Sponge Cake with Strawberries, Nutella and Cream

Preheat oven to 350°F.

Beat eggs in stand mixer bowl on medium-high for 4 minutes. Do time this, it is crucial to get enough air beaten in so that it becomes light and airy.

Slowly add sugar to the eggs, and beat for another 3–4 minutes until light and fluffy. Beat in vanilla and zest.

In a saucepan on medium heat, melt milk and butter until butter is melted and both are blended. Allow to cool a bit.

In a separate bowl, sift together flour and baking powder. Add to eggs and beat or mix gently until combined. Carefully stir milk-butter mixture this into the batter. Mix until just combined.

Pour evenly into 2 greased/floured 8-inch round cake pans. Bake at 350°F for 15 minutes. After that, reduce oven heat to 325°F for an additional 10 minutes or until the middle springs back when touched, or a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

In the meantime, make a syrup by heating water and sugar in saucepan on stovetop. Take off heat. Stir in orange juice and zest. Allow this syrup to cool slightly.

Take out cakes from oven and let stand in pans for 10 minutes. Turnover cakes onto wire racks to cool completely.

Gently spoon/spritz orange-spiked sugar syrup over cakes until cakes absorb the syrup and are somewhat dampened. Let cakes set for a while or pop them into refrigerator for 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, whip cream until stiff, about 5 minutes. Add sugar and beat until combined. Chill until cakes are ready.

Take cakes out and spread half the Nutella over one cake. Spoon half the whipped cream over Nutella. Arrange half the strawberries over the cream layer. Set the second cake over the topped layer. Repeat with the remaining Nutella, cream and strawberries.

Add mint to garnish. Keep chilled in refrigerator until serving. Keep leftover cake covered and chilled.

Cake recipe adapted from Cake Boss.