Strawberry Sponge Cake

Hello hello hello! We've been on a gorgeous Malaysian holiday over the Xmas and New Year break but it's back to the grindstone now. This is my first cake of the year. It's summer and hot and strawberries are in abundance so it was easy to decide what to showcase in this cake. My friend made a very scrumptious looking Strawberries and Cream sponge the other day and I was inspired to give it a go.

I've never really been a fan of sponge cake but this recipe seemed so full of air and lightness that I had to try. Thanks Donna Hay. It's a super hot day and my cake has to be made in advance due to time constraints so instead of whipped cream I opted for a more robust buttercream - just so it wouldn't melt in the drive to where we'll be partaking in this cake. It will be shared at twingroup later so fingers cross it'll taste as good as it promises to be. So here's my attempt.

Strawberry Sponge Cake 

For cake
1 1/4 cup plain flour
6 eggs
3/4 cup caster sugar
60g melted butter

For buttercream
250g soft butter
3 cups icing sugar
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
2 tablespoons milk
a pinch of salt

For filling
1 punnet of strawberry
strawberry jam

1. Beat eggs and sugar with an electric mixer for about 10 minutes. You want the mixture to be pale and full of air. It will triple in quantity.

2. Sift the flour at least 3 times. I think I did 5 just because I could. Then sift flour into egg and sugar mixture. Don't be aggressive in the folding as you'll beat the air out.

3. Fold in melted butter in the same fashion - try to keep as much air in as possible.

4. Pour batter into 2 x 20cm round tins or 1 big one. I opted for the 1 big as I do not have 2 identical tins (note to self : must go shopping for more cake tins)

5. Bake in a preheated 180 degrees oven for 25-30 minutes.

6. Allow to cool on wire rack and start on the buttercream.

7. For the buttercream beat soften butter and icing sugar. Add the other ingredients and mix well. If you want the icing runnier add more milk a tablespoon at the time. If you want it thicker add more icing sugar a little at the time.

8. Decorate which ever way you please. I chose to cut my cake into 2 and layered it with strawberries and jam. I then covered the entire cake with buttercream and decorated with strawberries and drizzles of toffee swirls and shards.