INGREDIENTS

for sponge cake

• 1 cup egg whites and ½ cup yolks, about 6 small eggs
• 1 cup golden caster sugar
• 1 cup plain flour
• pinch of salt
• 1¼ tsp baking powder
• 1-2 tbs unsalted butter (softened)

for layers

• 400g strawberries (washed, drained and hulled, sliced)
• 4 medium bananas (peeled and sliced)
• 750-900 ml whipping cream
• 1¼-1½ cup golden caster sugar
• food colouring (I used about 3 tbs of natural pink colouring made of beetroot but with artificial one you will need only few drops)
• 350g jar of chocolate spread (I used Belgian Chocolate spread for school – due to nut allergies, and Nutella for the same cake I made for home)

for decoration

• 185g packet of M&M’s (I used Crispy M&M’s) or similar candies – as long as they come in yellow and brown or black
• about 100g piece of white, ready to roll icing to cut out Hello Kitty face and a bow
• edible writing pen or writing icing in small tubes (black or brown for whiskers and one more colour to decorate the bow)
• printed out image of Hello Kitty (cut out) – about 11 cm / 4½ inches wide

EQUIPMENT

• 3 x 9” (22,8 cm) round non stick cake tins with removable bottoms
• spatula
• 3 round 9” (22,8 cm) pieces of baking paper to place on the bottom of the tin(s)
• some more baking paper to roll the icing on
• food processor or electric whisk to beat the eggs and whip the cream
• cake stand, large plate or disposable cake base
• piping syringe

METHOD

1. To prepare sponge cake beat with electric whisk or in a food processor egg whites with salt until stiff, add sugar and beat some more. Stir in also yolks. In a small bowl combine baking powder and flour and gradually add it to the egg mixture only until well mixed. Pour it into buttered and lined with baking paper cake tins and bake in preheated oven to 180°C (356°F) for about 25-30 minutes, until golden. Remove from the oven and let it cool down. You can also prepare sponge cake day before and store wrapped in a cling film in a fridge. If your oven is not heating evenly change position of the tins every 10 minutes so all of them will bake evenly.
2. In meantime prepare Hello Kitty face.  Roll out icing to about 5mm thick, place cut out image of Hello Kitty on the top of it and with a sharp knife follow the outline, discard printed out paper. To make eyes and the nose just push in  some M&M’s into icing while still soft. With writing pen or writing icing draw the whiskers. Then cut out 2 small, square pieces of rolled out icing. Bend them and connect together sticking candy in the middle. Place on the Hello Kitty ear, decorate with writing icing or pen.
3. To make whipped cream mix cream, colouring and sugar, using food processor, until thick.
4. To assemble the cake place first sponge layer on the cake stand or cake base. Butter with half of chocolate spread, arrange half of fruits on the top and cover with ¼ of the whipped cream.
5. Place another layer of sponge cake on the top of it, spread the rest of the chocolate, arrange the rest of sliced fruits and top with ¼ of the whipped cream. Cover with the last layer of sponge cake. Spread left over whipped cream on the top and sides of the cake but save some for the piping syringe to decorate bottom and top of the cake.
6. At the end decorate cake with previously made Hello Kitty face and the rest of the M&M’s.
7. Place in a fridge and let it cool down for about 3 hours.

Make about 12-18 servings.

NOTES

You can also prepare the whole cake the night before and in the morning only add icing decorations and candies. If you do it too early they can melt and colour can start running.