CWA’s Sponge with Homemade Strawberry Jam

Cook Time -

Servings -

Ingredients

8 eggs (room temperature)
2 pinches of salt
1 ½ cup caster sugar
2 cups self-raising flour
8 tbsp of milk
2 dessert spoons of butter
2 cups mascarpone
½ cup cream
2 tbs. castor sugar

Strawberry Jam
800 g strawberries washed and cut into ¼’s
2 cups sugar
3 tbsp of lemon juice

Method

For the jam, in a heavy based saucepan lightly mash the strawberries with a potato masher and pour in the sugar and lemon juice. Turn the heat on to low and allow all the sugar to dissolve by stirring and mixing through. When the mix becomes liquid, turn the heat up to medium and continue cooking for a further 45 minutes. The jam will deepen in colour and be ready when it sticks to a wooden spoon or sets on a small plate.

Take the eggs out of the fridge and let them sit until they reach room temperature. Pre-heat the oven to 180C, fan forced.

Grease two 20cm springform cake tins and dust with flour, shaking out any excess. Crack the eggs into a bowl, add a little salt, and beat in an electric mixer until they just reach the frothy stage. Add the sugar a little at the time, beating as you go. This will get creamier and creamier. At this point you can stop the mixer, take the bowl out and draw a figure eight with what’s running off them. Once this forms the figure 8 you will know it is done (approx. 8 to 10 minutes on medium speed).

Sift the flour into a bowl. Add the butter to the milk/water and heat this until the butter melts. Add the flour to the egg and sugar mixture, incorporating this gently with a whisk until combined. While folding in the flour, dribble in the water/milk and melted butter. Divide the mixture between the two tins and bake them in the oven. Check after 15 minutes. If not ready, cook for another five minutes (or until cooked). The cake is ready when it starts to come away from the side of the tin and it springs back when touched lightly in the center.

Once cooked, cool for 10 minutes before gently turning the cakes onto a tea towel lined cake rack. Cover with another tea towel and let it cool for about 30 minutes. Mix the mascarpone and cream together until it thickens and add the sugar to taste. Spread the cream mixture on one side of the sponge and the strawberry jam on the other. Sandwich together.

Decorate with a dusting of icing sugar.