White chocolate and summer fruit birthday cake

Great proposition for ones who need to make a birthday cake during the summer.  Light and airy sponge, fruity filling and refreshing fruit topping, finished off with sweet white chocolate, which gives the cake professional finish and makes it look so lovely. Delicious!

Ingredients:

For the sponge:

• 5 eggs
• 3/4 cup caster sugar
• 3/4 cup plain flour
• 1/4 cup corn flour

For the syrup:

• 3/4 cup boiling water
• 1/4 cup caster sugar
• 1 tbsp lemon curd
• 1 tsp vanilla paste or 1 vanilla pod

For the vanilla cream:

• 1 tub of double cream
• 1 tsp vanilla paste, or 1 vanilla pod
• 2 tbsp icing sugar

For the summer fruit cream:

• 1 tin of summer fruit pie filling
• 250g mascarpone

To decorate:

• 200g white chocolate
• 6cm x35 cm acetate stripe
• summer fruit of your choice

Beat the egg whites until medium peaks form,then gradually add the sugar and  keep whisking until stiff.  Add the egg yolks, one at a time.  

In a separate bowl mix the plain and the corn flour, sift and fold gently into the egg mixture.

Line the bottom (not the sides) of a 23cm spring form with baking paper and pour in the cake batter. 

Bake in a pre-heated oven at 160C for about 35 minutes, until skewer inserted in the middle of the cake comes out clean.

Take the cake out of the oven and drop form 60 cm hight on the floor.  Place back in an open oven (turned off) until cooled. 

When cooled completely, run a knife around the edges and take out the tin. Cut horizontally into three layers.

To make the syrup bring the water and sugar to the simmer, and when sugar has dissolved take off the heat and add lemon curd and vanilla.  Stir and leave to cool completely.

To make the vanilla cream beat the double cream with icing sugar and vanilla until medium peaks form, place in the fridge until needed.

To make the summer fruit cream mix the mascarpone with the pie filling until well combined. Place in the fridge until needed.

Place the first layer of the cake on a cake drum on a plate and brush generously with the syrup. Spread the summer fruit cream and cover with the second layer of the sponge.  Brush with syrup and spread 3/4 of the vanilla cream on the cake, cover with the third layer of the sponge. Brush with syrup and spread all remaining cream on the top and sides of the cake.

Melt the white chocolate and brush on the acetate stripe, then wrap around the cake, pressing gently to make sure the chocolate sticks to the cake. Place in the fridge for couple of hours to set.

Just before the serving remove the cake from the fridge and peel off the plastic stripe.  Arrange the fruit on top of the cake.

Enjoy!