Light sponge cake with berries
12 servings
150 minutes
Light berry sponge cake is a delicate treat from Italian cuisine, where sweet desserts always inspire culinary creativity. This cake consists of airy sponge soaked in natural berry juices and decorated with fresh fruits. Thin layers of sponge are combined with a cream made from ricotta, mascarpone, and whipped cream, giving the cake softness and tenderness. The taste is a harmony of light sweetness and pleasant tartness from the berries. It is perfect for winter evenings, creating a cozy atmosphere or for festive events, adding elegance to any celebration. This cake is a true work of art that combines traditional Italian motifs with modern culinary sophistication.
1
We are making layers, level 1. We will prepare a 2-level sponge cake. For the first level: eggs - 4 pcs, sugar - 180 g, flour - 190 g, boiling water - 3 tbsp, vegetable oil - 3 tbsp, baking powder - 1 tsp, vanilla sugar - 1 packet.
- Chicken egg: 6 pieces
- Sugar: 270 g
- Wheat flour: 285 g
- Boiling water: 4.5 tablespoons
- Vegetable oil: 4.5 tablespoons
- Baking powder: 1.5 teaspoon
- Vanilla sugar: 60 g
2
Crack the eggs into a bowl and add a little salt (on the tip of a knife). Whisk with a regular blender until increased 3-4 times. Then, in two additions, add sugar and a packet of vanilla sugar, continuing to whisk.
- Chicken egg: 6 pieces
- Sugar: 270 g
- Vanilla sugar: 60 g
3
In the egg mixture, add flour with baking powder in two batches and mix only with a spatula using a folding method, with slow movements to maintain the airiness of the mixture. Pour in 3 tablespoons of vegetable oil and the same amount of boiling water, mixing with a spatula while preserving the texture of the airy cloud.
- Wheat flour: 285 g
- Baking powder: 1.5 teaspoon
- Vegetable oil: 4.5 tablespoons
- Boiling water: 4.5 tablespoons
4
Bake in a mold, first lining the bottom and sides with parchment paper, don't forget to grease with butter so the sponge comes out easily and has a creamy taste. Bake for 40-45 minutes at 170 degrees.
5
We make layers, level 2. For the second level of the sponge (take all ingredients half): eggs - 2 pcs, sugar - 90g, flour - 95g, boiling water - 1.5 tbsp, vegetable oil - 1.5 tbsp, baking powder - 0.5 tsp, vanilla sugar - 0.5 packet. Do everything as in 'Step 1', just use smaller dishes (so your cake looks like a tower), I baked in a regular can from canned pineapple. Important! I cool everything upside down, this will prevent the layers from sinking due to temperature changes.
- Chicken egg: 6 pieces
- Sugar: 270 g
- Wheat flour: 285 g
- Boiling water: 4.5 tablespoons
- Vegetable oil: 4.5 tablespoons
- Baking powder: 1.5 teaspoon
- Vanilla sugar: 60 g
6
All the biscuits are ready. We will let them rest overnight, and in the morning we will assemble the cake.
7
We make three types of cream. Cream 1. Whip 200 ml of cold cream with 2 tablespoons of powdered sugar with a blender until thick (cream for decorating the cake). Chill in the refrigerator for 10-15 minutes.
- Sour cream 20%: 500 g
- Powdered sugar: 8 tablespoons
8
Cream 2. This cream will be the base. Whip the remaining chilled cream with a blender. Separately, whip the sour cream (the whole pack), with powdered sugar (2-3 tablespoons), mascarpone cheese 250g, ricotta cheese 250g with a blender. Add the cream to the mixture and blend. For color, you can add food coloring or juice from berries. I add cherry juice, the cream inside will be pink. Let it cool in the refrigerator. Some add jelly to the cream for a thicker consistency. We are making it without jelly. Let it cool in the refrigerator for 10-15 minutes.
- Sour cream 20%: 500 g
- Powdered sugar: 8 tablespoons
- Mascarpone cheese: 500 g
- Ricotta cheese: 500 g
- Fresh berries: to taste
9
Cream 3. Whip 2 tablespoons of powdered sugar, 250g of mascarpone cheese, and 250g of ricotta cheese separately (cream for the edges between layers to prevent the main cream from spilling). Chill in the refrigerator for about 10-15 minutes.
- Powdered sugar: 8 tablespoons
- Mascarpone cheese: 500 g
- Ricotta cheese: 500 g
10
Step 4. Preparing to assemble the tower. Now we cut each biscuit into 3-4 layers (1-1.5 cm) preferably with a long thick knife. For my top layer, the tower is too big, so we set aside 3 layers, which can be used to make a separate pastry later.
11
Each layer can be soaked with liqueur or syrup; for contrast in flavor, I will soak it with sour cherry juice mixed with powdered sugar to taste. Now for the interesting part. We spread a little cream on the base so the cake doesn't 'run away' and place the bottom layer. We make a border of 'cream 3' around the edge to prevent 'pink cream 2' from leaking; you can use a pastry bag for convenience. This is how we assemble our tower step by step; if desired, you can add berries between the layers.
- Fresh berries: to taste
12
When our tower is ready, we cover the entire cake with the remaining cream No. 2 and smooth out all the holes to make the cake completely even. We will leave it for about 10-15 minutes for the cream to cool slightly and set, and it can be placed in the refrigerator.
13
Now we cover the cake with cream No. 1 (white), it's even great if the creams mix on the outside. We leave it for about 10-15 minutes and start decorating with berries. You can use any berries you like or whatever you have in mind. I took a few to create a whole meadow of variety. Decorate so that the berries don't fall off. I started from the top down. After everything is decorated, put your masterpiece in the fridge for an hour to an hour and a half.
- Fresh berries: to taste
- Fresh mint: 1 bunch
- Rosemary: 1 bunch
14
It can be served! Wishing everyone a wonderful mood and appetite, I hope your loved ones enjoy this berry delight during these winter days!