Strawberry Cake with Sponge Base and Lime Cream

Ingredients

• 120 g softened butter
• 5 eggs
• 150 g sugar
• 80 g ground almonds
• 50 g flour
• 700 g strawberries
• 1 lime (juice and grated zest)
• 40 g powdered sugar
• 1 packet clear gelatin for cake glaze
• 25 g chopped pistachios
• 1 springform pan (26 cm diameter)

Instructions

1. 1.

   Melt 40 g butter and let it cool. Separate the eggs. Beat egg whites with 30 g sugar until stiff peaks form.

2. 2.

   Beat yolks with 60 g sugar until fluffy, then fold in the cooled melted butter.

3. 3.

   Fold the meringue into the yolk mixture, add almonds and flour, and gently combine. Pour batter into greased and floured pan and bake at 170°C for about 20 minutes until lightly golden. Cool in pan for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. Wash, trim, and halve large strawberries. Whisk the remaining egg with the rest of the sugar over a hot water bath using a whisk attachment until thickened. Chill the mixture over a cold water bath. Cream the remaining butter, fold in 30 g powdered sugar and lime zest, then fold in the whipped cream. Spread the cooled cake base and edges with lime cream and arrange strawberries on top.

4. 4.

   Add water to lime juice to make 250 ml. Prepare glaze according to packet instructions using remaining powdered sugar and gelatin powder, then pour over strawberries.

5. 5.

   Decorate the cake edge with pistachios and allow glaze to set.