Flavoured syrup

Pour a flavoured syrup over sponge cake for a delicious variation. The syrup will also ensure that the cake is moist. Prick the surface of the cake with a toothpick and pour over the syrup while the cake is still hot. Leave to cool in the pan.

The recipe is enough for 200 ml syrup, which is sufficient for our basic sponge cake recipe.

Basic recipe

• 125 ml (½ c) water
• 125 g (150 ml) sugar

1 Mix the water and sugar in a small saucepan. Stir until the sugar is dissolved and bring the syrup to a boil. Take it off the heat.

2 Add the seasoning as soon as the syrup has cooled down. Leave for at least an hour, but preferably overnight. The syrup can stay fresh in the fridge for up to a month.

Variations

Add the following to the basic syrup:

• Vanilla syrup: Seeds of a vanilla pod
• Lemon syrup: grated peel of 2 lemons
• Orange syrup: Grated peel of 1 orange

Delicious combinations

• Vanilla sponge cake: Flavour with vanilla syrup and fill with raspberry jam and butter icing.
• Lemon sponge cake: Flavour with lemon syrup and fill with lemon marmalade and lemon butter icing.
• Orange sponge cake: Flavour with orange syrup and Van der Hum liqueur and fill with orange marmalade and orange butter icing.
• Rich chocolate cake: Flavour with Amarula liqueur and fill with chocolate ganache.