Italian Rum Cake (Sponge with Pastry Cream and Whipped Cream)

Sponge

• 10 g Butter
• 120 g Plain flour
• 30 g Cornflour
• 5 Egg
• 150 g Caster sugar

Rum syrup

• 120 g Caster sugar
• 180 ml Water
• 90 ml Rum

Vanilla pastry cream

• 500 ml Whole milk
• 2 tsp Vanilla bean paste
• 2 Egg
• 90 g Caster sugar
• 35 g Cornflour
• 30 g Unsalted butter

Whipped cream and finish

• 450 ml Double cream
• 35 g Icing sugar
• 60 g Dark baking chocolate

1. Heat the oven to 170°C (340°F). Grease a 20 cm cake pan with the butter and dust lightly with a little of the plain flour, tapping out the excess.
2. Sift the remaining plain flour with the cornflour into a bowl. In a stand mixer, whisk 5 eggs with 150 g caster sugar for 6 to 8 minutes until very pale, thick, and the ribbon holds for a few seconds.
3. Fold the sifted flours into the egg mixture in 2 additions, keeping as much air as possible. Scrape into the prepared pan and bake for 25 to 30 minutes until golden and the sponge springs back when lightly pressed.
4. Cool the sponge in the pan for 10 minutes, then turn out onto a cooling rack to cool completely. Keep the oven off and leave the pan to hand for assembling later.
5. Make the rum syrup: bring 120 g caster sugar and the water to a simmer, stirring just until the sugar dissolves. Take off the heat, stir in the rum, and leave to cool.
6. Make the pastry cream: warm the milk with the vanilla bean paste in a saucepan until steaming but not boiling. In a bowl, whisk 2 eggs with 90 g caster sugar and the cornflour until smooth.
7. Pour the hot milk onto the egg mixture, whisking constantly, then return everything to the pan. Cook over medium heat, whisking, for 2 to 4 minutes until thick and bubbling; cook for 1 minute more to remove any starchy taste.
8. Take off the heat and whisk in the unsalted butter until glossy. Tip into a shallow dish, press a piece of baking paper directly onto the surface to prevent a skin forming, and chill until cold and set.
9. Whip the double cream with the icing sugar to soft peaks. Keep chilled while you assemble so it stays light and spreadable.
10. Slice the cooled sponge horizontally into 3 even layers. Set the base layer on a serving plate and brush generously with the cooled rum syrup, letting it soak in for a minute.
11. Whisk the chilled pastry cream briefly until smooth, then spread half over the soaked base. Add the second sponge layer, brush with more syrup, and spread over the remaining pastry cream; top with the final sponge and brush with the last of the syrup.
12. Cover the top and sides with the whipped cream. Finely shave the dark baking chocolate over the cake, then chill for at least 1 hour so the layers set before slicing.

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