Strawberry Whipped Cream Sponge Cake

1. Chill the bowl and wire whisk for whipping the cream in the freezer for 30 min.
2. Also, chill the cream.
3. Place the bowl in an ice bath/bed. Add the whipping cream.
4. Whisk till soft peaks form. Add the icing sugar and vanilla powder.
5. Continue to whisk till stiff. At this point, stop whisking or you'll end up making butter. Cover the bowl of whipped cream with saran wrap/ cling film and place in the fridge overnight.

Next day: Strawberry Whipped Cream Sponge Cake

1. Sift the flour twice for best results. Refer to video.
2. Preheat oven to 180ºc/356 ºF.
3. Soak your eggs in warm water for 5 minutes. This leads to better aeration and thus a higher cake.
4. Prepare your 15 cm/6″ cake tin by lining bottom and sides with parchment paper.
5. Crack the eggs into a bowl. Add the sugar.
6. Bring water to a simmer in another bowl ( larger than the one with the egg). Simmer at 70ºc (I like to use my induction cooker for this).
7. Whisk the eggs and sugar briefly by hand.
8. Now place the bowl with the wicked egg inside the bowl of simmering water (it can be put down in the water) and whisk non stop by hand till the sugar is dissolved and the mixture is lukewarm to the touch.
9. Now, transfer to electric mixer and whisk on medium speed till light and fluffy.
10. Heat milk for 20 seconds on high in the microwave.
11. Pour the milk into the whisked egg and whisk again till light and fluffy again.
12. Add the vanilla extract now if using.
13. Now add the flour in TWO batches into the batter, sprinkling all over the batter, stir with a spatula by hand always turning in the same direction, till there is no more dry flour and the batter becomes glossy. Do not over stir.
14. Heat butter in microwave till melted into an oil-like consistency and it should be hot.
15. Add quickly into the batter and mix very quickly till no traces of liquid butter is left. Check by folding batter from the bottom of the bowl.
16. Pour into the prepared cake tin and bake for 18 minutes.
17. When it is done, quickly remove the cake onto wire rack and allow to cool completely in the parchment paper.
18. Once the cake is cooled, slice into 3 equal layers/portions.
19. Top each layer with cream, sliced strawberries and a bit more cream.
20. Frost the top layer and sides of the cake with an initial coating. Refrigerate for 30 m – 1 hour.
21. Take out and frost with another smooth layer and decorate/pipe as desired. Decorate with strawberries. Refer to video.
22. Chill till served. This cake must only be left at room temp for a max of 1 hour.