Fresh Mango & Cream Sponge Cake

This is my second attempt on baking sponge cake by using a good recipe.  I literally forgotten about steam baking the sponge cake, and went on a normal baking.  Age is catching up with me, I didn’t realize this mistake until I started writing this post!  I think I have to admit to getting older, LOL! Luckily the blunder I made didn’t affect the taste and texture much.  I prefer the one baked in waterbath, this normal bake was good though.  Both were smooth but the one baked in waterbath was smoother and velvetier.

Click here for recipe.

Japanese Strawberry Shortcake

Do you know anybody whose birthday is on February 29?  For those who are celebrating their birthdays on February 29th 2012, IT’s time for a real birthday!  Happy Leap Year Birthday to all leaplings!  Made this for a friend, Jolene who’s celebrating her real birthday today, ‘Wishing you great happiness, a joy that never ends.   Happy Birthday to you!’

I will post the recipe soon…stay tuned…

Updated 6th March 2012 :

I love this sponge cake, it’s soft.  Thanks to Rima of Bisous A Toi for translating and sharing this wonderful recipe. I noticed this cake tends to shrink both from the sides and at the top as it cools down, but it didn’t bother me at all.  After all, it’s unnoticeable upon frosting.

Japanese Strawberry Shortcake

Source : Bisous A Toi “Strawberry Shortcake Royale” with slight modifications. Click here for original recipe.

Makes one 8” round cake

Ingredients
( Sponge Cake )

145g cake flour

15g corn flour

150g salted butter

65g fresh milk

1 egg

5 egg yolks – whisk lightly with a fork

1tsp vanilla extract

5 egg white

100g castor sugar

¼ tsp cream of tartar

( Mousse )

Whipped cream

Sugar syrup

250g Strawberries or more ( some to be thinly sliced, balance reserved for decorating the top of the cake )

Method

1. Preheat oven at 160 degrees C.  Grease and line 8” round pan.  Wrap the bottom of the baking pan with aluminium foil ( I wrapped with 2 layers ).

2. Sift cake flour and corn flour, mix well to combine. Leave aside.

3. Heat butter and milk till warm, do not let it boil.  Remove from heat and add in flour mixture.  Mix using wooden spatula.

4. Transfer the mixture to a bigger bowl.  Add in whole egg, egg yolks and vanilla extract.  Mix till smooth.

5. Whisk egg white at low speed until foamy, add in cream of tartar and whisk at medium speed.  Add in sugar in 3 additons and whisk till soft peak ( I whisked till stiff peak, just like the way to make chiffon cake )

6. Using rubber spatula, scrape 1/3 egg white mixture into the egg/butter mixture.  Fold in gently. Scrape remaining egg white mixture and continue to fold gently until well combine.

7. Pour batter into baking pan and steam-bake for about 45 mins or until the skewer inserted comes out clean.

Whipped Cream
2 tsp gelatin powder

8 tsp cold water

2 cup whipping cream, cold

1tbsp icing sugar

2 tsp kahlua or 1tsp vanilla essence

Method

1. Chill mixing bowl and beaters in the freezer for 10minutes.

2. Put the cold water in a small saucepan. Sprinkle the gelatin over the surface of the water and let it stand for 5 minutes.

3. Place the saucepan over low heat and stir constantly with a wooden spoon just until the gelatin dissolves. Remove the saucepan from the heat and cool to room temperature.

4. Remove mixing bowl and beaters from freezer. In the mixing bowl, combine the whipping cream, sugar, and kahlua or vanilla and whip until slightly thickened. While beating slowly, gradually pour the gelatin into the whipped cream mixture. Then whip the mixture at high speed until slightly stiff.  If not use immediately, refrigerate the whipped cream for use later.

Sugar  Syrup
1/4 cup sugar

1/4 cup water

Method

In a medium saucepan combine the sugar and water. Bring the water to a boil, stirring, until sugar has dissolved. Remove from the heat and allow to cool.

Assembling

1.Trim top off sponge cake layer to make flat surface.

2. Slice the sponge cake horizontally into two layers.

3. Place one sponge layer cut side up on a cake board and lightly brush the surface with sugar syrup.

4. Spread a thin layer of whipped cream over the cake layer, and arrange sliced strawberries over it.  Spread whipped cream over the strawberries.

5. Brush the cut-side of 2^nd cake layer with sugar syrup, and with the brushed side down, on top of the whipped cream, press gently to make level.

6. Do a crumb coat by frosting a thin layer of whipped cream to seal the cake crumbs.  Refrigerate the cake for 15 minutes.

7. Generously coat the chilled cake with whipped cream, frosting the top of the cake first, follow by the sides.

8. Chill in the fridge for cream to set for an hour or so. Garnish with the reserved strawberries.  Decorate as desired.