Strawberry and passion fruit cake

Ingredients

For the cake

• 175g butter, slightly soft
• 175g caster sugar
• 3 eggs (large) at room temperature, lightly beaten
• ½ tsp vanilla extract
• 175g self-raising flour, sifted
• 1 tsp baking powder
• icing sugar for dusting the top

For the filling

• 250g mascarpone
• 200g crème fraiche
• 2 tbsp icing sugar
• 6 passion fruit
• 250g strawberries, hulled and sliced to the thickness of a pound coin

Method

For the cake

Preheat the oven to 180°C. Butter and base-line two 8-inch cake tins so that they’re ready.

In an electric mixer, beat the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy. Gradually add the beaten eggs a little at a time, beating well after each addition. If the mixture starts to curdle add a tablespoon of the flour (don’t worry – it will still be fine). Add the vanilla extract then fold in the flour and the baking powder using a large metal spoon.

Divide the mixture between the cake tins, gently level the surface and put them into the oven.

Bake for about 35 minutes. A skewer inserted into the middle of the cake should come out clean and the cake should be slightly coming away from the sides of the tin. Turn the sponges out onto a wire rack, carefully peel off the paper and leave to cool.

For the filling

Halve the passion fruit and scrape out the insides – juice, seeds and everything – with a teaspoon. Beat the mascarpone with a wooden spoon to loosen it, then add the crème fraiche, sugar and two-thirds of the passion fruit.

Set one of the cakes on a plate and spread half the passion fruit cream over it. Now spoon on the rest of the passion fruit. Put the strawberries on top, followed by the rest of the cream. (Some passion fruit juice will run down the sides of the cake – that’s fine).

Finally, put the second cake on top and dust lightly with icing sugar.

Visit our baking section for more delicious recipes for cakes, biscuits, bread and more