Berry Cream Cake - Torta con Crema e Frutta

This Valentine’s Day pave the way to a fine romance with this cake made from the heart.

Berry Cream Cake

Sponge cake*  (or 1 package of sponge cake mix and follow directions)
1 cup (250 ml) heavy cream
1/4 cup (60 ml) sugar
1 tsp (5 ml) vanilla
4 cups (1000 ml) fresh strawberries
2 cups (500 ml) fresh raspberries
1/4 cup (60 ml) confectioner's sugar

*Sponge cake:

• 6 large eggs, room temperature
• 1 ½ cups sugar
• 1 ½ cups flour
• 1 tsp vanilla
• ½ tsp grated lemon peel
• butter and flour for the pan

Directions

1. Separate the eggs putting the yolks in a large bowl and the whites in a smaller bowl. Add the sugar to the yolks, and beat until very thick and light yellow in color.
2. Beat the whites until they stand stiff.
3. Fold the whites into the yolk-sugar mixture. Turn it over slowly and gently until completely mixed.
4. Sift the flour (even if you don't usually sift flour--do it).
5. Fold the flour slowly, a bit at a time, to the egg-sugar mixture.
6. Add the vanilla and lemon peel, folding in gently.
 
7. Butter and flour a heart shaped baking pan.  Pour batter into pan and bake at 350F for 30 minutes.   When done the cake will be toasty on top, and a toothpick will come out clean. Let cool. 
8. Whip cream until almost stiff.  Gradually add sugar and vanilla and beat until cream forms peaks.
9. Wash the berries and cut the strawberries in half.
10. Cut the cake in half horizontally.
11. Spread whipping cream over bottom layer of cake.
12. Arrange a layer of strawberries and raspberries (saving some for garnish) onto the whipping cream.
13. Add the top layer of the cake on top of the berries.  Dust with confectioner's sugar.
14. Top with remaining berries.  Serve immediately.