What does baking conjure up in your mind? Fluffy, moist, sweet morsels of deliciousness? Or dry, burnt, deflated crumbs of despair?
Well I tend towards the latter but decided that, having gotten a bit bored of cooking lumps of flesh in various sauces, that I would return to the old nemesis – baking…
We plumbed (yes we, I co-opted the Fussy-Eater into this project) for a simple sponge cake with a cream and summery fruits filling.
Essential Ingredients for Creamy Summer Fruits Sponge Cake:
(based on a Delia recipe)
For the sponge:
- 6 oz self-raising flour
- teaspoon baking powder
- 3 eggs
- 6 oz caster sugar
- 6 oz butter, very soft
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
For the filling:
- Raspberries and strawberries
- Runny strawberry jam
- tub mascarpone
- 200 ml fromage frais
- 1 tablespoon caster sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Pre-heat the oven to 325°F (170°C).
Line and butter two 8 inch sponge tins.
Sift the flour and baking powder into a bowl from a height to get some air into it. Add the other sponge ingredients to the bowl and whisk everything together for about a 1 minute.
The mixture should drop off a spoon when you tap on the side of the bowl. Add 1-2 tablespoons of water and mix again if it is a bit stiff. Now divide the mixture between the two tins, level it out and place on the centre shelf of the oven.
It will take 30-35 minutes to cook – don’t open the oven door until 30 minutes have elapsed.
To test if cooked, touch the centre lightly with your little finger; if it springs back, its cooked. Allow to cool.
Just about got them out the oven in time – just!
For the filling, combine all the ingredients (except fruit and jam) in a bowl.
Spread some jam over one of the sponge cakes, follow this with half the cream mixture then scatter the raspberries all over that.
Add the remaining cream mixture and drizzle it with the rest of the jam. Place the second sponge cake on top. Press down a bit, spread some more cream over the top and decorate with strawberries.
Now serve straight up (maybe with tea).
Things I learned:
- When it says large eggs – use large eggs – mine weren’t and it was a bit stodgy
- Know your oven – mine runs hot!
- Don’t over-whisk
But I think we’ll be doing a bit more baking – makes a change from pot roasts!
The title alone sold me on it!
Glad you faced your fear. If you can follow directions, you can bake, some of the more touchy nuances like how to keep a cheesecake from cracking despite following all the directions just come with experience and time. Loved your photography!
Thanks! Yes its good to be challenged in the kitchen – and its fun to show off the good stuff as well as the not so good!
Practice makes confidence! You are right not to wait until the fear subsides – it won’t! Face it, assess, and do it again!
Oh thats looks great! You make it look very simple. Will definitely try this!
Looks great!
Good for you that you tried despite the fear!
325 Fahrenheit is already a bit high, but 170 Celcius (338 Fahrenheit!) is really too high for sponge cake.
Well thats interesting I thought it was but the recipe said…
Did the recipe say 325F or 170C or both? And which did you use, as they are not the same…
170 and it was definitely a bit too hot!
your cake looks absolutely delicious and is reminiscent of my grandmother’s sponge cakes.
Nostalgia Food is the best!
Baking is kind of my nemesis too. I think that’s why there are no cakes on my blog. I am trying to conquer my fear of yeast though by making bread.
My cakes usually turn out leaden, uneven, cracked, or all three. I think that’s why I like “cooking lumps of flesh in various sauces” — because I can always save them!
Great post, though! It made me laugh and point to the screen while saying, “That’s happened to me!”
That angled photo of the cake really caught my eye … took me a moment to figure out what I was looking at. Cake from a new perspective, and it looks delicious too!
Well thats very kind! Fancy cake photography is probably a bit out of my comfort zone.
I’m tempted to scorn your efforts and tell you that baking is woman’s work. But then I would not be admitting to the fear. Yes, fear that I have of baking. However, One Man’s Cake has a pretty lame ring to it….
Happy Easter,
Conor
Agreed. I’m working my way towards Beef Wellington but I’ve tried it before and Its a can of worms and I’m just not sure I can take that kind of rejection again, As for blog names I wanted ‘Notes from the Edge’ which was long taken and in a fit of semi-drunken pique I called it Happiness Stan and now can’t change it. Bloody Happiness Stan.
Perhaps ‘Bloody Happiness Stan’? It has a certain originality to it…
Far too often have I pulled out my own very-nearly-overly-brown cake and though the same. Some part of me always feels like doing a victory dance. Good save! Nice looking cake to boot
Thanks and I was reasonably impressed by the fact that it didn’t collapse it was just a bit doughy
your title of the post – so so true! You know I love cooking but I dread baking!
You so should have been on the good food channel today, all about weekend baking!
Couldn’t we were stuck on Spongebob Squarepants!
Urgent – send some to France!
Its in the post – not sure how it will be by the time it gets there though
Your cake look so delicious!! Remind me of my mum’s sponge cake
I’m so glad you’re into baking.. and this cake turned out scrumptious. My memories of sponge cake go way back, I think it’s probably my all-time favorite cake. xo Smidge
It was a bit heavy – I think i beat it too much
I hate when that happens.. I bet it was still tasty:)
Your cake looks great and I’m sure it didn’t last long. Yum.
I havent let the little ones near it yet but they’re ready and waiting!
hummm!!I have to go and buy eggs now, I want to do this cake!
Do it – and you already should have the jam because we call it French set – which seems to mean it isn’t set at all.
I could definitely eat this – it looks delicious (from one currently writing about her own deflated crumbs of despair).
I know many times I’ve burnt my sponges
looks amaziiiiiing! looking forward to having some today!
Only a small piece for you haha!
This looks great! Would make a nice dessert for Easter (or whatever one might be celebrating this week!)
We’re celebrating the Chocolate Holiday!!!