buckwheat sponge with strawberries in lilac syrup

I was asked by Nathaniel from terminatetor kitchen if I would like to do a virtual collaboration where by we both use the same two ingredients and see what recipe we come up with. we chose buckwheat flour and strawberries. it was hard to choose as I could of done a pie or some scones but I decided to make a cake. I made some lilac syrup and used it to flavour the strawberries and the cream. I love the smell of lilacs they are so wonderful and at the moment they are in season so I can pick them. the strawberries in my garden are no where near ready yet but there are British strawberries all ready filling the supermarket shelves. buckwheat flour can make sponge cakes a little heavy I made a Genoese sponge and whipped loads of air into it to make it light. these cakes are not meant to have any rising agents in but if you are concerned you can try adding 1.2 tsp of baking powder when you add the flour.

for the sponge

• 150g caster sugar
• 4 eggs
• 150g buckwheat flour
• 4 tbsp. melted butter
• 1 tsp vanilla extract

preheat the oven to 160c

grease and line three 11cm tins

add the eggs and sugar into a mixer fitted with the whisk attachment and beat at full speed for 5 minutes until thick and aerated and tripled in size. then add the vanilla and gently fold in and sift in the flour and gently fold in with a spatula being carful not to knock the air out. finally add the melted butter and carefully fold in again, separate the mixture into the tins. bake for about 25 minutes (check the cakes after 20)

for the lilac syrup

• 1 cup lilac flowers
• 1 cup water
• 2 tbsp. lemon juice
• 1 cup sugar
• 4 lemon balm leaves cut up

first heat the lilacs and water and lemon juice until it reaches the boil then add the sugar and stir until its dissolved then let it reduce on the heat for a few minutes. leave the lilacs to infuse for a further 5 minutes then strain into a jug and let cool.

slice 10 to 15 big strawberries and place in a bowl with the chopped lemon balm and drizzle over some of the syrup and stir so they are coated. then make the cream for this whisk a 300ml tub of double cream with 4 tbsp. icing sugar until thick then add 5 tbsp. cream cheese (Philadelphia)  and 3 tbsp. lilac syrup and 2 tbsp. milk and mix until thick.

spoon on some of the cream to one of the cooled sponges spread out and add some strawberries then add the next layer of sponge and do the same again.  top the cake with some cream and the remaining strawberries and decorate with lilac flours and dust with icing sugar.