Rosewater and Raspberry Sponge Cake

Serves: 10 to 12
Preparation time: 15 minutes
Cooking time: 18 minutes

Ingredients

• Plain flour, for dusting
• 4 eggs, room temperature
• 160g caster sugar
• 150g cornflour
• 30g custard powder
• 1 tsp cream of tartar
• 1/2 tsp bicarbonate of soda
• 400ml thickened cream
• 1 tbsp rose water
• 2 tbsp caster sugar, extra
• 1 punnet fresh raspberries
• 2 pieces of Turkish delight, cut into small cubes
• 1 tbsp dried rose petals

Method

Preheat oven to 170⁰C. Grease two deep 22 cm round cake tins then lightly coat the sides and base of the tins with flour and tap out the excess.

Place eggs and sugar in the bowl of an electric stand mixer. Beat for 8 minutes or until thick and creamy with the whisk attachment. The mixture should form thick ribbons when the whisk is lifted.

While beating the eggs and sugar, sift the dry ingredients twice onto a piece of paper. Sift the flour mixture on to the top of the egg mixture. Using a large wire whisk, lightly and quickly fold the flour mixture into the egg mixture.

Pour mixture evenly into the prepared cake tins. Cook sponges, side by side on a wire rack for 18 minutes or until sponge springs back when touched lightly and sides have released from the tins. Remove sponges from the tins immediately and allow to cool right way up on a cooling rack.

Beat cream, rose water and sugar with an electric mixer until firm peaks form. Cut each sponge into two layers. Place one layer onto a serving plate and spread ¼ of the cream evenly on top. Top with another sponge layer and spread 1/4 of the cream evenly on top. Repeat again and then place the last sponge layer on top of cream. With remaining 1/4 of the cream, spread on top and sides to achieve a nude cake finish.

Decorate top of the sponge cake with raspberries, Turkish delight and rose petals.

Note: sponge cakes can be baked and layered with cream the day before and kept in the refrigerator. Decorate with raspberries, Turkish delight and rose petals just before serving.

Using the correct tin size is important when cooking a sponge. A different size tin will increase or decrease the cooking time.