Now that spring has truly come to Switzerland, I felt in the mood for a delicious, light and bright sponge cake piled high with berries and cream. It reminds me of summer in Sweden relaxing in the archipelago. This sponge cake is so lovely I've baked it at least three times since writing the recipe a few weeks ago. I added the lemon for extra brightness and the cardamon gives it a very subtle spicy note.
240g caster sugar
250g unsalted butter (room temperature)
250g plain flour
5 large eggs
3 1/2 tsp baking powder
The zest of one lemon
A pinch of salt
1/4 tsp of cardamon
1 tsp vanilla essence
3 tsp milk
500 ml cream
1 tsp caster sugar
Raspberry jam
Fresh raspberries
Fresh strawberries
Fresh blueberries
Icing sugar for dusting
Preheat your oven to 175°C. Butter and line a spring form pan with baking paper.
Whisk the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy - it should turn a paler yellow colour. Add in the eggs one at a time, scraping down the sides of the bowl if necessary. Keep whisking until the eggs are well combined and the mixture is fluffy. In another bowl mix the flour and baking powder together so they are well combined and then sift this into the egg mixture, adding the lemon zest, cardamon, vanilla essence and milk. Fold in together.
Pour the batter into your spring form pan and place in the oven for 35 minutes. Check to see if it's cooked by inserting a knife into the middle. If it comes out clean, its ready, if not, put it back in for another 5 minutes or so.
Once baked, cool on a wire rack. When the cake is cool, cut the cake in half and fill with jam, whipped cream and fresh berries. cover the top with cream and decorate with more berries and a little icing sugar if you like.
Sit in the sunshine and enjoy a piece of fluffy, delicious cake.
