This is actually a fatless sponge, made with just eggs, sugar and flour. Obviously I made up for the lack of butter in the sponge with a huge dollop of whipped cream in the centre along with some delicious homemade plum jam. It is also four tiers, just to make it especially indulgent.
Equipment
2 - 4 20cm/8 inch cake tins.(If you have only two the same it just means baking in two batches in the oven.) Electric whisk. Sieve. Spatula. Baking parchment.
Ingredients
For the sponge
- 8 eggs
- 200g caster sugar
- 200g self-raising flour
- Extra caster sugar for turning the sponge cakes out
For the filling
- 200ml double cream
- jam of your choice
Method
- You can choose to make the entire cake mixture at once if you have four tins the same size, or divide the recipe in half if you only have two tins the same size and doing it in two batches.
- Make sure your cake tins are well greased and the bottom is lined with baking parchment.
- Pre-heat your oven to 180 degrees fan.
- Mix the eggs and sugar with an electric whisk until light and fluffy. When it's ready the mixture, when dribbled, should leave a trail on the surface of the mixture.
- Add the flour through the sieve (which removes the lumps).
- Fold the flour into the mixture using a spatula. You want to retain as much air in the mixture as possible. Make sure all the flour is incorporated (there is often some hiding at the bottom!)
- Divide the mixture between the tins and place in the oven for 15 minutes - or until the sponge is shrinking away from the sides of the tin.
- While it is baking prepare a sheet of baking parchment with caster sugar sprinkled on.
- Remove the tins from the oven and turn out the cakes onto a sheet of baking parchment sprinkled with caster sugar.
- Allow to cool.
- If you're doing in two batches wipe the tins out, re-grease and re-line and start again.
- Beat the cream until thick and smooth.
- Once all the layers are cool spread the jam over the bottom layer and sandwich with another layer of cream. Repeat this process as you go up the tiers.
- Sprinkle the top with icing or caster sugar.
- Serve. This cake is at its best eaten the same day.