Strawberry Cake with Sponge Base

Ingredients

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• 4 eggs large, separated
• 100 g (1/2 cup) granulated sugar
• 1 packet vanilla sugar about 8 g, or 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 pinch salt
• 2 tbsp water warm
• 70 g (1/2 cup) all-purpose flour
• 30 g (1/4 cup) cornstarch
• 400 ml (1 3/4 cup) milk
• 1 packet vanilla pudding mix about 37 g (cook-type); or 4 tbsp cornstarch plus 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 50 g (1/4 cup) granulated sugar
• 150 ml (5.1 fl oz) heavy cream well chilled
• 600 g (1.3 lb) strawberries fresh, hulled, patted dry
• 1 packet cake glaze powder red or clear, for 1 cup (250 ml) of liquid
• 250 ml (1 cup) water for the glaze
• 2 tbsp granulated sugar for the glaze

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 350 °F (180 °C) conventional or 325 °F (160 °C) convection, with the rack in the middle. Line the bottom of a 10-inch (26 cm) springform pan with parchment paper and leave the sides ungreased. Separate the eggs.
2. Beat the egg yolks with the warm water, 50 g (1/4 cup) of the sugar and the vanilla sugar for 4 minutes until pale and foamy. Beat the egg whites with the salt until stiff, sprinkle in the remaining 50 g of sugar and beat for another minute, until the meringue is glossy.
3. Add the egg whites on top of the yolk mixture, sift the flour and cornstarch over it and fold everything together with a spatula. Do not stir, or the sponge collapses. Pour the batter into the pan, smooth the top and bake for about 20 minutes, until golden, springy to a light touch and a wooden skewer comes out clean.
4. Let the sponge rest in the pan for 10 minutes, run a knife around the edge and turn the base out onto a cooling rack. Peel off the paper and let it cool completely, about 45 minutes. Then set it on a cake plate and close a cake ring or the cleaned springform ring around it.
5. For the cream, stir 6 tablespoons of the milk smooth with the pudding mix and sugar. Bring the remaining milk to a boil, stir in the mixture and boil for 1 minute, stirring. Press plastic wrap directly onto the surface and let it cool completely, about 60 minutes.
6. Whip the cream until stiff. Stir the cold pudding smooth, fold in the cream and spread the filling evenly over the sponge base.
7. Rinse the strawberries, pat them carefully dry, remove the hulls and halve large berries. Arrange the strawberries tip up in tight circles on the cream.
8. Bring the glaze powder, sugar and 250 ml (1 cup) of water to a boil according to the package directions and simmer for 1 minute. Let it cool for 1 to 2 minutes and spoon it quickly over the strawberries so that the glaze reaches the edge. Chill the cake for at least 2 hours, then remove the ring.

Tip: Ripe strawberries are sweet enough; very tart berries need one more tablespoon of sugar in the glaze. Cut the cake just before serving so the glaze does not crack.

Tip: The cake contains cream and pudding, so keep it chilled until serving and eat it within 2 days. The eggs in the sponge are baked through, and the cream contains no raw eggs.