As October arrives, and to celebrate the upcoming National Cake Week here’s a recipe for a fluffy sponge cake with cream and strawberries that gives a nod to the summer that’s now lost forever.
National Cake Week was founded in 2011, with the sole purpose of celebrating and sharing a whole cake together with family and friends. After all you will find a cake at the heart of almost every formal and informal gathering, whether in the office, a family birthday party, or a wedding, and who doesn’t love a slice or two?
Cakes come in all shape sharing sizes, round, square and rectangular. Semi naked, the cake of course not the baker, with a feather light sponge, filled and topped with fresh fruit, or a chocoholic overload that is sure to send you into a sugar rush high. The choices are near endless.
Whatever the occasion, National Cake Week is the time to celebrate the humble cake in all its glory, and why not share your creation on social media using the hashtag #nationalcakeweek
As much as we try and fight it, we can’t deny that October is here. We’re firmly plonked in Autumn and the summer (or what there was of it) is firmly in the rear view mirror.
This cake however will ensure that your summer memories are prolonged for at least a little while longer, after all strawberries are the epitome of summer……especially when served with fresh cream.
Naturally by using fresh cream and strawberries this cake won’t keep that well for a prolonged time……however it’s so tasty we can’t see it hanging for long anyway.
Fluffy Sponge Cake with Balsamic Strawberries Recipe
Makes one 24 cm (9.5 inch) cake - Serves 6-8
Ingredients
For the sponge cake:
* 150 g butter
* 1 cup (225 g) granulated sugar
* 3 medium eggs, at room temperature
* 1 cup (150 g) all purpose flour
* 1/2 tsp baking powder
* 1/4 tsp salt
* Zest from 1/2 lemon
* 2 tbsp milk
For the balsamic strawberries:
* 300 g fresh strawberries
* 1 1/2 tbsp granulated sugar
* 1 tbsp balsamico
* Pinch of salt
* 1/4 tsp vanilla powder
* Zest from 1/2 lemon
For the topping:
* 1 cup heavy whipping cream
* 2 tsp granulated sugar
* Fresh mint leaves
Directions
Sponge cake:
1. Preheat oven to 175°C (350°F)
2. Grease a 24 cm (9-9.5-inch) cake pan with a removable bottom. Sprinkle pan with bread crumbs or flour, make sure you get some on the sides of the pan aswell.
3. Melt butter and let cool.
4. Beat the eggs and sugar until lighter in color and texture, about 1-2 minutes. Stir in the melted butter.
5. Mix flour, baking powder and salt in a small bowl. Gently stir the flour
mixture into the egg mixture. Add lemon zest and milk and stir until batter is smooth.
6. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and smooth top with a spatula.
7. Bake for 30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the cake comes out clean.
8. Let cake cool for 10 minutes before sliding a knife
around the edge and removing the sides of the pan. Let cool to room temperature.
Balsamic strawberries & topping:
1. Hull the strawberries and cut them into thirds lengthwise. Place them in a bowl and toss with sugar, balsamico, salt, vanilla and lemon zest. Cover the bowl and let stand for 30 minutes until the berries release their juices. Toss every now and then.
2. Prick holes in the cake with a toothpick and spoon some of the juices from the berries on top of the cake.
3. Whip the cream with the sugar to soft peaks. Spread the whipped cream on top of the cake. Spoon strawberries on top and decorate with some mint leaves. Drizzle any leftover “juice” on top of the cake.
For this and more wonderful recipe’s just like it please visit our favourite website callmecupcake.se and for more information on National Cake Week which starts on the 2nd October please visit the official page here.