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Genoise Cake with Raspberries and Cream 

This delicate, whisked cake makes an impressive dessert but is also ideal as the centrepiece for an afternoon picnic on a sunny summer’s day.

Serves 8–10
Prep 30 mins
Bake 25–30 mins
Prep ahead The sponge can be frozen for up to 4 weeks before being cut and filled
Store The filled sponge will keep in an airtight container for 1 day

SPECIAL EQUIPMENT  9 in (20cm) springform cake pan

INGREDIENTS

For the cake

3 tbsp (40g) unsalted butter, melted and cooled, plus extra for greasing

1 cup (120g) all-purpose flour, plus extra for dusting

4 large eggs

½ cup (100g) sugar

1 tsp pure vanilla extract

finely grated zest of 1 lemon

For the filling

2 cups (16fl oz/525ml) heavy cream

11 oz (325g) raspberries

1 tbsp confectioners sugar, plus extra to serve

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C). Grease the cake pan and dust with flour.
2. In an electric mixer with the whisk attachment, or using a large bowl and a hand mixer, whisk together the eggs and sugar for at least 5 minutes, until they are thick, pale, and at least doubled in volume.
3. Sift the flour and carefully fold it into the mixture. Fold in the vanilla, lemon zest, and butter.
4. Pour the batter into the cake pan and bake immediately for 40 minutes, or until the top is springy and a skewer inserted into the middle of the cake comes out clean.
5. Let the cake cool in the pan for a few minutes, then turn out and let cool completely on a wire rack.
6. When the cake is cold, cut it very carefully horizontally into three equal pieces, using a serrated bread knife.
7. In a large bowl, whip the cream until stiff. Crush the raspberries lightly with the confectioners sugar and fold into the cream, leaving behind any juice so that the cream is not too wet.
8. Spread half the cream and raspberry mixture onto one piece of the cake, and top with a second piece. Spread the remaining cream mixture onto the second layer of cake and top with the final layer. Dust the cake with confectioners sugar and serve immediately.

BAKER’S TIP

This is a classic Italian cake that uses very little fat, and only a little melted butter, for flavour. These cakes are infinitely adaptable, and can be filled with anything you like, but should ideally be eaten within 24 hours of baking because the lack of fat means they do not store as well as other cakes.

Recipe reprinted with permission from DK Publishing.