Food: Make sponge cake

On my birthday I need cake, specifically chocolate cake. My boyfriend on the other hand likes his birthday desserts with fruit, like angel food with berries or carrot cake.

For his birthday this year, I tried a new recipe and it was a hit! This dessert — sponge cake with macerated stone fruit — is perfect for summer; swing by the farmer’s market, load up on plums, peaches, apricots, and pluots and get ready to bake!

SPONGE CAKE

Ingredients

2 tbs. butter

1/4 cup flour

6 large eggs, at room temp

1 cup all-purpose flour

1/4 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 cup granulated white sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 tablespoons water

3/4 teaspoon cream of tartar

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter two 9-inch round cake pans. Dust with flour until coated, tapping out any excess. Separate the eggs, placing the yolks in one bowl and the whites in another. Meanwhile place the flour, baking powder and salt in another bowl and set aside.

Add sugar to the bowl of egg yolks. Use an electric mixer on high speed until the egg yolks are thick and light colored, then beat in the vanilla extract and water until smooth. Set aside.

Using the electric mixer now whip the egg whites, in their own bowl, until foamy. Add the cream of tartar and continue beating until the egg whites form stiff peaks.

Next, sift the flour mixture over the egg yolk mixture a little at a time and mix until combined. Then gently fold the egg whites into the egg yolk-flour mixture a little at a time until incorporated, be careful not to overmix. Pour the batter evenly into each pan and smooth the top.

Place the cake pans in preheated oven for 15-20 minutes (test by inserting a toothpick into the center of the cake; it should come out clean). Remove from oven and gently flip the cake out of the baking pan onto a wire rack and allow the cake to cool completely.

To assemble, place one cake on a serving plate, spread with a little whipped cream cheese frosting and top with your macerated stone fruit (see following recipes). Repeat with the second cake. Garnish with fresh thyme and a sprinkle of sugar.

WHIPPED CREAM CHEESE FROSTING

Ingredients

1 pint whipping cream

1- 8 ounce package cream cheese

1 cup powdered sugar

1 tsp. vanilla

Directions

Place whipping cream into a cold bowl and whip with a mixer until soft peaks form, then add the rest of the ingredients and whip until stiff peaks form. Refrigerate until ready to use

MACERATED STONE FRUIT

Ingredients

2 tbs. sugar

2 tbs. Meyer lemon juice

2 tbs. fresh thyme

2 peaches, sliced

2 pluots, sliced

2 plums, sliced

2 apricots, sliced

Directions

Place all ingredients in a bowl and refrigerate until ready to use.

Chef Arica Davis is owner/operator of Yummy Fixins, Personal Chef Services and Pasta Parties. Visit http://www.yummyfixins.com or call (530)539-4504 to book your next dinner party.