Happy birthday to me! Well yesterday, anyway.
Many emailed to ask if I had to make my own cake. Well no, I didn’t have to, Spouse is a very capable baker, but I did. I wanted to try this idea featuring some of my favourite flavours; mango, lime, white chocolate and cream cheese.
I came up with this 4 layer sponge cake soaked in lime syrup and filled with alternating layers of mango curd and white chocolate and cream cheese mousse, all frosted with vanilla whipped cream. I’d call it a successful experiment.
14 oz ripe mango, cubed
1/3 cup sugar
2 tbsp lemon juice
4 tbsp butter
In a food processor or blender, puree mango, sugar and lemon juice until very smooth. Transfer to a double boiler. (A glass bowl over a pot with a couple of inches of boiling water will do.)
Whisk in:
6 beaten egg yolks
Cook curd over boiling water for about 15 minutes. Curd should begin to thicken and should ideally reach 170 degrees F to ensure that the egg yolks are thoroughly cooked.
Remove from heat and add, one tablespoon at a time
4 tbsp butter
Cover with plastic wrap and chill in the refrigerator for several hours.
Next prepare a Victoria Sponge Cake
6 eggs separated, room temperature
1 cup sugar
½ tsp lemon flavouring
1 tsp vanilla extract
Sift together:
1 cup flour
1 tsp baking powder
Beat egg yolks and ½ cup sugar until foamy and thickened.
Beat egg whites until foamy. Add ½ cup sugar gradually until eggs are stiff. Slowly and gradually fold in flour and baking powder until almost completely incorporated into the egg whites. Fold beaten egg yolks into batter along with flavourings until well blended but do not over mix.
Pour into greased and parchment lined 9 inch round cake pans and bake at 325 degrees F for 25-30 minutes or until center springs back when touched.
Next make a Lime Syrup
Boil gently for about 10 minutes
Juice and zest of 2 limes
3/4 cup water
3/4 cup sugar
Strain through a sieve and set aside to cool. Divide into 2 equal portions. You can reserve the candied lime zest to garnish the cake. Just spread it out on some paper towels and let it dry.
Now make the White Chocolate and Cream Cheese Mousse
Whisk to soft peaks
1 cup whipping cream
3 tbsp sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
Add slowly
4 oz cream cheese cut in small cubes
Beating well after each addition
Finally gently fold in 4 oz melted white chocolate. Chill until ready to use.
Next make Vanilla Whipped Cream
Beat together to stiff peaks
2 cups whipping cream
6 tbsp sugar
2 tsp vanilla extract
To assemble the cake, place the bottom layer of cake on a serving plate and brush with ¼ of the lime syrup. Pipe a border of whipped cream on the top perimeter of the cake. Cover bottom layer with half of the white chocolate cream cheese mousse. Add the next layer of cake, brush with lime syrup and pipe a border of whipped cream. Fill inside the border with ½ of the mango curd.
Repeat this procedure for the next two layers, finishing with a piped border on top of the cake filled inside with the mango curd. Frost sides but not top of cake with the remaining whipped cream. Garnish with sliced mango and lime zest if desired.