Celebrate Mother's day

Sponge:

• 6 eggs, medium (separated whites and yolks)
• 300 g/ 1 1/2 cup/ 11 oz caster (superfine) sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 225 g/ 8 oz/ 2 cups plain (all-purpose) flour, sieved (strained)
• 50 g/ 2 oz/ 3 tbsp corn starch
• 25 g/ 1 oz/5 tsp cacao powder
• 2 tsp baking powder

1. Grease a 20 cm/8 inch round tin (pan) and line the base with baking parchment.
2. In a bowl whisk the egg yolks with the sugar, vanilla extract until pale and fluffy. Add 6 tbsp of hot water, stir well. Stir in the flour, corn starch, cacao and baking powder, mix well.
3. In another bowl whisk the egg whites until they stand in soft peaks, then fold them into the yolks and flour mixture with a spoon. 
4. Pour the mixture into the tin (pan) and level the surface with a palette knife (spatula).
5. Bake in a preheated oven, 180 C/350 F/Gas Mark 4, for about 30 minutes until well risen and firm (the cake could crack on the surface during cooking).
6. Leave the cake to cool in the tin (pan) for 30-40 minutes, then turn it out on to a wire rack to cool completely. 

Filling:

• 3 egg yolks
• 50 g/ 1 ¾ oz/9 tsp caster (superfine) sugar
• 3 tsp gelatin (melted in 1 tbsp hot water)
• Red food coloring
• 200ml/7 fl oz/ ¾ cup double (heavy) cream, whipped

In a bowl whisk the egg yolks with sugar until pale and fluffy. Whisk in melted gelatin and food coloring. Add the whipped cream, stir well.


Cut a top of the sponge

With the heart shape cutter cut out a circular hole in the larger part of the sponge as shown in the picture. Do the same with the other part of the sponge (but cut with another heart shape part). 

Spread the filling in the sponge. Assemble cake by inverting top layer onto bottom layer.

Chill for 2 hours.


Decorating:


400ml/ 14 fl oz/ 1 ¾ cup double (heavy) cream, whipped with 50 g/2 oz/10 tsp caster (superfine) sugar.

Ice cake with cream and raspberries as desired. Chill until ready to serve.