Roasted Strawberry Mascarpone Sponge Cake Recipe

This Roasted Strawberry Mascarpone Sponge Cake is a heavenly layered cake that is bursting full of strawberries (half a kilo to be exact!) and full of flavour. A light as air sponge is soaked in a vanilla simple syrup, filled with a creamy, delicate mascarpone cream and is loaded with both roasted strawberries and fresh sliced strawberries. It’s the ultimate strawberry lovers fantasy. This cake is best made during strawberry season, wen they are still super juicy and flavourful. Tu check out when they are in season, heck your local food board or the Bord Bia website if you are based in Ireland.

So how do I make this Roasted Strawberry Mascarpone Sponge Cake from scratch?

To make this recipe, there are a few steps involved to make this masterpiece. They include;

• Sponge Cake
• Roasted Strawberries
• Vanilla Syrup
• Mascarpone Cream
• Assembly

Sponge Cake

The sponge is a very simple sponge recipe, needing only 3 ingredients(eggs, caster sugar and flour).

To begin making this sponge, add the eggs and caster sugar to a large mixing bowl. Beat on a medium-high speed with an electric whisk or stand mixer with a whisk attachment for 6-7 minutes until it reaches the ribbon stage. This means the eggs will have doubled in size and they will be pale. When you lift the whisk from the bowl the eggs should be thick enough to fall onto the surface of the eggs and leave trails. The ribbon lines should stay suspended on top of the batter, remaining clearly visible on the surface for a few moments before slowly disappearing.

Next, place the plain flour into the sieve and gently sieve into the whipped eggs. Using a rubber spatula, carefully “fold” the flour into the eggs. Folding means that you carefully mix with a rubber spatula by cutting through the middle of the mixture and using a scooping motion gently lift the batter on the bottom up to the top while scraping along the side of the bowl. Continue this motion until most of the lumps of flour have been incorporated. Take care not to knock out too much air by over mixing. Gently pour into 3 greased and lined 8 inch cake tins. Alternatively, if you only have 2 tins, fill one almost fully and the second one about half way.

Bake immediately in a preheated oven for 20 minutes until risen, it has an even golden brown colour and the edges of the sponge have started to peel away from the tin. Allow to cool completely before decorating.

Roasted Strawberries

To make this step, place small whole strawberries or halved larger strawberries into a deep baking tray. Sprinkle over the sugar and cornflour and toss to coat well. Roast for 20-30 minutes until thick and jammy. This can be done at the same time and temperature as the sponge cake, just make sure to put them in at the same time as the sponge. The sponge may deflate if you open the oven door once it’s in. Allow to cool before using to decorate.

Vanilla Syrup

Combine all ingredients in a small bowl or jug and set to one side.

Mascarpone Cream

To make the mascarpone cream, add the mascarpone and vanilla to a mixing bowl. Whisk together until smooth. Add the cream and icing sugar and continue whisking until thick and creamy. You can do this by hand or with an electric mixer/ whisk attachment on stand mixer. Cover and leave in the fridge until you’re ready to assemble the cake.

Assembly

To assemble the cake, slice the larger one of the sponges in half horizontally (if you only had 2 tins), so you have 3 cake layers.

Place the thickest sponge layer onto a serving plate. Spread some mascarpone cream on top of this layer, pushing the majority of it to the edge of the cake, almost creating a well in the middle and walls on the edges of the cake. Spoon a couple of heaped tablespoons of the roasted strawberries into the middle of the cake, as much as you can before it spills over the cream walls. Place a layer of sponge cake on top and gently press down to sandwich together.

Brush the sponge lightly with the vanilla syrup. Spread another layer of mascarpone like the previous layer, with a well in the middle and a wall of mascarpone cream. Place the cut fresh strawberries into the middle, as much as possible without spilling over the walls.

Take your final layer of sponge and spread a really thin layer of mascarpone cream all over. Place this sponge cake, cream side down onto the strawberries and cream. Gently push down to sandwich together. Brush the final sponge layer with a little vanilla syrup. Top with some more mascarpone cream, and any strawberries leftover.

Serve immediately or keep leftovers tightly wrapped in the fridge for up to 3 days.

Want more Cake Recipes? Check out my Cake Category, here.