Vanilla Sponge

Ingredients

• 370 g whole eggs
• 224 g sugar
• 2 g sea salt
• 146 g all-purpose flour
• 96 g cornstarch
• 4 g baking powder
• 40 g butter (82%)
• ½ vanilla pod

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 160°C / 320°F.
2. Melt butter to 40°C / 104°F and scrape vanilla seeds.
3. Warm eggs, sugar, salt, and vanilla over a water bath to 40°C / 104°F.
4. Whip until light and airy.
5. Slowly add melted butter while mixing on low speed.
6. Sift flour, cornstarch, and baking powder together.
7. Fold dry ingredients into egg mixture.
8. Spread batter evenly onto baking tray.
9. Bake about 20 minutes until springy.
10. Cool completely and cut 6 discs with a 16 cm ring.

Stewed Blackcurrants

Ingredients

• 300 g blackcurrants
• 50 g sugar
• 5 g pectin NH
• 10 g lemon juice
• 10 g crème de cassis liqueur

Instructions

1. Heat blackcurrants to 35°C / 95°F.
2. Mix sugar with pectin and stir into berries.
3. Bring to a boil for 30 seconds.
4. Add lemon juice and crème de cassis.
5. Cool to 20°C / 68°F.

Blackcurrant Cream Cheese Frosting

Ingredients

• 400 g butter
• 150 g icing sugar
• 50 g crème de cassis liqueur
• 1100 g cream cheese
• 200 g reduced blackcurrant puree

Instructions

1. Whip butter until fluffy.
2. Add icing sugar and whip until airy.
3. Mix in cream cheese gradually on medium speed.
4. Add blackcurrant puree and liqueur.
5. Mix until smooth.

Assembly

Ingredients

• Vanilla sponge layers
• Stewed blackcurrants
• Blackcurrant cream cheese frosting

Instructions

1. Pipe frosting onto first sponge layer.
2. Spread evenly with offset spatula.
3. Add stewed blackcurrants.
4. Repeat layering process.
5. Apply thin crumb coat.
6. Wrap with acetate and chill 12 hours.

Decoration

Ingredients

• Leftover frosting
• Fresh blackcurrants
• Microgreens

Instructions

1. Frost chilled cake smoothly.
2. Pipe frosting ring on top.
3. Cover with fresh blackcurrants and microgreens.
4. Refrigerate up to 72 hours.