This Strawberry Shortcake is a dream. A light airy sweet sponge cake layered with fresh crème chantilly and sweet strawberry slices, this comforting cloud of goodness melts in your mouth and makes all your worries momentarily go away. If you’re staying home this weekend, there’s probably no better thing to do than to whip up this classic favourite.

Ingredients:
(Makes one 5” x 10” cake)

 Sponge Cake:
3                      large eggs, room temperature
90g                 caster sugar
40g                 milk
20g                 unsalted butter
70g                 cake flour, sifted twice

Crème Chantilly:
500ml            whipping cream
40g                 icing sugar, sifted
1 tsp               vanilla extract

 To Assemble:
60ml              simple syrup (dissolve 30g of sugar in 30ml of water)
20                   fresh strawberries, sliced

Method:

1. Place eggs and sugar into a heatproof mixing bowl set atop a simmering pot of water. Whisk continuously egg mixture reaches 40^oC
2. Remove mixing bowl from the bain-marie and whisk with a stand mixer on high speed until egg mixture turns thick and pale yellow
3. Meanwhile, place butter and milk in a saucepan and heat up until butter is melted. Set aside in a small bowl.
4. When egg mixture is ready, fold cake flour in using a hand whisk
5. Fold one ladle of egg batter into the melted butter and milk mixture until well incorporated. Then add the mixture back into the egg batter and fold until combined
6. Pour batter into a 10” square tray lined with parchment paper and bake in a preheated oven at 180^oC for 15 minutes
7. Remove cake from oven and drop it from a height onto the counter to shock it. Set aside to cool.
8. To assemble, whip cream and icing sugar until soft peaks form. Fold in vanilla extract for flavour and chill until cake has cooled down
9. When sponge cake has cooled completely, remove from tray and cut into half.
10. Brush simple syrup over one half of the sponge cake to moisten it, then spread a thin layer of whipped cream on top
11. Top with a layer of strawberry slices, then add a generous amount of whipped cream.
12. Place other half of sponge cake above the cream layer and brush the top of sponge cake with simple syrup
13. Spread another layer of whipped cream over the top layer and top with strawberries.
14. Chill the cake for about 2 hours until it is set before cutting.