Lemon caramel cake

Ingredients

For the lemon caramel

• 5 heaped tablespoons sugar
• 45 ml lemon juice
• 50 ml water
• 120 g cream
• grated zest of 1 lemon

For the sponge

• 8 medium eggs
• 3 tablespoons sugar
• 10 tablespoons sugar
• 9 tablespoons wheat flour
• 5 g baking powder
• 200 g lemon caramel
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 4 heaped tablespoons coconut flakes

For decorating

• 200 g cream with 30% fat
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 6 strawberries

Preparation

1. Put the lemon juice, water and sugar for the caramel in a saucepan. Cook over low heat for about 10 minutes, stirring, until the syrup thickens and turns brown. 2. Turn off the heat and add the cream and grated lemon zest. Stir carefully, as hot splashes may fly up, then leave the caramel to cool for 20 minutes. 3. Heat the oven to 180°C. Separate the whites from the yolks of 6 eggs. Beat the yolks with the 2 whole eggs and 3 tablespoons of sugar on high speed for about 4 minutes, until pale and foamy. Add 200 g of cooled caramel, then the flour mixed with the baking powder and beat until combined. 4. Beat the egg whites with the salt until foamy. Add the 10 tablespoons of sugar and beat for about 4 minutes, until the foam is glossy and the sugar has dissolved. 5. Pour the yolk mixture over the egg whites and gently fold it in with a spatula, lifting from the bottom. Add the coconut flakes and fold gently. 6. Put the batter in a 32 × 22 cm pan lined with baking paper. Bake on the middle rack for 30 minutes at 180°C, until a toothpick inserted into the sponge comes out clean. Leave the sponge to cool for an hour, then cut it into portions. 7. Beat the cream for decorating with the teaspoon of sugar. Transfer the whipped cream to a piping bag fitted with a star nozzle, decorate each piece and add a strawberry slice.