The Global Vegetarian

View Original

Strawberry Gateau

Pooja Jhunjhunwala

Strawberry Gateau is a delicious sponge cake layered with whipped cream and fresh strawberries. It is a soft creamy cake which just melts in your mouth. I can not even begin to tell you how delicious this cake is. I leant how to make this cake from my mother when i was a child. I would help her make it since i was 5 years old and finally made it on my on when i was 12 years old. This is a favorite cake for anyone who has had it, I’m yet to meet someone who did not like it. It is a stunner to look and is always steals the show! I have added mixed berries instead of just strawberries and it delicious. This cake will definitely become your family favorite once they have it. For an eggless sponge recipe, click here!

Happy Baking!

Servings: 1-7/8  inch cake 

Prep Time: 1 hour

Cooking Time: 30 mins

Chilling Time: 6-7 hours

Total Time: 8-9 hours


Ingredients: 

Cake:

  • 4 large eggs (200g) at room temperature

  • 105g castor sugar

  • 118g All purpose Flour- twice sifted (very imp)

  • 1 tbsp vanilla essence

  • 1 tsp baking powder

  • 1 tsp salt

  • 1 tbsp melted butter

Frosting & filling:

  • 1-1.75 cup heavy cream

  • 2-3 tbsp sugar

  • 1/2 tbsp vanilla essence

  • 10-13 oz strawberry

  • White chocolate shavings for garnish- optional

Simple sugar syrup:

  • 1.5 cups water

  • 1/2 cup sugar

Directions: 

  1. Preheat oven to 350F.

  2. Prepare a cake pan by greasing it. Place a parchment just on the base or flour the pan.

  3. Mix together flour, baking powder and salt and sift it together. Keep aside.

  4. In a stand mixer or electric mixer add eggs and sugar.

  5. Using a whisk attachment start beating it on low speed for about 3-4 mins. It will start getting fluffy and pale.

  6. When it starts getting fluffy add vanilla essence.

  7. Increase the speed to medium & whisk it for 2-4 mins.

  8. Scrape the edges and bottom of the bowl.

  9. Increase speed to high it beat it for 2-3 mins.

  10. The batter should be fluffy and pale and should form ribbons when you lift it.- see video

  11. Add half of the dry ingredients and fold it in. Check video on how to fold. Do not mix it as it will deflate and be dense. Mix till just combined.

  12. Add the remaining dry ingredients and fold it in again. Fold till just combined.

  13. Take 1 tbsp of the batter 1and mix it in with the melted butter.

  14. Add the melted butter mixture to the cake batter and fold it in.

  15. Pour in a prepared pan till 3/4th the way up.

  16. Bake for 20-30 mins at 350F till the cake is baked through. Check with a toothpick if its baked through.

  17. Once out of the oven let it cool and then un mould it. Cling wrap it and chill in the fridge for 1 hour or till it cools completely.

  18. Prepare the simple syrup by melting the sugar in the water over a low flame. Once dissolved, turn off the flame and let it cool.

  19. Slice the strawberries in thin slices.

  20. Take the cake out and prepare the whipped cream.

  21. Whisk the heavy cream sugar and vanilla essence together till medium firm peaks form. You want it to be soft but still hold its shape.

  22. Cut the cake in 2-3 layers. I like 3 layers as it tastes better and is more moist.

  23. Layering the cake- Place a cake layer and soak it generously with simple syrup. It should be damp all over and not dry at all. Layer with cream then sliced strawberries. Spread a little cream on the base of the second layer and place it over the strawberries and repeat the process till the last layer of cake. Soak the last layer of cake and cover it with a thin layer of cream all over. This is the crumb coat which helps keep the cake moist and crumbs in. Let it chill in the fridge for 2-3 hours. See my video for layering the cake.

  24. Once the cake is chilled, spread more cream around the edges and top and frost it evenly.

  25. Decorate the top with strawberry. I like to add one to the base as well.

  26. Garnish with whipped cream, white chocolate as you wish.

  27. Let it chill in the fridge for at least 4-6 hours. I like to let it sit overnight.

  28. Serve cold. If the cake gets too cold, take it out 30-45 mins before serving. You want the cake cold not chilled or room temp.

Notes/Tips:

  • Yes you need to weigh these ingredients out and cups measurements will not work. If you use too much flour it can become dense so the best way to prevent it is weighing out the ingredients.

  • Use room temperature eggs.

  • Makes sure the dry ingredients are sifted.

  • If the strawberries are sour sprinkle some powdered sugar on it and let it sit for 15-20 mins. You can use the liquid it oozes out and mix it with the simple syrup for added flavour.

  • I do not like to cut the berries from before so that they dont dry out and ooze the water which can make the cake mushy. If your strawberries are old, they can make the cake mushy so try to use fresh berries.

  • Do NOT over mix this batter. You need to gently fold the batter in. See the video for how to do it. Mixing the batter will deflate the batter and it will not be spongy.

  • Make sure to soak every layer of the cake well so that it is moist and not dry. It will literally melt in your mouth if it is well soaked. Do not over soak it so that falls apart. I like to check by pressing down on the layer and seeing if it oozes a bit of liquid like a sponge.

  • The cake lasts well in the fridge for 1-2 days. Ideally keep it in an air tight container or it will dry out. Add some whipped cream if it soaks in and dries out.

  • I have made the cake sponge 2-3 days before and tightly cling wrapped it and kept it in the fridge.