Recipes

OLD FASHIONED SPONGE CAKE WITH LEMON CURD, CHANTILLY CREAM & PASSIONFRUIT ICING Sian Redgrave

Light and nostalgic, this sponge is both airy and indulgent. The bright tartness of lemon curd and passionfruit cuts cleanly through the richness of Chantilly cream—and while the icing is best left to set, we couldn’t wait that long and served it up a little sloppy (still delicious).

INGREDIENTS

For the sponge
4 eggs (200g) at room temperature
165g caster sugar
150g corn flour
30g custard powder
1 teaspoon cream of tartar
½ teaspoon bicarb soda

For the lemon curd
4 large egg yolks
140g caster sugar
Zest of one large unwaxed lemon
80ml lemon juice
Tiny pinch of salt
85g cold unsalted butter, cut into cubes

For the chantilly cream
300ml thickened cream
1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste
1 tablespoon icing sugar

For the passionfruit icing
Pulp of 2 passionfruit
25g very soft butter
125g icing sugar mixture

METHOD

For the curd, set a medium-sized saucepan, filled ⅓ of the way with water, over a high heat and bring to a simmer. In a heat-proof bowl, whisk together the egg yolks, sugar, zest, juice and salt. Place the bowl on top of the saucepan, ensuring the simmering water does not touch the bottom of the bowl (if necessary, pour a little water out to create a gap). Whisk constantly, cooking the curd for approximately 10 minutes, or until it has thickened. Take the bowl off the heat and whisk in a cube of the cold butter at a time until all incorporated. Pour the curd into a cold bowl and cover the surface immediately with plastic wrap to prevent a skin from forming. Refrigerate for at least 3 hours before assembling the cake.
For the sponge, preheat your oven to 170°C fan forced, with a rack in the centre. Line the bases of two 20cm springform cake tins with a disk of baking paper, then grease the top of the paper as well as the sides of the tin with cooking spray. In a stand mixer (or using handheld beaters), whisk together the eggs and caster sugar on high speed for approximately 7 minutes, until the mixture is thick and creamy. Sift the dry ingredients twice and then a third time over the top of the egg mixture in two batches. Using a large metal spoon, fold the flour mixture through. Pour evenly into the two tins, spreading gently to the edges. Lightly tap the tins to release any air bubbles. Bake for 17-20 minutes, then remove from the oven and flip onto a baking paper-lined rack. Remove the tins and carefully peel off the paper. Allow to cool completely, top side down.
For the chantilly cream, whip the cream with the vanilla and icing sugar until soft peaks form. Place the base of the sponge onto a serving plate—top with the cream and then the curd, sandwiching with the top cake.
For the icing, whisk together the passionfruit pulp, butter and icing sugar until really smooth. Spread over the top of the sponge, until it just hits the sides. Allow to chill in the refrigerator for 30 minutes before serving.

SIAN REDGRAVE is a chef, stylist, and creative whose work spans residencies at Numero Venti in Florence to collaborations with luxury brands, including Porsche, Chanel & Aesop. With a background in design, she brings the same eye for detail to her food as she does to her styling—balancing restraint with generosity, and atmosphere with flavour. Based in Sydney, Sian works across both commercial and personal projects, from recipe development and editorial shoots to gatherings around her own table, where her cooking is as convivial as it is considered.

We spent a day with Sian in her Paddington kitchen—cooking, laughing, and talking about the influences that shape her approach to food, design, and community.

Read the full interview HERE.

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