The Very Best Strawberry Short Cake

It's best to bake the sponge the day before and wrap it in cling film. The sponge is much easier to cut a day later. If you're short on time, you can alternatively put the sponge in the freezer for half an hour.

Preheat the oven to 160 °C fan.

Put 170 g of eggs and 20 g of water into a Mixing bowl. Then add 230 g of Sponge cake mix.

Whip everything until the mixture is nice and light.

Now fill the mixture into a Cake ring and spread it carefully. Smooth the sponge out flat all the way to the edge.

Slide the tray into the oven and bake the sponge for 15 minutes. To check whether it's baked through, press on it with your flat hand: if it no longer crackles, it's done. If it still crackles, leave it in for one more minute and then try again.

As soon as you've taken the sponge out of the oven, lay a sheet of baking paper over it, turn the whole thing over and let it cool on a Cake rack. This gives you a sponge that is flat on both sides.

Put the powder with the water and a few drops of natural extract into a Bowl.

Whip the mixture for about 5 minutes with a hand mixer or a stand mixer so that a smooth cream forms. Let the cream rest a little before use — this way it gains a bit more stability and creaminess.

Next, whip the cream until stiff and carefully fold it into the custard cream.

Once the sponge has cooled well, you can slowly peel off the baking paper. With a small Spatula or a knife without serrations, carefully release the sponge from the edge.

Now cut the sponge into three equally thick layers. You can do this with a bread knife — but it's easier with a Cake cutter.

Line the Cake ring with a Cake insert strip. (The Cake base should be a bit smaller than the ring.) Now place the bottom sponge layer into the ring and cover it with a third of the custard cream. Repeat this with the next layer.

Smooth the custard cream nice and flat, place the top layer on it and gently press it down a little.

Now you can slowly remove the Cake ring and carefully peel off the cake strip.

Now coat the cake all around with the remaining custard cream using a small Angled spatula.

Put the roasted and cooled almond flakes onto a plate. Lift the cake carefully with an Angled spatula and take it onto your flat hand. Now you can press the almond flakes all around the edge.

Next, set the cake down again and decorate it with the strawberry halves.

To make your cake really glow and shine, the Cake glaze should not be missing. For this, put it into a pan with a little water and 2 drops of Progel Red and boil it down well. As soon as the glaze has cooled, use a silicone brush to brush the strawberries. Now they gleam in a tempting red.

Before serving, put the cake in the fridge for at least one hour — this way the layers set and the cake can be cut cleanly.