Orange Blossom & Strawberry Spongecake
Makes 1 Cake
INGREDIENTS:
powde
r½ teaspoon fine salt
285ml cold lager beer
For the tartare sauce:
For the cake:
440g unsalted butter, softened
440g caster sugar
8medium eggs
440g self-raising flour, sifted
3 teaspoons baking powder, sifted
4 tablespoons orange blossom water
3 sprigs of fresh rosemary (optional)
For the filling:
800ml whipping cream
1 tablespoon orange blossom water
80g icing sugar, plus extra for dusting
600g strawberry jam
For decorating:
1 orange, zest
12 fresh strawberries
icing sugar
METHOD:
1. Preheat the oven to 180°C / gas mark 4.
2. Grease and line three 20cm/8in sandwich tins usinga piece of baking or silicone paper to rub a little butter around the inside of the tins until the sides and base are lightly coated. Line the bottom of the tins with a circle of baking paperso the sponges don’t stick.
3. Place the caster sugar and butter in a mixing bowl, and cream together until light and fluffy. Then crack the eggs in one by one, with your mixer on medium speed. Next sift in the flour and baking powder and lastly pour in the orange blossom water. Mix everything together untilcombined.
4. Spoon the cake batterevenly into the three baking tins and tap the sides to release any air bubbles. I love using fresh rosemary when I’m baking so as an option you can tear off the leaves of a sprig of fresh rosemary and line your baking tins with it before pouring over the mixture.
5. Bake in the pre-heated oven for 40minutes or until the sponges are lightly golden brown. Check by inserting a skewer (or knife) into the middle of the cake; if it comes out clean the cake is cooked. Removecakesfrom the oven and allow to cool in the tins for about 10minutes before removing them from the tins and transferring them to a wire rack to coolcompletely.
6. Meanwhile, lightly whip the cream, orange blossom water and icing sugartogether until a light soft cream whip.
7. To assemble, place one of the sponges top down, and spread with the strawberry jam, followed by half of the cream, repeat with the other sponge. Place the third sponge top facing upwards. Assemble the fresh strawberries on top and dust with icing sugar and the zest of one orange.
