Strawberry Lemon Cake

A soft, fluffy strawberry sponge filled with lemon curd and covered with silky smooth chantilly cream. The tangy zesty lemon curd blends with the sweet strawberry preserve to create a swirl of flavours. The luscious vanilla flavor chantilly cream encloses all these mind-blowing flavors to create this perfect summer themed cake. This cake is tender and is savored by people who love a big serving of cream. When life gives you lemons you have to make this cake.

Serves: 8

Ingredients

Strawberry Lemon Sponge

2 cups Flour

2 tsp Baking powder

½ tsp Baking soda

1 cup Granulated Sugar

4 Eggs

2 tsp Vanilla extract

2 tbsp Lemon zest

150g unsalted Butter

⅓ + 6 tbsp Full fat milk

½ cup chopped Strawberries

Lemon Curd

3 Yolks

¼ Lemon juice

⅓ cup Granulated sugar

90g chilled unsalted Butter

Strawberry Preserve

400g Strawberries

2 tbsp Lemon zest

½ cup Water

⅓ cup Granulated sugar

Chantilly Cream

3 cups Heavy cream

3/4 cup Granulated sugar

11/2 tbsp cold Water

3/4 tsp Gelatin

2 drops Red food colouring (optional)

2 drops Yellow food coloring (optional)

Method

Step 1- Sponge

Preheat the oven to 160℃. Line 2 8-inch cake tins with parchment paper and grease the sides with butter.

Step 2

Add butter to a bowl and cream the butter with a hand beater on medium speed. Add granulated sugar and beat until fluffy and pale. Scrape the bowl repeatedly. Add vanilla extract, and it beats in the batter.

Step 3

Now add one egg at a time and beat it with a hand beater on medium. Add in lemon zest and beat for 30 seconds. Scrape down the bowl. In another bowl, sift flour, baking soda and baking powder. Whisk it until combined.

Step 4

Add ⅓ of your dry ingredients to the batter and beat until combined. Then add ⅓ of your wet ingredients to the batter. Repeat the process till all the ingredients are mixed in, and the batter is lump free.

Step 5

Add strawberries to the batter and fold in with a rubber spatula. Divide the batter equally into the cake tins and place in the oven. Bake for 28-30 minutes or until the inserted toothpick comes clean.

Step 6

Take the cakes out of the oven and let them sit in the tin for 30 minutes. Then transfer to a cooling rack for 45 minutes once the cakes come to room temperature. With a sharp knife, cut the sponge into 2 equal halves. Cling wrap the cake layers and place in the refrigerator for 2 hours or till ready to assemble.

Step 7- Lemon curd

Add egg yolks, lemon juice, sugar, and butter to a bowl. Whisk everything together till the butter is partially mixed. Then transfer the mixture to a saucepan. On low heat, whisk the mixture until it thickens, which may take about 5-10 minutes. Let the curd cool down at room temperature. Then place in the refrigerator till ready to use.

Step 8- Strawberry Preserve

Add strawberries, lemon zest, water, and sugar to a saucepan. Place on medium-low heat and let the strawberries soften. Stir the preserve from time to time. Once the strawberries soften, flatten them further with a rubber spatula.

Step 9

Reduce the heat to a low and let the preserve simmer for 2-3 minutes. Then take off the heat, let it come to room temperature, and place the refrigerator until ready.

Step 10- Chantilly

Place a bowl and beaters in the freezer for 30 minutes. Add cold water and gelatin powder to a small bowl and mix well. Let the gelatin bloom for 5 minutes.

Step 11

Once the gelatin blooms, place the bowl in a microwave and heat for 10 secs. Add 2 tbsp of heavy cream and mix well.

Step 12

Now take the bowl and beaters out of the freezer. Add heavy cream and beat on high speed till soft peaks. Then add vanilla extract and sugar.

Step 13

Beat on medium for hard soft peaks. Then pour in the gelatin and beat for another 30-40 seconds. Add to a piping bag.

Step 14- Assembly

On a cake board/plate add a bit of chantilly in the middle and place one layer of the cake. Brush the layer of the cake with some milk. Then add chantilly cream on the base and spread evenly.

Step 15

Made two dams, one right around the corner and one in the middle. Add strawberry preserve between the two dams and lemon curd in the center. Repeat the process for all 3 layers.

Step 16

Place the last layer of the cake on top and pipe the leftover cream on top and the sides. With a scraper, flatten the frosting and add fresh fruits on top. Let the cake rest in the refrigerator for a minimum of 3 hours before serving.

Tips

1. Creaming the butter and sugar till fluffy and pale ensures a moist sponge.

2. Lightly flour the strawberries before adding to the cake.

3. Make sure all the ingredients of the cake are at room temperature.

4. Use an ice cream scoop or measuring cup to divide the batter.

5. Let the cake come down to room temperature before slicing it into two halves.

6. When making the lemon curd make sure your butter is chilled.

7. Keep whisking your curd to prevent the yolk from scrambling.

8. When making the strawberry preserve keep a close eye on the heat to prevent the berries from sticking to the bottom.

9. When adding gelatin to water make sure there are no lumps.

10. When beating the cream keep checking for soft peaks in short intervals.

11. Frost your cake from time to time while assembling as the frosting might get loose.

12. Once assembled it's important for the cake to rest for a minimum of 2 hours in the refrigerator.