Gooseberry & Elderflower Fresh Cream Cake

My Mum gave me some gooseberries out of her garden so I decided to make a cake I had made a few years ago in my cafe.

It is a lovely delicate fatless sponge, filled with gooseberry compote and elderflower cream! I have to say it was really delicious and never lasted long in the cafe!

It is a cake that would be perfect after a barbecue or as a dessert.

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Pre-heat the oven to 180 degrees centigrade (160 fan) and line and grease two 8” cake tins.

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment put the sugar, eggs and elderflower cordial.

Whisk for 8-10 minutes until it is light and fluffy and you can see the trail of the whisk if you draw a figure of 8.

Fold in the flour and baking powder until it is fully combined.

Divide the mixture equally between the two tins.

Bake for 15 minutes or until a skewer comes out clean.

As the cakes cool they will shrink back from the tins but don’t worry they are meant to do this.

Prepare the gooseberries by removing the top and tails.

Put the gooseberries, caster sugar and water in a medium sized pan.

Stir on a low heat until the sugar has melted and the fruit is soft. Set aside to cool.

Whip the cream and elderflower cordial until thick but not too stiff.

To assemble: Put one of the cakes on a board, plate or stand and put half the cream on the top and smooth until level.

Add half of the cooled gooseberry mixture on the top of the cream.

Place the second cake on top. Put the rest of the cream on the top and smooth and level. Finally add the rest of the gooseberry mixture to finish.

Gooseberry & Elderflower Fresh Cream Cake

Sarah’s servings: 8

Sarah’s skill: Medium

Baking time: 15 minutes

Ingredients:

Cake

150g Caster sugar

6 Large eggs

2 Tbsp Elderflower cordial

150g Self Raising Flour

1 1/2 tsp Baking powder

Filling

240ml Double cream

3 Tbsp Elderflower cordial

250g Gooseberries (topped & tailed)

50g Caster sugar

2 Tbsp Water

Method:

1. Pre-heat the oven to 180 degrees centigrade (160 fan) and line and grease two 8” cake tins.

2. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment put the sugar, eggs and elderflower cordial. Whisk for 8-10 minutes until it is light and fluffy and you can see the trail of the whisk if you draw a figure of eight.

3. Fold in the flour and baking powder until it is fully combined.

4. Divide the mixture into the two prepared tins.

5. Bake for 15 minutes or until a skewer comes out clean.

6. Put the gooseberries, caster sugar and water in a medium sized pan and stir on a low heat until the fruit is soft.

7. Set aside to cool.

8. Whip the cream and elderflower cordial until thick but not too stiff.

9. To assemble: Put one of the cakes on a board, plate or stand and put half the cream on the top and smooth until level.

10. Add half of the cooled gooseberry mixture on the top of the cream.

11. Place the second cake on top.

12. Put the rest of the cream on the top, then smooth and level.

13. Add the rest of the gooseberry mixture to finish.

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Sarah’s extra slice……

You could use gooseberry jam if you don’t have fresh gooseberries but you may need to loosen it slightly with a little hot water.

You could use less cream and just dust with icing sugar on the top if you wanted.

Use within 3 days and store in the fridge.