I strongly feel that I need a birthday cake for my birthday so I decided to bake my own!
Only managed to bake this cake 3 days after my birthday.
I got my recipe from The Little Teo Chew but her cake looks so much better. *depressed*
It's alright! I will practice more and bake more for your eyes to feast on.



Disclaimer: I took this recipe from The Little Teochew

Cake
- 2 eggs, room temperature
- 60g caster sugar
- 60g cake flour* (sifted)
- 20g unsalted butter (melted and cooled)
* If you do not have cake flour, measure out 60g of plain flour,
then remove 1 tbsp of it and replace with 1 tbsp of corn flour.

Syrup
- 1/2 tbsp granulated sugar
- 20ml very hot water
- 1 tsp rum (I didn't use rum)

For my cream, I just used the bottled whipped cream since I don't really have the time to make my own.
You can always try to use the cream that The Little Teochew used!

Cream (super delicious!)
- 300ml dairy whipping cream
- 1 1/2 tbsp granulated sugar
- 1/4 tsp pure vanilla extract
- 1 tbsp rum
* For those who do not have rum (about time you buy a bottle!),
you can use 1/2 tsp vanilla extract or the caviar of 1 vanilla pod.



1. Preheat the oven to 170°C.
Beat eggs and sugar over a bain-marie (hot water bath) until the mixture warms up. This is to dissolve the sugar.
The mixture should be pleasant to the touch - you can dip your finger in without getting scalded.
Remove the mixture from the bain-marie and continue beating the egg mixture till it triples in volume and turns very pale (almost white).

2. Towards the last 2 to 3 minutes, beat on the lowest speed to stabilise the mixture and eliminate large bubbles.
When the egg mixture has reached the "ribbon stage", sift in the flour a little at a time (I would recommend in 3 stages).
Cut through the mixture with a wire whisk after each addition.

3. Sprinkle the cooled melted butter over the batter and fold in using a spatula.

4. Pour the batter from a height of 30cm into a lined tin.
Towards the end, pour the remaining batter to one side of the tin
(I believe this prevents the cake from developing a dome).

5. Lift the tin and drop it gently onto the table top twice to eliminate air bubbles.

6. Bake the cake for 25 minutes. While it bakes, make the simple syrup solution.
Dissolve 1/2 tbsp sugar in 20ml of very hot water. Then add rum. Stir to mix well and set aside.

7. Now, make the cream. Whip the cream, sugar and rum (preferably in a metal bowl) sitting over an ice bath.
Whip till soft peaks form. Keep it chilled in the fridge, covered, at all times.

8. When the cake is done, turn it onto a cooling rack and allow it to cool with the pan covering it.
Wrap using clingwrap when it is completely cooled if you do not intend to frost the cake on the
same day (the cake keeps for 2 to 3 days, refrigerated).
Otherwise, proceed to slice the cake in half, horizontally.

9. Now, brush sugar syrup onto the first layer of the cake (sliced side).
This keeps the sponge cake nice and moist.




10. Spread a layer of cream and then top with halved strawberries.
Add another layer of cream over.

11. Brush the remaining layer of cake (sliced side) with sugar syrup,
then place it on top of the strawberries and cream.
Proceed to frost the entire cake.

12. Any remaining cream can be plonked onto the middle of the cake for decorative purposes.
The mound of cream helps "hold" the strawberry garnishes.
You can use whole strawberries or halves, or a mixture of both, for decoration.



13. Keep the cake chilled until time of serving.
The colder the cake, the easier it is to cut (and the yummier it is to eat!).




Anyone can have a cake to themselves even if there is no special occasion for it!
Joyous weekend ahead x