Strawberry Mascarpone Dream Cake

Instructions

1. 11

   Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and flour a 9-inch round springform pan. Line the bottom with parchment paper.

2. 22

   In a large bowl, beat the eggs, granulated sugar, and vanilla extract with an electric mixer on high speed for 8-10 minutes, until the mixture is very pale, thick, and tripled in volume.

3. 33

   In a separate bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, cornstarch, and baking powder. Sift the dry ingredients over the egg mixture in three additions, gently folding them in with a spatula after each addition until just combined. Be careful not to deflate the batter.

4. 44

   In a small saucepan, gently heat the milk and melted butter until warm (not hot). Add a spoonful of the batter to the milk mixture, stir to combine, then gently fold this back into the main batter. This helps to lighten the milk mixture before adding it to the delicate batter.

5. 55

   Pour the batter into the prepared springform pan and bake for 25-30 minutes, or until a wooden skewer inserted into the center comes out clean. Let the cake cool in the pan for 10 minutes before inverting it onto a wire rack to cool completely.

6. 66

   While the cake cools, prepare the strawberries. Wash and hull the strawberries. Slice about two-thirds of the strawberries and dice the remaining one-third. In a bowl, toss the diced strawberries with 2 tablespoons of granulated sugar and lemon juice. Let them macerate for at least 15 minutes.

7. 77

   For the mascarpone cream, in a large bowl, combine the mascarpone cheese, heavy cream, powdered sugar, and vanilla extract. Beat with an electric mixer on medium-high speed until stiff peaks form. Be careful not to overbeat, or the mixture may curdle.

8. 88

   Once the sponge cake is completely cool, carefully slice it horizontally into two equal layers using a long serrated knife. In a small bowl, whisk together the strawberry jam and water to create a light glaze.

9. 99

   Place one cake layer on your serving plate. Brush the top with half of the strawberry jam glaze. Spread half of the mascarpone cream over the cake layer, leaving a small border. Arrange the sliced strawberries over the cream. Spoon the macerated diced strawberries (and their juices) over the sliced strawberries.

10. 1010

    Carefully place the second cake layer on top. Brush with the remaining jam glaze. Spread the remaining mascarpone cream evenly over the top and sides of the cake. Decorate with the remaining sliced strawberries. Chill the cake for at least 2 hours before serving to allow the flavors to meld and the cream to set.