Tasty Food Things: Sponge Cake with Lots of Fruit

I like cake. I like it even more if it is accompanied by fruit and some cream.

Sponge cake is light, fluffy and perfect for this. Here is what I do.....

I forgot to take pictures at some points, so some steps will have no pictures.....

Sponge Cake with Lots of Fruit

Cake Ingredients:
6 eggs (seperated)
1 cup sugar
1 tsp cream of tartar
1 cup flour
1 pinch salt
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 cup softened butter
1/3 cup sour cream
1 cap-full of vanilla (aprx. a tsp)
The zest of 1 medium lemon

Filling:
1 16oz bag of frozen berries (any kind of berries or mixed)
1/2 box of ripe strawberries, diced

Topping:
16oz of heavy whipping cream
1/4 cup powdered sugar

Garnish:
3 mangoes cubed
1 box ripe strawberries
1 1/2 box black berries
mint leaves

CAKE
0. Heat oven to 350 F. Also, grease up and flour 2 pans. I chose square ones. You can also have square ones, but they can be circles or hearts too.
1. Separate eggs. Set yolks aside.

2. Add in sugar and cream of tartar. Beat with an electric mixer until very white and fluffy and forms stiff little peaks.... this takes a loooong time, so have patience.

3. When that is done, add the flour, baking soda and salt and mix around till it's all pretty homogeneous. Then add in the rest of the ingredients; butter, yolks, sour cream, vanilla and the lemon zest.

4. Beat them together.
5. Okay, so now, fold in the yolk mixture with the beaten egg whites. Folding helps keep in the air bubbles that makes it fluffy, so while it takes a little longer, it's worth it.

6. Pour this mix into 2 pans. Bake at 350F for... 45 mins... Until done and the whole house smells of cakey goodness.
7. When done, set aside to cool. We've got more work to do!

FILLING
Ummm.... so this is like... part of the filling... just preparation for when ou assemble the cake. This can be done while the cake is baking, or cooling. It's your call.
1. Take the bag of frozen berries and dump them in a saucepan. Here in the pictures, I'm using a pot. I was wrong to. Saucepan is better.

2. Let them cook up a bit, then go to town on them with a potato masher. Mash em up good, so you have a fabulous smelling slurry of berry goo.

3. Let it cook until most of the moisture's gone. You want a thick jam-like consistency. You're going to coat the cake with this so it doesnt get too soggy.

4. Set aside and let it cool.
5. Wash strawberries and dry them.
6. Dice strawberries and set them aside for later use.

TOPPING
1. Okay, so now whip up the whipped cream with the powdered sugar.

GARNISH
1. Mangoes need to cut into cuuuuubes. Here is the secret to cubing the mango!
2. Cut the mango on either side of the seed, so you end up with 3 pieces, the seed being a thin slice.
3. Score the slices with the meat in them, then flip the skin upwards. The scored pieces now pop out and can easily be cut off. Ta-da! The skin can be peeled off the seed pieces and you can eat the meat around the seed. I never bother trying to cut the meat from it, just snack!

4. Place the cubed mango on a paper towel to soak up any excess moisture.
5. Wash the strawberries and black berries. cut the tops off the strawberries and cut them in half.

Okay, so now you're ready to assemble the cake1
1. By now the cakes are cooled. Now cover the tops with the berry paste. Use 1/3 per side, leaving 1/3 for later.