Layered Spiced Summer Berry Sponge

Along with all the obvious summer joys (the sun, warmth and linen dresses) summer berries are one of the things I hangout for all year.  So on this sunny Friday I have decided to celebrate the week with my favourite summer cake.  It’s bright, colourful and bursting with summer berries, perfect for lazing in the park or around the pool if you’re lucky enough!

Enjoy, Katie x

Layered Spiced Summer Berry Sponge

 

Cooking time: 1 hour plus construction time

Serves: 6-8

 

Ingredients

Cake

140 grams self-raising flour

130 grams butter, room temperature

160 grams caster sugar

50 grams almond meal

3 eggs, room temperature

1-2 tbsp. water

 

For filling,

I pint whipping cream

1 tbsp. icing sugar

450 grams of cherry, blueberry and raspberry mix (fresh are better but frozen still work well)

5 cloves

1-2 inch piece of fresh ginger

1 tsp. ground ginger

 

Method

• Preheat your oven to 180° C
• Then grease and line 3 x 6 inch cake tins.
• Pop your butter into a mixing bowl and beat with hand mixer. Once soft, add your caster sugar and blend until light and fluffy.
• Add your eggs slowly. The best way to do this is to beat them in a small bowl, making sure they are well incorporated into the mix before adding more.
• Next, add the almond meal and sift in your self-raising flour. Gently fold in.  If the mixture is a bit too dry or thick, fold in a tablespoon of water.
• Once smooth, pop a third of the mix into each cake tin and then place in the middle of the oven.
• Bake for 20 minutes or until golden brown and spongy to touch. Leave to cool on wire cake rack.
• Whilst waiting for the cake to bake start on your filling. Place your fruit into a medium saucepan with the cloves and ginger.
• Gently simmer over a medium heat, allowing the fruit to soften and cook down. This should take 10-15 minutes.
• Once reduced remove the cloves and fresh ginger and leave to cool.
• Whisk your icing sugar and cream together until peaks form.
• When constructing your cake, be sure both cake and fruit are cold so as not to melt the cream.
• Fold fruit into the cream, giving it a marbled effect.
• Dollop and spread a third onto one of the cakes, this will be the base
• Top with second cake and repeat with the cream
• Pop on the last layer of cake and then decorate with the rest of the cream and the rest berries.
• Serve with a cup of tea or a glass of bubbles. Enjoy!