2 teaspoon salt

- 4 eggs

- vanilla aroma/paste

- 120 g flour

1. Preheat the oven to 175 degrees and grease a cake pan of about 20 cm in diameter, line the bottom with baking paper.

2. In a saucepan, heat the eggs with the sugar, salt and vanilla flavour/paste while stirring well. Once the sugar is fully incorporated, pour the mixture into the stand mixer and beat until light in color and increased in volume.

3. Sift the flour over the batter and fold it underneath.

4. Pour the batter into the cake pan and bake for about 30 to 35 minutes. Check regularly with a wooden skewer, if it comes out dry, the sponge is ready. Allow to cool.

Swiss cream:

Pastry Cream:

-250 g (vegetable) milk

- 50 g sugar

- 23 g cornflour

- 1 egg yolk

1. Heat 200 g of the milk with the sugar in a saucepan.

2. In a measuring cup, mix the cornflour with the remaining milk and the egg yolk.

3. When the milk is almost boiling, add the cornstarch mixture while stirring. Bring to the boil while stirring.

4. Pour the pastry cream into a small bowl and immediately cover with plastic wrap. Make sure the foil is in direct contact with the cream to prevent a skin from forming. Let cool.

Whipping cream:

- 300 g (vegetable) whipping cream (I use Risso Chanty Duo because it stays very firm and stable after whipping)

- (whipped cream stiffener)

Beat whipped cream (and whipped cream stiffener) until firm.

For the Swiss cream, first beat the pastry cream before folding it under the whipped cream.

The cream is now ready to fill the cake.

assembling cake:

- sponge cake, cut in half

- swiss cream

- strawberry jelly

- cake ring

- acetate foil

1. Line the inside of the cake ring with the acetate foil.

2. Place a slice of cake in the cake ring.

3. Make a dam with Swiss cream along the inside of the cake ring. Fill with a thin layer of strawberry jam, with another layer of cream on top.

4. Place another layer of cake in the ring followed by another layer of Swiss cream.

5. Let it firm up overnight in the fridge.

The next day, cover the cake with another layer of strawberry jam and fresh strawberries. I like to make a jelly for the strawberries, so they stay fresh longer and get a nice shine.

- 200 ml of water

- 2 sachets of vanilla sugar

- splash of lemon juice

- 2 sheets of gelatin, soaked in cold water

1. Heat the water with the sugar and lemon juice in a saucepan.

2. Bring to a boil, remove from heat and add gelatin.

3. Let cool.

4. You can cover the strawberries with the jelly, but I like to soak them in the fridge for an hour.

5. They are now ready to garnish the cake.

6. Let set for an hour, remove cake ring and foil.

Enjoy!!