polka-dot strawberry cake recipe

8/11/2019 Polka-dot Strawberry Cake Recipe

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Ingredients

1kg strawberries, hulled, except for 8 berries

1 tbsp icing sugar

juice lemon

butter, for greasing

For the polka dots

1 large egg

25g golden caster sugar

25g plain flour

few drops pink food colouring

few drops red food colouring

For the cakes

8 large eggs

200g golden caster sugar

200g plain flour

2 tsp baking powder

50g butter, melted

2 tsp vanilla extract

For the filling

500g mascarpone

5 tbsp icing sugar

300ml double cream

To finish

3 tbsp apricot jam

icing sugar, for dusting

Method

1. Slice 300g of the strawberries. Put in a pan with the icing sugar and lemon juice.

Gently heat until the juices start to run, then cook, uncovered, for 2 mins. Tip into a

food processor or mini blender and whizz to a pure, then press through a sieve to

remove the seeds.


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2. Grease and line the base and sides of a 23 x 33cm Swiss roll tin. Grease and line the

base of a deep 20-21cm round cake tin. (You will also need a deep 23cm round cake

tin for later.) To make the polka dots, whisk the egg and sugar using a hand-held

electric whisk until thick, pale and the mixture leaves a trail when the whisk blade is

lifted. Sift in the flour and fold in using a spatula until well mixed, then fold in 1 tbsp

of the strawberry pure and a few drops each of the pink and red food colouring.

3. Spoon small dots of the mixture randomly over the base of the Swiss roll tin, leaving

a little space between each dot. Place in the freezer for 20 mins until the pink dots are

firm to the touch.

4. To make the cakes, heat oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. If you have a tabletop mixer,

you can make the whole quantity in 1 batch. If using a handheld electric whisk, it will

be easier to make the cakes in 2 batches of 4 eggs each. Whisk the eggs and sugar

until the mixture is light and pale, and the whisk blades leave a trail when they are

lifted this will take 5-8 mins. Sift in the flour and baking powder, drizzle in the

butter and vanilla, and fold everything together using a spatula until all the flour is

incorporated.

5. Pour half the mixture into the prepared cake tin and the other half over the Swiss roll

tin, spreading it out evenly. Bake the rectangular cake for 15 mins and the round cake

for 25 mins. Turn out each cake onto a tea towel, then remove the paper and invert

onto a wire rack to cool.

6. To make the filling, beat together the mascarpone, icing sugar and remaining

strawberry pure. Chop 200g of the remaining strawberries into small pieces. Whip

the cream to soft peaks and fold into the mascarpone with the chopped strawberries.

7. Line the base and sides of the 23cm round cake tin with cling film. Trim the edges of

the rectangular cake, then cut into 2 x 9cm-wide strips lengthwise. Fit around the

sides of the tin, trimming to fit if necessary. The cake should butt together fairly

tightly.

8. Cut the round cake into 3 layers (you could cut it into 2 layers if you find it easier, and

divide the following filling accordingly). Place the bottom layer in the base of the

cling film-lined tin. Reserve 3 rounded tbsp of the filling in a small bowl, then spoon

half the remainder over the cake, smoothing it flat. Place a second cake layer on top

and add the remaining filling, smoothing it flat. Top with the last cake layer. Coverthe cake with cling film and chill for 24-48 hrs, along with the small bowl of reserved

filling.

9. Carefully remove the cake from the tin and peel off the cling film. Slide the cake onto

a serving plate. Slice the remaining hulled strawberries. Spread the reserved filling

over the top of the cake and fill with sliced berries, adding in the 8 whole ones.

10.Warm the apricot jam with 2 tbsp water in a small pan, then press through a sieve.

Brush liberally over all the strawberries. Dust the top edge of the cake with icing

sugar. Chill until ready to serve.


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polka-dot strawberry cake recipe

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