110 GOURMET TRAVELLER
Text pageDrop brass
candleholder from
Spence & Lyda.Italian
cakeBrass placemat
from Country Road.
All other props stylist’s
own. Stockists p126.225 gm very soft unsalted
butter, plus extra for
greasing
225 gm caster sugar
1 tsp vanilla bean paste
3 eggs, lightly beaten
200 gm (1¼ cups) self-raising
flour, plus extra for dusting
25 gm cornflour
1 scant tsp baking powder
50 ml milk
Finely grated zest of 2 pink
grapefruit, plus extra to
serve, and juice of
½ grapefruit
500 gm strawberries, hulled
2 tbsp caster sugar
SESAME FROSTING
400 gm cream cheese, softened
50 gm unsalted butter, softened
50 gm pure icing sugar, sifted
1 tbsp honey
1 tbsp hulled tahiniPink grapefruit sponge with
strawberries and sesame frosting
SERVES 10-12 // PREP TIME 40 MINS // COOK 30 MINS (PLUS COOLING)“Given that the healing power of cake is widely proven to transcend many other forms of
therapy, it could be argued that a sponge cake is the ultimate exhibition of nurture,” says Ingram.
“To bake for someone or be baked for is a gift from the heart that we all crave.”Pictured p104.1 Preheat oven to 180°C.
Grease two 22cm-diameter
cake tins, line with baking
paper, then grease paper and
dust with flour. Beat butter,
sugar and vanilla in an electric
mixer fitted with the paddle
attachment until pale and flufy.
Add egg, a little at a time and
scraping down sides of bowl
occasionally, until incorporated.
2 Meanwhile, combine flour,
cornflour and baking powder
and sift twice. With mixer on
low, add flour mixture in three
batches, alternating with milk,
until just combined. Turn of
mixer, scrape down sides of
bowl and the paddle, then beat
on high for 2 seconds to aerate
batter. Add grapefruit zest
and juice, then stir to combine,
scraping the base of the bowl to
grab any butter that hasn’t been
incorporated. Divide batter
between tins and smooth
tops. Bake for 20 minutes,
then reduce temperature to
140°C and bake until centre
of cakes spring back when
lightly pressed (5-10 minutes).
Cool in tins before turning out.3 Meanwhile, combine sugar
and strawberries in a heatproof
bowl, tossing to coat. Wrap
tightly with plastic wrap, then
place over a saucepan of
simmering water (don’t let bowl
touch water) and cook until
strawberries are just starting
to soften (15-20 minutes). Cool
in bowl, still set over pan, but
of the heat. Strain juices into a
separate saucepan and reduce
over medium-high heat until
syrupy (1-2 minutes), then add
strawberries to syrup.
4 For sesame frosting, beat
ingredients in an electric
mixer fitted with the paddle
attachment on low speed
until smooth. Increase to
medium speed and beat,
scraping sides and base of bowl
occasionally, until flufy. Transfer
to a piping bag without a nozzle.
5 To assemble cake, place one
sponge on a plate. Pipe over half
the frosting and top with half the
strawberries (avoid adding too
much syrup). Sandwich with
remaining sponge, and finish
with remaining frosting and
remaining strawberries. Drizzle
with extra syrup and top with
extra grapefruit zest to serve.
This cake is best eaten on the
day it’s baked.