The Great British Bake Off - Strawberry and White Chocolate Cream Cake

YOU LIKE? Sorry for the inconsistency in posts lately, I have been doing a LOT of video editing... But, I'm back! AND... as you can see I've opened the Great British Bake Off book again with another blissful cake!

Ingredients:

For the Sponge:

• 150g good-quality white chocolate, broken up
• 200g unsalted butter, diced and softened
• 3 large free-range eggs, at room temperature
• 150g caster sugar
• Finely grated zest of ½ unwaxed orange (OR orange juice)
• 200g self-raising flour
• 
  

For the Filling and Topping:

• 400g ripe strawberries 
• Finely grated zest and juice of ½ unwaxed orange (AGAIN OR orange juice)
• 1 tablespoon caster sugar 
• 200ml double or whipping cream, well chilled
• 50g good-quality white chocolate, to decorate
• 2 x 20.5cm sandwich tins, greased and the base lined with baking paper

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F/gas 4. Put the chocolate into a heatproof bowl and set over a pan of steaming hot but not boiling water (don’t let the base of the bowl touch the hot water) and melt very gently, stirring frequently. Remove the bowl from the heat and stir until smooth. Add the butter and stir until it has melted.

2. Put the eggs into a mixing bowl and whisk with an electric mixer until frothy. Add the sugar and orange zest and whisk on high speed until the mixture is very thick and mousse-like, and the whisk leaves a ribbon-like trail when lifted from the bowl. This takes about 4 minutes. Give the chocolate and butter mixture a stir, then add to the egg mixture and stir briefly – it should be just combined. Sift the flour into the bowl and gently fold in using a large metal spoon.

3. Divide the mixture between the prepared tins and spread evenly. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until the sponges are light golden brown and springy to the touch. Run a round-bladed knife around the inside of the tins to loosen the sponges, then turn out onto a wire rack and leave to cool. When ready to assemble the cake, wipe the strawberries with kitchen paper and hull. Save one-third (the good-looking ones) for decoration; thinly slice the rest into a bowl. Add the orange zest and juice and the sugar and mix gently. Leave for 10 to 30 minutes to allow the flavours to develop. 

Meanwhile, whip the cream until thick.

4. Set one sponge, browned top down, on a serving plate. Spoon the sliced strawberries and juice onto the sponge to cover evenly. Spread half the whipped cream on top. Set the second sponge, browned top up, on the cream. Carefully spread the rest of the cream over the top, then decorate

with the reserved strawberries, cut into halves.

Keep the cake chilled, in an airtight container, until ready to serve (up to 12 hours). Remove from the fridge 30 minutes before serving and decorate the top with curls or gratings of white chocolate like I did. Maybe even add some icing sugar over the strawberry's!

If you would like to buy this book go to: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Great-British-Bake-Off-Victoria/dp/1849902682/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1334860224&sr=8-1

A Special Thanks to HarrisonsCooking Official Taster: Hayden!

THANKS FOR READING! :)