Layers of moist coconut sponge are filled with luscious lemon curd cream and topped with juicy fresh berries – perfect for a special occasion or a treat for friends. I have made the recipe twice to get four layers but two layers are just as delicious.
INGREDIENTS
6 x #7 eggs at room temperature, separated
⅔ cup caster sugar
1½ cups desiccated coconut
½ teaspoon baking powder
pinch of salt
finely grated zest and juice 1 lemon
Filling
200 ml mascarpone
½ cup lemon curd
½ cup cream, softly whipped
Topping
any combination of strawberries, raspberries and blueberries
spray-free edible flowers
METHOD
Grease 2 x 20cm cake tins and line the bases with baking paper.
Preheat the oven to 170˚C fan bake.
Beat the egg yolks and ⅓ cup of the sugar until thick and pale. This will take about 5 minutes.
Combine the coconut, baking powder, salt and lemon zest. Add to the yolks along with the lemon juice and gently combine.
Whisk the egg whites to soft peaks then gradually whisk in the remaining sugar until thick and glossy.
Using a large metal spoon, fold ⅓ of the egg whites into the yolk mixture then fold in the remaining egg whites in two lots. Divide the mixture evenly between the tins and spread evenly.
Bake for 13-15 minutes until the sponge is pulling away from the side of the tin and is golden. Cool completely in the tins.
Filling: Stir the mascarpone and lemon curd together then fold in the cream.
Place one sponge on a serving plate and spread with half of the cream if only using two layers. Top with berries. Place the second cake on top and spread with the remaining cream and berries, adding the flowers to garnish. Makes 1 cake.
If making a four layered cake as in the photograph, increase the cream in the filling to 1 cup. Spread a ⅓ of the cream filling on three of the layers with only berries and flowers on the top layer.
The sponges can be made two days ahead. Wrap well in plastic wrap and keep in an airtight container.
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In Dream Escape, we journey from Japan and Morocco to Italy, India and beyond, sharing recipes inspired by travel, heritage and comfort. We celebrate the champions of the Outstanding Food Producer Awards, explore the stories and recipes of chefs shaped by their cultural roots, and warm up with everything from West African soups and slow-braised lamb to porchetta, butter chicken and beef noodle soup. Alongside destination menus, Scandinavian sweets and cosy pub classics, Chrisanne Terblanche shares her favourite street-side dining spots in Bangkok, while Yvonne Lorkin explores red wine varietals. This issue, we invite you to slow down, turn the pages and escape through food.