my highly requested (gemini) birthday cake!!

strawberry + passion fruit shortcake

Last year, I posted the birthday cake I made for myself and to this day people are going bananas for it. So I figured I’ll dedicate a lil post to tell you how I did it because I’m obsessed with talking about me and my birthday hehe!!!!

No but seriously, I love making my own birthday cake (some people think it’s sad) because I’m always baking for everyone else’s birthdays and special occasions and never really just for myself.

And speaking of sweet lil treats, when was the last time you’ve been to the dentist? Not to jumpscare you or anything but keeping those teeth clean and healthy so you can stay eating good is important! (Not me telling you this while I have a literal cavity right now.)

BUUUT thank goodness for today's newsletter sponsor, Tend amiright!! They’re a full service dentistry across NYC, DC, Boston, Atlanta and Nashville and their studios are so luxe, they’re nicer than my apartment. 

i kinda ate that dentist visit

They offer dental exams, cleanings, whitening and more. And if you’ve been thinking about getting your teeth straightened (side eye, me again) if you book a free smile straightening consultation (Invisalign or Breezy Braces) at any Tend location between 5/30 - 6/13 you’ll get $600 off your treatment! Pop off perfect teeth!!

Now for this cake, it’s simple and fresh and a little unexpected just like us Gemini queens! It also just makes a really perfect summer cake if you don’t happen to be ~the perfect~ zodiac sign. So

use it as a vessel for whatever you want!

Sponge Cake

(NYT recipe, but will write below if you’re not a paid subscriber bc we all deserve cake!!!)

Makes One 9-inch cake

• ¼ cup olive or vegetable oil

• 4 large eggs, separated, room temperature

• ½ cup granulated sugar

• ½ teaspoon kosher salt

• ¼ teaspoon cream of tartar

• ⅔ cup cake flour (you can make your own cake flour by removing 2 tbsp of flour from 1 cup, then adding 2 tbsp of cornstarch)

• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1. Pre-heat oven to 325 degrees. If baking in a springform pan, leave the pan ungreased and unlined.

2. In a wide, medium bowl, combine the egg whites, ¼ cup sugar, the kosher salt and cream of tartar. Beat the mixture with a hand mixer fitted with the beaters on medium-low speed until the mixture looks frothy, then start to slowly increase the speed to medium-high. Continue to beat the egg whites until you have a dense, voluminous, glossy foam that forms stiff peaks, about 4 minutes. When you lift the beaters out of the bowl, the egg whites should come to a straight point that doesn’t droop. Don’t beat beyond this point, or the whites will become dry and lumpy. Set the bowl aside.

3. In a separate wide bowl, combine the egg yolks and the remaining ¼ cup sugar. Beat with the hand mixer (no need to wash it after you beat the egg whites) on medium-high until the mixture is very pale and fluffy and forms a slowly dissolving ribbon as it falls off the beaters back into the bowl, about 4 minutes. Slowly stream in the ¼ cup oil, beating constantly to ensure it emulsifies into the yolk mixture, until you have a smooth, light mixture that looks like mayonnaise.

4. Reduce the mixer to the lowest speed, add half of the flour and mix just until incorporated. Add the vanilla extract and 1 tablespoon water, mix until incorporated, then add the remaining flour and mix just until it disappears. The mixture will have thickened and look a bit like cake batter.

5. Fold the yolk mixture once or twice with a large flexible spatula to make sure it’s evenly mixed, then scrape about a third of the egg white mixture into the yolk mixture and thoroughly fold in the whites until the mixture is loosened. Working more gently, fold in half of the remaining egg whites until only a few streaks remain. Fold in the remaining whites, scraping the bottom and sides of the bowl, until you have a light, smooth, evenly mixed batter.

6. Scrape the batter into the pan and smooth into an even layer. Firmly tap the pan on the surface once or twice to pop any large air bubbles. Bake the cake until it’s golden brown, firm and springy to the touch across the entire surface, 25 to 30 minutes for a jelly roll and 30 to 35 minutes for a 9-inch cake. Remove the cake from the oven and immediately invert the pan onto a wire rack. Let the cake cool completely upside down to prevent it from collapsing.

7. Reinvert the cooled pan and cut along the sides with a small offset spatula or paring knife to loosen the cake. It will sink a bit, which is normal. Remove the ring of the springform pan, invert the cake onto the rack, and carefully peel off the bottom of the pan (it should come away cleanly, leaving behind just a thin film).

8. The unfilled sponge cake will keep at room temperature, tightly wrapped, for several days, but will become sticky after the first day.

9. Once fully cooled, using a serrated knife cut the cake through the middle to make 2 layers.

The Cream:

• 2 cup mascarpone, cold

• 3 cups heavy cream, cold

• pinch of salt

1. Beat together both creams in a mixer until medium peaks form - don’t overmix! This doesn’t need sugar as the sponge and passionfruit filling will be plenty sweet.

Filling:

• 1 lb of strawberries, washed,stems removed + halved vertically

• Passion fruit puree (see photo for brand I used from Costco) or fresh passion fruits

• 1-2 tsp cornstarch (if you’re passion fruit puree is too liquidy)

• pinch of salt

1. In a small saucepan, simmer about 1 1/2 cups of passion fruit puree with a cornstarch slurry until thickened slightly. you want a jam like texture! Remove from heat and let cool completely before assembling.

2. If using fresh passion fruits, macerate in some sugar to balance out the acidity.

low quality pics, high quality cake

Assembly:

1. Put one cake layer down, and spread a thin layer of cream, just to cover the surface. add your halved strawberries in a ring around the edge of the cake until you create a full border.

2. Fill the crevice with the passion fruit puree!

3. Lightly dollop your cream into the crevice and gently spread it over the top to fully cover the tip of the strawberries.

4. Add your second cake layer and cover the entire cake with the remaining cream. use a spoon to make fun little “swooshes” - this doesn’t have to look even or perfect at all!!

5. On the top of the cake, with the back of a spoon, make a circular well and add more passion fruit puree into it.

6. Stick some sliced strawberries along the sides + add any fresh flowers you like - happy birthday to us!!!! <33333

birthday in the catskills last year! <3

All this cake talk got me thinking what cake should I make this year!?!? My birthday is June 9th so send me suggestions/inspo/pics on Instagram if you love me :')

and as always, I’m always posting throughout the week on instagram + tiktok:

instagram: @babytamagooo

tiktok: @babytamago

hope you have a fabulouso week <333