Strawberry and passionfruit mile-high layer cake

Step 1

Preheat oven to 160°C. Grease three 20cm round sandwich cake pans; line each base with baking paper.

Step 2

Beat butter, sugar and extract in a large bowl with an electric mixer until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs, one at a time. Fold in sifted flours and milk, in two batches. Divide mixture evenly into pans.

Step 3

Bake cakes for 35 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean. Leave cakes in pans for 5 minutes before turning, top-side down, onto wire racks to cool.

Step 4

Meanwhile, make passionfruit cream: Beat cream in a small bowl with an electric mixer until soft peaks form. Stir in sifted icing sugar and passionfruit.

Step 5

Reserve 10 strawberries; thinly slice remaining. Split cold cakes in half. Place one cake layer on a plate or cake stand; spread with one-fifth of the passionfruit cream, top with one-fifth of the sliced strawberries, then another cake layer. Repeat layering, finishing with a cake layer.

Step 6

Make meringue frosting (see procedure below).

Step 7

Spread frosting over top and side of cake. Just before serving, decorate with reserved strawberries and dust with sifted icing sugar.

Step 8

Stir sugar, glucose and the water in a small saucepan over medium heat until sugar dissolves. Bring to the boil; boil 3 minutes or until syrup reaches 116°C on a sugar thermometer (or when a teaspoon of syrup, dropped into a cup of cold water, forms a soft ball when a small amount of mixture is rolled between your fingers).

Step 9

Remove from heat to allow bubbles to subside. Meanwhile, beat egg whites in a small bowl with an electric mixer until soft peaks form; beat in extra sugar until dissolved. While motor is operating, pour in hot syrup in a thin steady stream; beat on high speed for 5 minutes or until mixture is thick.