Fruit and Cream Layer Cake
Recipe
The perfect cake for the family to enjoy.
Serves: 6 people | Prep time: 20 minutes | Cooking time: 180 minutes
British | Dessert
Ingredients
Sponge
- 200g Butter, softened
- 200g Caster Sugar
- 200g Self-raising Flour
- 50g Ground Almonds
- 2 Eggs & 2 Egg Yolks
- 2-4 tbsp Milk
- 150g Blackberries
Meringue
- 3 large Egg Whites
- 180g Caster Sugar
Lemon Cream
- 600ml Double Cream
- 200g Clotted Cream
- 2 tbsp Lemon Juice
- 1 tbsp Lemon Zest
Strawberry Puree
- 150g Strawberries
- 10g Caster Sugar
- Squeeze of Lemon Juice
Assembly
- 250g Strawberries, a few halved for the top, the rest sliced for the inside
- 150g Blueberries
- 50g Blackberries
Optional: edible flowers eg violas, pansies, rose petals, cornflowers, borage
Method
- Line the base of 2 loose-bottomed 20cm cake tins with baking paper and grease the sides. Pre-heat the oven to 160C/140C fan/ gas 4
- Add the sponge ingredients (except the blackberries) to a bowl then beat together until well combined. Stir in the blackberries and divide the batter between the tins.
- Bake for 30-40 mins or until a skewer comes out clean. Then, turn the sponges onto a cooling wire and set aside.
- Reduce oven temp to 120C/100C fan/gas 2. For the meringue, draw 2 x 18cm circles on baking paper and place on baking sheets.
- Whisk the egg whites until soft peaks have formed. Gradually add the sugar, 1 tbsp at a time and continue whisking until stiff peaks have formed.
- Put 1/2 the meringue into each circle and spread evenly. Peak the top of one meringue with the back of a spoon.
- Bake for 1.5 to 2 hrs. Turn off the oven and leave inside to cool completely.
- While the meringue is cooling make the strawberry puree by blending together the strawberries, sugar and lemon juice. Sieve to remove any seeds.
- Just before assembling the cake prepare the lemon cream - whip the double cream until soft peaks then stir in the clotted cream and lemon juice and zest.
- To assemble the cake, lay one of the sponges on a cake stand, spread with 1/3 of the lemon cream and scatter over some sliced strawberries, a few blackberries and blueberries and drizzle over some strawberry puree. Top with the flat meringue, then repeat with the lemon cream, fruit and puree.
- Add the second layer of sponge and then again repeat with a last layer of cream fruit and puree.
- Finish with the peaked layer of meringue and decorate the top with the halved strawberries, the remaining blueberries and blackberries and a scattering of edible flowers.