Ingredients
Serves 12Makes 2 individual sponges or 24 small
Sponge:
4 eggs, separated (3-5 days old if possible)
¾ cup castor sugar
¾ cup cornflour
¼ cup custard powder
½ tsp bi-carb soda
1 tsp cream of tartar
To fill:
300ml cream
1 tbsp icing sugar
1 tsp Vanilla extract
To Ice:
1 tsp butter
1 tbsp hot water
Pure icing sugar - about 1 cup, sifted
Pulp of 1-2 passionfruit
Method
Whip egg whites until firm. Add sugar slowly and beat until dissolved. Add yolks one by one and beat on low speed until combined. Sift cornflour, bi-carb and cream of tartar 4-5 times and fold in gently.
Grease and line two 8 inch cake tins and divide mixture evenly between the two. Cook for 20 minutes at 180°C. Turn oven off, open door and leave for 5 minutes. Remove from tins and cool on a rack.
Whip cream, icing sugar and vanilla until quite thick. Cut one cake in half and use the base of the bottom layer as the top of the cake. (Or layer one sponge on top of the other for a high cake) and spread thickly with cream. Sandwich halves together.
Melt butter and water together and add icing sugar. Add the passionfruit pulp (use two if you like lots of icing). This is quite acidic and will loosen the icing considerably. Add more icing sugar until you reach a thick pouring consistency. Pour gently over the top of the cake allowing the icing to drizzle down the sides.
Sponge Puffs
Make sponge mixture as above and divide (to approximately ½ full) between 24 well greased and floured patty pans. Cook for 10 minutes.
Cool on a cake cooler and when cold, cut in half and fill with cream (as above) and jam. Dust with icing sugar and serve.
Notes
Many thanks to Allison from Quince Farm Café in Talbot for parting with her fantastic recipe.
Sponges freeze really well unfilled, so wrap the second one tightly and put away for another day. Making small ones is also a great idea, just in case a friend calls in for a coffee - you can always have fresh sponge cakes on hand!