Genoise cake is a type of Italian sponge cake that is light, airy, and slightly dry, with a firm texture, as it uses whipped eggs alone to leaven the cake – no baking powder or bicarbonate of soda.
It differs from Victoria sponge in its firmer and drier texture, which is chewier and holds up well when soaked with syrup or layered with creams.
Paul Hollywood’s version of this bakery classic serves 10 and takes 45 minutes to prepare, with just a further 20 minutes’ cooking time.
Sharing the recipe from the Great British Bake Off star, BBC Good Food stated: “Learn how to achieve the perfect genoise sponge with a light, airy texture.
“Paul Hollywood’s stunning layer cake makes the most of summer berries and cream.”
Paul Hollywood’s genoise cake recipe
Ingredients
50g butter, melted, plus extra for greasing
250g plain flour, plus extra for dusting
250g caster sugar, plus one tbsp
Eight medium eggs
600ml pot double cream
400g punnet strawberries, halved
180g punnet blueberries
150g punnet raspberries
Icing sugar, to dust
Method
Preheat the oven to 190°C (or 170°C for fan ovens) / gas mark 5. Grease two 20cm round cake pans with melted butter, line the bottoms with parchment paper, then lightly flour the pans, tapping out any excess. Set aside.
In a large heatproof bowl, combine the sugar and eggs. Place the bowl over a pan of gently simmering water. Using an electric hand whisk, beat the mixture for about seven minutes, or until it turns pale and triples in volume. Remove from the heat, then slowly drizzle in the melted butter, folding it in as you pour until fully incorporated.
Sift the flour and a pinch of salt into the egg mixture, gently folding it through until just combined. Divide the batter evenly between the prepared cake pans.
Bake for 20 minutes, or until the cakes are golden and spring back when lightly pressed. A skewer inserted into the centre should come out clean. Let the cakes cool for a few minutes in the pans before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.
While the cakes are cooling, whip the cream until it forms soft peaks, then set aside. Blend about a quarter of the strawberries with one tablespoon of sugar until smooth. Gently fold this strawberry purée into the whipped cream, creating a marbled effect.
To assemble the cake, carefully slice each sponge in half horizontally. Place one layer on a serving platter, then spread a quarter of the strawberry cream mixture over it.
Scatter a quarter of the blueberries and raspberries around the edge. Repeat this layering process two more times. For the final layer, place the last half of the cake on top, then spread the remaining cream mixture over it.
Garnish with the remaining blueberries and raspberries around the edges, and pile the rest of the strawberries in the centre. Dust with powdered sugar just before serving.
