Cherry Cardamom Victorian Sponge Cake

Ingredients

  • 350g soft butter
  • 320g castor sugar
  • 6 eggs
  • 350g cake flour
  • Pinch of salt
  • 15ml baking powder
  • 30ml full cream milk
  • 15ml water
  • 5ml vanilla paste
  • 5ml ground cardamom
  • Icing:
    • 250g double thick cream
    • 500g mascarpone
    • 100ml fresh cream
    • 45ml icing sugar or to taste
    • 2,5ml vanilla paste
  • To garnish:
    • 200g cherries or strawberries
    • Icing sugar, to dust
    • Mint sprigs, to garnish

Method

  1. Cream the butter until light in colour and gradually add the sugar.
  2. Beat until the mixture is fluffy and the sugar has dissolved slightly.
  3. Add the eggs one at a time with a teaspoon of flour, beating well after each addition.
  4. Add the cake flour, salt and baking powder.
  5. Fold the ingredients until well combined, add the milk and water.
  6. Add the vanilla paste and ground cardamom.
  7. Lightly fold in and divide the batter into 3 greased and lined 20cm cake tins.
  8. Bake the cakes in a preheated oven at 170 degrees Celsius for 20 – 22 minutes.
  9. The cakes should be golden brown and a skewer should come out clean when tested.
  10. Leave the cakes to cool on a wire rack.
  11. Place the double thick cream, mascarpone and fresh cream into a mixing bowl.
  12. Add the icing sugar and vanilla paste.
  13. Whisk until thick and well combined
  14. Sandwich the cakes with cream, reserving some for the top.
  15. Swirl the remaining cream over  
  16. Garnish with cherries and dust lightly with icing sugar
  17. Decorate with mint.
  18. Garnish the cakes with fresh cherries then decorate with sprigs of mint.