Fraisier Cake by Matt Moran

Sponge Cake:

• 50g unsalted butter
• 4 eggs
• 1 vanilla bean, scraped seeds
• 125g CSR Caster Sugar
• 130g White Wings Plain Flour

Cream Mousseline:

• 500ml milk
• 1 vanilla bean, split in half lengthwise
• 3 eggs
• 125g CSR Caster Sugar
• 50g White Wings Cornflour
• 250g unsalted butter, diced

Strawberry Soaking Liquid:

• 250g fresh strawberries, trimmed to 220g 
• 85ml water 
• 75g CSR Caster Sugar

To Assemble:

• 1 punnet raspberries 
• 1 punnet blackberries 
• 4 punnet strawberries 
• CSR Pure Icing sugar, for dusting

Sponge Cake:

1. Pre Heat Oven 180°C.
2. Line base and sides of a 23cm round spring side tin with baking paper. 
3. Melt butter and set aside. 
4. Whisk eggs, vanilla seeds and sugar in a stand mixer until it is creamy and pale. Sift flour and gently fold into egg mixture using a spatula. Then fold in the melted butter. 
5. Pour into the lined tin and bake for 20-25 minutes or until golden and springs back when lightly touched. Turn out onto a cooling rack and cool in fridge until ready to use.

Cream Mousseline:

1. Place milk and vanilla bean in a medium saucepan, bring to a gentle simmer. 
2. Meanwhile, combine eggs, sugar and cornflour in a bowl, using a whisk. 
3. Remove the vanilla bean, add a little bit of the milk to the egg mixture until well combined then add all the egg mixture back into the saucepan and whisk over medium heat until it thickens; cook for a further 2 minutes. 
4. Take off heat and place into a stand mixer bowl, whisk until it has cooled completely. 
5. Once cooled, gradually add in the diced butter, whisking well between additions until fully combined and aerated.

Strawberry Soaking Liquid:

1. Thinly slice strawberries and place in a small saucepan add water and sugar, then, stirring occasionally bring to simmer, simmer for 1-2 minute, remove from heat. 
2. Allow to stand for 5 minutes then strain the liquid through a sieve, discard solids and allow liquid to cool to room temperature.

To Assemble:

1. Using 10cm acetate tape wrap around the circumference of the sponge leaving a 4cm overhang, staple into place and trim off excess, place the acetate ring to the side for later use. 
2. Cut the sponge in half horizontally and place the top of the cake crust side down onto a cake board or serving plate, place the acetate ring around the base of sponge and lightly brush the sponge with the strawberry syrup. 
3. Apply a thin layer of cream mousseline to the base sponge as this will become a glue to hold sliced strawberries. 
4. Reserve 8-10 strawberries for final decoration. Using 10 strawberries the same size, remove the stem and cut in half lengthways and place as close as possible around the inside of the base sponge pressing the cut side into the acetate plastic. 
5. Trim and dice strawberries into 2.5cm dice. You will need 350g of diced strawberries. Add these to the remaining mousseline and fold through. Spoon onto sponge base and smooth top. 
6. Lightly brush remaining sponge on the cut-side with strawberry syrup then gently place cut-side down onto mousseline. Gently press down to fit. Place in fridge to set for about 30 minutes. 
7. To present the cake dust the top of the cake with icing sugar, cut the reserved 8-10 strawberries into quarters and place on top in centre of the cake, arrange the blueberries and raspberries around the centre if the cake and serve.