Strawberry & Passionfruit Mile-high Layer Cake

SERVES 12 PREPARATION 50 MINUTES COOKING 1 HOUR (PLUS COOLING)

250g butter, softened 2 cups caster sugar 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 4 eggs 2 cups plain flour ¼ cup self-raising flour ¾ cup milk 750g strawberries 1 tablespoon icing sugar PASSIONFRUIT CREAM 600ml thickened cream 2 tablespoons icing sugar

1 / cup passionfruit pulp 3 MERINGUE FROSTING 2 / cup caster sugar, plus 3 1 tablespoon extra 1 tablespoon glucose syrup 2 tablespoons water 3 egg whites

Preheat oven to 160°C. Grease and line the bases of

3 x 20cm round sandwich cake pans.

2. In a large bowl, using an electric mixer, beat butter, sugar and vanilla until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs, one at a time. Fold in sifted flours and milk in two batches. Divide mixture evenly into pans.

3. Bake cakes for 35 minutes until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean. Cool in pans for 5 minutes before turning top-side down on to racks to cool.

4. PASSIONFRUIT CREAM. In a small bowl, using an electric mixer, beat cream until soft peaks form. Stir in sifted icing sugar and passionfruit pulp.

5. Reserve 10 strawberries and thinly slice remaining berries. Split cold cakes in half. Place one cake layer, cut-side up, on a plate or cake stand, then spread with one-fifth of the passionfruit cream, top with one-fifth of the sliced strawberries, then another cake layer. Repeat layering, finishing with a cake layer.

6. MERINGUE FROSTING. In a small saucepan, stir sugar, glucose and water on medium heat until sugar dissolves. Bring to the boil, boiling for 3 minutes or until syrup reaches 116°C on a sugar thermometer (or when a teaspoon of syrup, dropped into a cup of cold water, forms a soft ball when a small amount of mixture is rolled between your fingers). Remove from heat to allow bubbles to subside.

7. In a small bowl, using an electric mixer, beat egg whites until soft peaks, then beat in extra sugar until dissolved. With the motor running, pour in hot syrup in a thin, steady stream. Beat on high speed for 5 minutes until mixture is thick.

8. Spread frosting over top and side of cake. Just before serving, decorate with reserved strawberries and dust with sifted icing sugar.

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