Three ingredient sponge with vanilla mascarpone cream and summer fruits

Cherie Lyden, founder of award-winning Coeliac Australia accredited gluten-free bakery Wholegreen Bakery shares her signature three ingredient sponge cake. Whipped to ethereal heights with a Smeg stand mixer, the light and airy sponge is filled and topped with luscious mascarpone and summer stone fruits.

Serves 8 - gluten free

7  (420g) large eggs

¾ cup (165g) caster sugar

⅔ cup (110g) gluten-free self-raising flour

Vanilla mascarpone cream

300ml thickened cream

300ml Mascarpone cream

1 teaspoon vanilla paste with the seeds

6-8 ripe stone fruit (including peaches, nectarines, apricots), sliced

 Method

Preheat the oven to 180℃/350℉ (160℃/315℉ fan-forced) with the oven rack positioned in the middle of the oven.

Grease two 20 cm shallow round cake tin and line the bases with baking paper.

For the sponge, whisk together the eggs and sugar in a saucepan set over low to medium heat. Once the mix is hot to touch (around 65℃), transfer it to the bowl of a Smeg stand mixer with the whisk attachment and whisk for 7-8 minutes, or beat on high speed with a Smeg hand mixer until light and creamy and doubled in volume.

Remove bowl from the mixer and gradually sift in the flour,  folding it through gently with a spatula as you go. Continue until all the flour has been added and everything is completely combined then spoon the batter evenly into the prepared tins and bake 25 - 30 minutes, until lightly firm to touch.

Remove from the oven and let cool for 10 minutes in the tins before turning out onto a wire rack and leaving to cool completely. (Expect your sponges to retract from the sides of the cake tin whilst cooling and shrivel slightly).

Whilst the sponges are cooling, prepare the stone fruits and vanilla mascarpone cream. Slice the stone fruits in half. Remove the pip and slice into bite size slices.  Using a Smeg stand mixer with the whisk attachment (or Smeg hand mixer), whip the cream, mascarpone and vanilla using the until soft peaks form.

When completely cool, place one sponge on a serving plate.  Spread over half the lightly whipped vanilla mascarpone cream. Top with the second sponge and repeat the process, scattering the stone fruits messily over the top.

Storage

The creamed sponge will store for up to 2 days in the fridge.  Or the sponge itself, wrapped well, can be frozen for up to 1 month to use at a later stage. Serve at room temperature.