Ingredients
Butter for greasing the cake tins
4 eggs at room temperature
¾ cup caster sugar
¾ cup cornflour
2 tsp self-raising flour
1½ tsp baking powder
1 cup icing sugar
1 Tbsp melted butter
2 Tbsp passionfruit pulp
1 cup cream, whipped to soft peaks
Preparation
Preheat the oven to 200C and place the rack in the middle of the oven.
Grease two 20cm – 22cm round sponge tins with butter and line the bases and sides with baking paper.
Separate the eggs. Beat the egg whites with an electric mixer – using the whisk attachment – until stiff peaks form. Add the sugar gradually, beating on medium speed.
Add the yolks, one at a time, beating on low speed.
Turn off the machine. Sift the cornflour, self-raising flour and baking powder into a bowl and then gently fold the flour mixture into the egg mixture in two batches, using a spatula. Do not overmix.
Divide the mixture between the sponge tins. To ensure there is an even amount in each tin, place each tin on scales and measure so you get the same amount of mixture in each tin.
Bake in the oven for 20 minutes until well risen and light golden. Do not open the door during the baking time. To test, press the sponge lightly and it should spring back.
Cool the tins on a cake rack for a few minutes and then gently turn the cakes out of the tins, peel away the baking paper and cool completely. If you are not spreading a top cake with the icing mixture, make sure one of the cakes is up the right way on the rack – otherwise you will have rack marks on the top of the cake when serving.
For the icing, in a bowl, mix the icing sugar, melted butter and the passionfruit pulp.
Whip the cream to soft peaks in a separate bowl. When the cakes are cool, sandwich them with the whipped cream and then spread the icing on the top of the cake.
Move the cake to a plate, platter or stand and serve.
Note: You can easily make this into a Victoria Sponge by sandwiching the cakes with whipped cream and your favourite jam. Or fill the cakes with lemon or lime curd and dust the top of the cake with some icing sugar.
