Sponge Cake with Rhubarb and Strawberries

     It was a beautiful day...
     I spent it in the kitchen baking and walking my French Bulldog, Bisous.  What could be better than that?  The weather has been fantastic and we dined alfresco on the patio with family and friends.  This sponge cake with rhubarb compote and fresh strawberries tucked between the layers was our dessert... always looking for ways to use my yearly bumper crop of rhubarb.

Sponge Cake with Rhubarb and Strawberries

• recipe for sponge cake from thejoyofbaking.com

INGREDIENTS:
• 6 large eggs, separated
• 1 cup sifted cake flour (make your own... recipe HERE)
• 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup granulated white sugar, divided
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 2 tablespoons water
• Zest of a lemon
• 3/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
• 1 pound strawberries, 3 reserved and the rest of the berries hulled and sliced
• Rhubarb sauce, recipe below
• 2 cups heavy cream
• 3 tablespoons Confectioners' sugar

EQUIPMENT:
• 1 ungreased, 2 piece, 10-inch tube pan

TO MAKE THE CAKE:
1.  Preheat the oven to 350˚F.  Place a rack in the center of the oven.
2.  Separate the cold eggs, placing yolks in one bowl and whites in another bowl.  Cover bowls with plastic wrap and bring to room temperature.  In the meantime, whisk together the sifted flour, baking powder, and salt.  Set aside.
3.  Place the egg yolks and 2/3 cup of the sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer.  Beat
on high speed until thick and light colored.  When you raise the beater, the batter should fall back into the bowl in a slow ribbon.  Beat in the vanilla extract, water, and lemon zest.  Set aside.
4. In a clean bowl with the whisk attachment whip the egg whites until foamy.  Add the cream of tartar and continue beating until soft peaks form.  Gradually add the 1/3 cup of sugar and continue beating until the egg whites are shiny and just form stiff peaks.
5.  Sift 1/3 of the flour mixture over the beaten egg yolks and gently fold into the egg yolk batter with a rubber spatula.  Repeat with the remaining flour, then gently fold a little of the beaten egg whites into the batter to lighten it.  Add the rest of the whites, and fold just until incorporated.  Do not overmix the batter -- it will deflate.  Pour the batter into the tube pan and smooth the top.
6.  Bake in the preheated oven for 30 to 35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the cake comes out clean.  Remove from oven and invert the tube pan and suspend over the neck of a glass wine or water bottle.  Cool the cake completely (about 1 hour).  Run a sharp knife around the inside of the pan and lift up on the tube to removed the center of the pan.  Run the knife along the bottom and around the tube of the pan.  Invert the cake onto a wire rack.

TO ASSEMBLE THE CAKE:
1.  At least 2 hours before serving, pour the heavy cream into a bowl and whip until starting to thicken.  Add the Confectioners' sugar and continue to whip until soft peaks form.  Set aside (or place in refrigerator if a warm day).
2. Using a serrated knife, slice the cake into 3 equal layers.  Take the bottom cake layer and place on a serving plate or cake stand.  Spoon half of the rhubarb sauce evenly over the cake layer, including just enough of the rhubarb's syrup to moisten the cake.  Take half of the sliced strawberries and scatter them evenly over the rhubarb.  Cover the rhubarb and strawberries with about 1/3 of the whipped cream.  Take the middle layer of sponge cake and place on top of the whipped cream, strawberries, and rhubarb; press sponge layer gently onto the whipped cream.  Spoon the remaining rhubarb, and some of the syrup, plus the strawberries onto the second sponge layer and top with another 1/3 of the whipped cream.  Place the last layer of sponge on the top and cover with the remaining whipped cream.  Slice the remaining 3 strawberries into fans and place on top of the cake.  I also sprinkled the top of my cake with strawberry sugar from Zuk-Zak. 
3.  Refrigerate the cake until you are ready to serve.  The cake is best when eaten the same day it is made.

RHUBARB SAUCE:
• 3 cups rhubarb, sliced into 1/2-inch pieces
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 cup water
1.  Combine all of the ingredients in a saucepan and place over medium-low heat on the stove.  Cook until rhubarb has softened, making sure that the rhubarb has not broken down and you still have whole chunks of rhubarb.  Remove from heat and allow mixture to cool completely before assembling the cake.

TAKE a LOOK: