INGREDIENTS

Sponge
2 cups self-raising flour
a pinch of salt
250 g butter, softened
1/2 teaspoon vanilla essence
1 cup caster sugar
4 eggs, beaten
whipped cream, to sandwich 

Passionfruit icing
1 cup icing sugar
pulp of 1 passionfruit
1 teaspoon butter

TO MAKE

Preheat the oven to 180°C. Grease two 20 cm sandwich tins, line the bases with baking paper and grease the paper.

Sift the flour with the salt. Using an electric mixer, cream the butter and vanilla thoroughly, then beat in the sugar a little at a time until light and fluffy. Gradually beat in the eggs until thoroughly combined.

Be careful to add the eggs slowly or the mixture will curdle and the texture of the cake will be affected. Fold in the flour. Spoon the mixture into the prepared tins and bake for about 25 minutes or until the cakes have shrunk slightly from the sides of the tins. Turn out onto wire racks to cool completely.

For the icing, sift the icing sugar into a bowl and mix with the passionfruit pulp until the icing will cover the back of a spoon thickly and smoothly. Beat in the butter and warm slightly over a saucepan of hot water, stirring until glossy.

When the cakes are cold, sandwich together with whipped cream and ice with the passionfruit icing.

Note: The success of this cake depends on the air beaten into the mixture. Use an electric mixer if you prefer, or beat by hand using a whisking movement from the wrist, lifting the mixture as you whisk.

Recipe and images extracted from Margaret Fulton’s Baking Classics by Margaret Fulton. Published by Hardie Grant Books.