Light as Air 2 Layer Sponge Cake with Berries and Cream Filling

Serves: 6-8 Ready in: 45 minutes + cooling

Light as air sponge layer cakes are easier to make than you might think. There are a few little tricks that certainly help though. Use room temperature eggs as cold eggs don’t whip well. Don’t omit the salt from the egg whites as it helps to stabilise the mixture, and do handle the mixture gently when folding in the dry ingredients, then stand back and bask in the glory.

Ingredients

  • 4 size 6 room temperature eggs - separated
  • a pinch of salt
  • ¼ tsp vanilla essence
  • ½ cup caster sugar
  • 2/3 cup corn flour
  • ¼ cup plain flour
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • whipped cream, strawberry jam and fresh sliced strawberries to fill
  • icing sugar for dusting

    Method

    Preheat the oven to 190°C. Grease and line bases of 2 20cm tins with baking paper.

    Combine the plain flour, corn flour and baking powder and sift 3 times. Set aside.

    In a large grease free bowl place the egg whites and add the pinch of salt. Beat the whites until they form soft peaks. Gradually beat in the caster sugar, a little at a time, then beat the mixture until stiff.

    Add the egg yolks and vanilla essence and beat until just combined. Then sift on the combined flour mixture and using a rubber spatula or wooden spoon lightly fold in the dry ingredients. Be gentle and try not to stir. 

    Divide batter evenly between the prepared 20cm tins. Smooth the batter and spin the tin as you work to ensure it is level on top. An offset spatula is helpful but not essential. Perfectionists place the tins on a scale and weigh the batter in each to ensure they are exactly even. I am not one of these types!

    Bake in the preheated oven for 18-20 minutes. While the cakes are cooking cover a cooling rack with non-stick paper and dust lightly with flour to avoid the warm cakes sticking to the rungs of the rack.

    When done the cakes should be well risen a little springy and able to pull slightly away from the sides of the tin. Run a knife around the sides and turn the cakes onto the prepared cooling rack. Carefully remove the baking paper from the bases and leave to cool.

    When cooled spread one cake with jam, add a generous layer of whipped cream, and top with sliced strawberries. Place the second cake on top the dust with icing sugar.

    Tips

    You can also fill with good jam and whipped cream, lemon, lime or passion fruit curd,  other fresh berries such as raspberries.

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