Summer Strawberry Sponge Cake

This is a great summer sponge and you can swap to blueberries, raspberries or blackberries if you prefer, or even mix all the fruit together.  In the video, I didn’t slice the cake in halve but I recommend doing this.      

Serves 8-10

Ingredients:

For the sponge

225g caster sugar

150g soft unsalted butter, diced

3 medium eggs, lightly beaten

250g spelt flour

1 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp bicarbonate of soda

Pinch of salt

2 tsp vanilla extract

125ml whole milk

For the strawberry purée:

400g fresh strawberries, stems removed and halved (plus a couple extra for garnish)

4 tbsp caster sugar (depending on the sweetness of the fruit

Few drops lemon juice

For the cream cheese icing:

120g soft unsalted butter, diced

120g icing sugar

2 tsp vanilla extract

1/2 tsp orange blossom water

375g cream cheese, at room temperature

(Plus icing sugar and a few almond flakes for topping)

Preheat the oven to 170 C degrees and line a 8 inch cake tin with baking parchment.

For the sponge, cream the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy.  About 3 minutes. Then slowly add the beaten eggs a little at a time.  Mix together the dry ingredients (flour, baking powder, bicarb, salt).  Then slowly beat this into the batter.  Then whip in the vanilla and milk until just combined.  Pour into the baking tin and bake for about 30 minutes or until lightly golden on top and a skewer inserted comes out clean.  This time will vary depending on the size of the cake tin.  Leave to cool completely.

Add all the ingredients for the purée to a saucepan and simmer for about 5 minutes or until soft.  Pass this through a sieve and place purée in the freezer to bring to room temperature (about 10 minutes).  

For the icing, beat the butter for a few minutes and then add in the icing sugar.  Whip until light and fluffy before adding in the vanilla and orange blossom water.  Beat the cream cheese with a spoon before mixing into the creamed butter.  Measure out 140ml of the now chilled purée and whip into icing.  Save the remainder for serving with the cake.  Slice the sponge in two and divide the icing between the two layers and sandwich both pieces together. Serve with the extra sauce on the side.  Top with extra strawberries, almond flakes and a dust of icing sugar.  This cake lasts for about 2 days in a cool dry place covered.