Vanilla Sponge Cake With Mango Custard Filling Recipes

MY BEST VANILLA CAKE - STAYS MOIST 4 DAYS!

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 180°C/350°F (160°C fan) for 20 minutes before starting the batter (Note 8). Place shelf in the middle of the oven.
• Grease 2 x 20cm / 8" cake pans with butter, then line with parchment / baking paper. (Note 9 more pan sizes) Best to use cake pan without loose base, if you can.
• Whisk flour, baking powder and salt in a large bowl. Set aside.
• Beat eggs for 30 seconds on speed 6 of a Stand Mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, or hand beater.
• With the beater still going, pour the sugar in over 45 seconds.
• Then beat for 7 minutes on speed 8, or until tripled in volume and white.
• Heat Milk-Butter: While egg is beating, place butter and milk in a heatproof jug and microwave 2 minutes on high to melt butter (or use stove). Do not let milk bubble and boil (foam ok). Don't do this ahead and let the milk cool (this affects rise).
• Gently add flour: When the egg is whipped, scatter 1/3 flour across surface, then beat on Speed 1 for 5 seconds. Add half remaining flour, then mix on Speed 1 for 5 sec. Add remaining flour, then mix on Speed 1 for 5 - 10 sec until the flour is just mixed in. Once you can't see flour, stop straight away.
• Lighten hot milk with some Egg Batter: Pour hot milk, vanilla and oil into the now empty flour bowl. Add about 1 1/2 cups (2 ladles or so) of the Egg Batter into the Milk-Butter (don't need to be 100% accurate with amount). Use a whisk to mix until smooth - you can be vigorous here. Will look foamy.
• Slowly add milk: Turn beater back on Speed 1 then pour the Milk mixture into the Egg Batter over 15 seconds, then turn beater off.
• Scrape and final mix: Scrape down sides and base of bowl. Beat on Speed 1 for 10 seconds - batter should now be smooth and pourable.
• Pour batter into pans.
• Knock out bubbles: Bang each cake pan on the counter 3 times to knock out big bubbles (Note 10 for why)
• Bake 30 minutes or until golden and toothpick inserted into centre comes out clean.
• Remove from oven. Cool in cake pans for 15 minutes, then gently turn out onto cooling racks. If using as layer cakes, cool upside down - slight dome will flatten perfectly. Level cake = neat layers.
• Frost with frosting of choice, or cream and fresh berries or jam. See list of ideas in post!
• Beat butter with paddle attachment in stand mixer for 3 minutes on high until it changes from yellow to almost white, and it becomes fluffy and creamy.
• Add icing sugar / powdered sugar gradually in 3 lots, beating slowly (to avoid a powder storm) then once mostly incorporated, beat on high for a full 3 minutes until fluffy.
• Add vanilla and milk, then beat for a further 30 seconds. Use milk only if needed to make it lovely and soft but still holds it's form (eg for piping). Use immediately. (If you make ahead, refrigerate then beat to re-fluff).

VANILLA CUSTARD CAKE

Steps:

• Make the pastry cream 2 - 24 hours ahead of time, make double of this recipe. *See Notes*

VANILLA SPONGE CAKE WITH MANGO CUSTARD FILLING

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly oil two 9-inch layer cake pans with canola oil spray.
• In a large bowl, using an electric mixer beat the egg yolks, water, 1/4 cup of the agave nectar, the lemon zest, and vanilla extract for 5 minutes, or until pale and creamy. In a separate bowl, using clean beaters beat the egg whites at medium speed until stiff, slowly adding the remaining 1/4 cup agave nectar. Continue to beat until stiff and glossy, but not dry, about 1 to 2 minutes. Carefully fold the egg whites into the egg yolk mixture. In another bowl, sift the flour and baking powder together. Gently fold into the egg mixture. Pour the batter into the prepared pans and bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the centers of the layers comes out clean. Cool in the pans for 5 minutes, then invert on a cooling rack and cool completely before frosting.
• To assemble, spread a generous layer of vanilla pastry cream on the first cake layer. Next add the mango, followed by a bit more pastry cream to anchor the top layer in place. Top with the second layer and frost the entire cake with whipped cream. Refrigerate until ready to serve.
• Zesty Lemon: Flavor the cake with 2 teaspoons lemon zest and substitute a teaspoon of lemon extract for the vanilla extract. Fill with lemon curd (page 66) and frost with Agave Nectar Whipped Cream (page 113) and sliced fresh strawberries.
• Tipsy Mousse: Drizzle the cake layers with your favorite liqueur or rum. Fill with Light Chocolate Mousse (page 101). Frost with Agave Nectar Whipped Cream (page 113) and drizzle on melted chocolate ganache frosting (page 108).
• Celebration Cake: Vanilla Buttercream Frosting (page 106) is a classic. Try some sliced bananas inside along with the buttercream or Orange Crème Filling (page 113).
• Pineapple Right-Side-Up Cake: One of my favorites is Pineapple Cake Filling (page 115) and fresh whipped cream frosting.

VANILLA CUSTARD SPONGE CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325°F.
• Combine the egg yolks, 1/2 cup sugar, water and extracts in a bowl and beat at high speed until thick and lemon coloured (about 5 minutes). Stir in the flour, then set bowl aside.
• Beat the egg whites, cream of tartar and salt in a large bowl at high speed until foamy. Gradually beat in 1 cup sugar, beating until stiff moist peaks form.
• Gradually fold the egg yolk mixture into the egg whites. Pour the batter into an ungreased 10 inch tube pan. Pull the spatula through the batter once to break large air bubbles.
• Bake for one hour or until cake tests done. Invert the tube pan on a funnel or bottle to cool. When completely cool, remove from the pan.
• Using a serrated knife, cut the cake into 3 even layers. Invert the cake so that the top of the cake, will become the bottom layer of the finished cake. Spread the Vanilla Custard Filling evenly between the layers. Dust the top of the cake with the confectioners sugar. Store finished cake in the refrigerator.
• VANILLA CUSTARD FILLING:.
• Prepare the whipped topping mix with the 1/2 cup milk and vanilla according to the package directions. Prepare the pudding according to the package instructions, but using only 1 cup milk. Fold the pudding into the topping whipped topping.