Frazier recipe

For the Vanilla Sponge Cake:

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F) and line a round cake tin with parchment paper.
2. In a large bowl, whisk together 3 large eggs, 100g of sugar, and 1 tsp of vanilla extract until the mixture is pale and fluffy.
3. Sift 100g of flour and 1 tsp of baking powder together and gently fold into the egg mixture, being careful not to deflate the air you’ve whipped in.
4. Pour the batter into the prepared cake tin and smooth the top with a spatula.
5. Bake for 10-12 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the center comes out clean. Be careful not to overbake to ensure the cake remains moist.
6. Once baked, remove from the oven and let it cool on a wire rack.

For the Vanilla Cream:

1. In a saucepan, heat 340g of milk with 75g of sugar until it comes to a boil.
2. In a separate bowl, whisk together 2 egg yolks with the remaining 75g of sugar and 50g of cornstarch until smooth.
3. Gradually pour the hot milk into the egg yolk mixture, whisking constantly to prevent curdling.
4. Return the mixture to the saucepan and cook over medium heat, stirring continuously until the cream thickens.
5. Once thickened, remove from heat and stir in 1 tsp of vanilla extract.
6. Transfer the cream to a bowl and cover with plastic wrap directly on the surface to prevent a skin from forming. Chill in the fridge for 3-4 hours.
7. When the cream is cooled, whip it until smooth. In another bowl, whip 160g of room-temperature butter until creamy and then gradually add it to the chilled cream, mixing until well incorporated.

For the Decoration:

1. Wash and halve strawberries for the topping.
2. Whip some additional cream to stiff peaks for piping on top of the cake.
3. Chop some pistachios for a crunchy texture and a pop of color.

To Assemble:

1. Once the cake is cooled, slice it horizontally if desired to have multiple layers.
2. Spread a layer of the vanilla cream over the cake.
3. Arrange the strawberry halves on top of the cream and pipe dollops of whipped cream around the edges.
4. Sprinkle the chopped pistachios over the whipped cream for a decorative touch and a contrast in texture.

Tips:

• When folding in the flour, use a spatula and a gentle hand to keep the cake light and airy.
• For the vanilla cream, ensure that the butter is truly at room temperature to avoid lumps.
• If you’d like to enhance the flavor, consider brushing the cake layers with a simple syrup (equal parts sugar and water, heated until the sugar dissolves) infused with lemon zest or a liqueur of your choice.

This refined recipe should give you a beautiful and delicious cake that’s perfect for any special occasion!