Recipe
*for a 25x30cm baking pan
Ingredients for sponge cake:
3 large eggs
100g white sugar
250g semolina
100g all purpose flour
100ml oil
250ml butter milk
zest from one lemon
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/3 teaspoon salt
Ingredients for lemon syrup:
600ml water
juice from 3 large lemons
300g white sugar
Ingredients for frosting:
400ml heavy whipping cream
250g mascarpone cheese
50g powder sugar
1 teaspoon vanila powder
Topping (based on preferences):
cocoa
diced fresh mango
speculoos (Biscoff) spread
Steps to follow:
(1) Mix the dry ingredients in a bowl: semolina, flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
(2) Separately, in a large bowl or the bowl of a standing mixer, mix the eggs with the sugar, for a few minutes until you get a fluffy mixture. Add the oil, butter milk and lemon zest and mix well.
(3) Add the dry ingredients over the previous mix, and with the help of a whisk, gently incorporate the ingredients, trying to keep the dough as airy as possible.
(4) Grease the pan with butter and pour the mixture in. Level the batter and place the pan in the preheated oven at 180C for about 25 minutes or until it turns golden and passes the toothpick test.
(5) While the sponge is in the oven, prepare the lemon syrup. Add all the ingredients in a fireproof pot and keep it on the fire until it boils and the sugar melts. Remove from fire and let it cool at room temperature until the sponge is ready.
(6) After the sponge has baked, let it cool slightly for 5-10 minutes. With a skewer stick, poke the sponge from place to place and then pour over all the lemon syrup. Let the sponge soak all the syrup and cool at room temperature.
(7) Once the sponge reached room temperature, start making the frosting.
Whip the whipping cream, cold from the fridge, until stiff.
In a separate bowl, mix the mascarpone cheese with powdered sugar and vanilla with a mixer, until everything is combined.
Gently fold the whipped cream into the mascarpone. If using a mixer, try not to mix too much so as not to over-beat the cream. Easier way is to use a whisk.
Level the frosting over the cake and decorate with the desired topping. We can simply dust with cocoa, add fresh mango over or add a layer of speculoos biscuit cream (which we heat slightly in the microwave to be fluid).
Store in the fridge for a few days.
Happy baking!
Love,
G.
