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Sponge cake with mascarpone cream and strawberry jam

A recipe for foolproof Sponge so light, so fluffy you won't believe you made it at home and it's paired with homemade strawberry jam and mascarpone cream. Cups used are Australian standard
5 from 1 vote
Print Recipe
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Course afternoon tea, Cake, Dessert
Cuisine Australian
Servings 8 serves

Ingredients
  

Sponge Cake

  • 75 gm plain flour 1/2 cup / 2.65oz
  • 75 gm cornflour 1/2 cup, 2.65 oz
  • 1/4 tsp baking soda (bicarbonate of soda)
  • 165 gm caster sugar 3/4 cup +1 Tablespoon, 5.8oz
  • 4 eggs, separated large eggs weighing 50 gm / 1.75 oz
  • 1/2 tsp cream of tartar
  • 1 tsp vanilla
  • 1/4 tsp salt

Strawberry Jam Filling

  • 250 gm frozen strawberries 8.8 oz
  • 150 gm caster sugar 3/4 cup, 5.3 oz
  • 30 gm cornflour 2 Tablespoons, 1.05oz
  • 20 ml water 1 Tablespoon, 0.7oz

Mascarpone cream filling

  • 150 ml thickened cream 1/2 cup +1Tblsp (large)
  • 200 gm mascarpone 7 oz
  • 20 gm icing sugar 1 Tablespoon , up to 1oz
  • 1 tsp vanilla
  • 20 gm icing sugar extra for sprinkling approximately 1 oz or 1 tablespoon

Instructions
 

Method for Sponge

  • Preheat the oven to 170C / 340F. Line a 2 x 20 cm or 8 inch tins with parchment paper bottom and sides. You will need either a handheld or a stand mixer for this recipe
  • Sieve the flour, cornflour, salt and baking soda, cream of tartar together and mix well
  • Use a mixer for the next step. Make sure the bowl and whisks are very clean. Add the egg whites (4 x 30 gm = 120 gm) and whisk on a high speed until the whites have started to become white and frothy and are just starting to become soft peak. Gradually add the sugar in 3 to 4 additions. The whites will be stiff peaked shiny.
  • Once the whites are nice and shiny, add the yolks (20 gm x 4= 80 gm approx) one at a time until the 4 have been incorporated. The mixture will be very creamy thick and pale.
  • Pour the mixture into a large bowl. Sift 1/3 of the flour onto the egg mixture and use a spatula fold through, continuing until all the flour is incorporated. Mix ONLY until just mixed in. Do not overmix.
  • Decant into the two cake tins and flatten the top. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until the sponge springs back when touched in the centre. When cooked sit on a cooling rack for 10 minutes before running a knife around the edge to loosen then turning out.

Method for Strawberry jam filling

  • Put the frozen strawberries into a pot with the sugar. Turn onto a low heat.
  • Put the cornflour and water into a small bowl and stir to combine.
  • Whisk the strawberry mixture until boiling. This will break up the strawberries a little so there aren't very large lumps
  • Take off the heat and whisk in the cornflour. Put back on to the heat and whisk again until boiling. Pour into a bowl. Cover with cling wrap and set aside.

Method for mascarpone whipped cream

  • Put the cream and the mascarpone with the vanilla and sugar into the bowl of a planetary mixer. Using the whisk attachment whip the cream mixture until it has “firm peaks”. Don't over whisk it will separate. Just until a pipable consistency. Set aside in a bowl in the fridge covered until needed. Before using put into a piping bag with a star nozzle

Putting the sponge cake together

  • Lay the sponges bottoms up on flat surface or cake plate. Spread one side of the cake with a layer of jam. You will not need to use all of the jam. Too much jam will cause the cream to slide off . Put the cream into a piping bag with a fluted tube. Pipe the cream onto the base. Put the top onto the filled base. Sprinkle the cake with icing sugar

Notes

The recipe for strawberry jam makes more than you will need. It will keep in a container for about 2 weeks. You could also use other flavours by interchanging the frozen fruit. Just remember to really whisk the fruit while cooking to break it up.
Watch egg whites when whisking. Don't walk too far away when doing this job. Egg whites can over whip very quickly. Start adding a small amount of sugar when the eggs only just turn white. You will know if the whites are over whipped when they start to look like scrambled eggs.
I have included measurements in cups in case you don't have scales but I must stress scales are preferred!
If you can't get mascarpone just use whipped cream. 
jam can be replaced with shop bought jam too!
 
Keyword baking, cake, sponge