Fluffy Vanilla Sponge Cake with Mascarpone Cream and Strawberry Basil Syrup

Start by preparing the pan and the oven. Line the bottom of a 24 cm springform pan with parchment paper - just the bottom, do not grease the sides. This will allow the sponge cake to 'climb' up the walls and rise evenly. Preheat the oven to 170°C (top and bottom heat, no convection). Take the eggs out of the fridge to bring them to room temperature.

Very carefully separate the egg whites from the yolks. Prepare two clean, dry bowls. Crack the egg on a flat surface (not on the edge of the bowl to avoid shell fragments inside), and then gently transfer the yolk between the halves of the shell, allowing the white to flow into one bowl. Place the yolk in the other. Even a small amount of yolk in the whites will prevent them from whipping properly.

Add a pinch of salt to the bowl with the egg whites. Start beating with a mixer on medium speed. When the egg whites begin to foam and turn white, increase the speed to maximum. Beat until stiff, glossy peaks form. Properly whipped egg whites will not fall out of the bowl when turned upside down, and a characteristic 'beak' will remain on the whisk.

In the second bowl, with the egg yolks, add the fine sugar. Whip with a mixer on high speed for about 8-10 minutes. The mixture should become very light, almost white, thick, and fluffy, tripling in volume. The sugar must completely dissolve – rub a bit of the mixture between your fingers; you shouldn't feel any crystals.

In a separate bowl, mix the wheat flour with the potato flour. Then sift both flours directly into the whipped egg yolks. Sifting is absolutely necessary – it aerates the flour and removes any lumps, ensuring the sponge cake's lightness.

Gently mix the sifted flour with the egg yolk mixture using a spatula or whisk, just until the ingredients are combined. Then add 1/3 of the beaten egg whites and gently mix to loosen the mixture. Add the remaining foam and now very carefully, using motions from the bottom of the bowl upwards, combine everything into a uniform mass. Mix for the shortest time possible, just until no white streaks of foam are visible.

Immediately pour the prepared mixture into the prepared springform pan. Gently smooth the surface with a spatula. Place in the preheated oven at 170°C and bake for about 30-35 minutes. Towards the end of baking, check the cake with a wooden skewer – when inserted in the center, it should come out completely dry. If there is raw batter on it, bake for another 5 minutes.

After baking, immediately remove the hot pan from the oven. From a height of about 40-50 cm, drop it straight onto the floor or a thick countertop. This technique, known as 'the drop', causes the air bubbles to rapidly escape from the cake, ensuring that the sponge does not sink and remains level after cooling. Leave the cake in the pan to cool completely.

While the sponge cake cools, prepare the syrup. Wash and hull 300g of strawberries. Cut them into quarters and place them in a small saucepan. Add 50g of sugar (from the powdered sugar pool or additional) and 15 ml (half) of lemon juice. Heat over low heat, stirring, until the strawberries release their juice and start to break down (about 10-15 minutes). Remove from heat, add a handful of torn basil leaves, mix, and set aside to cool completely. The basil will impart its aroma to the warm syrup.

In a large metal or glass bowl, place very cold heavy cream. Whip it with a mixer, starting at low speed and gradually increasing. When the cream begins to thicken, add sifted 60g powdered sugar in batches. Whip until the cream is thick and stiff. Then add cold mascarpone cheese (in 2-3 batches) and briefly mix on the lowest speed, just until the ingredients are combined into a smooth, uniform cream.

Completely cool the sponge cake and cut it in half lengthwise into two equal layers. Use a long, sharp serrated knife (like a bread knife) or a special cake cutting wire. Place your hand on top of the cake to stabilize it, and guide the knife parallel to the surface, rotating the cake.

Prepare the soaking syrup. In a small bowl, mix 100 ml of boiled, cooled water with the remaining 15 ml of lemon juice. If you prefer sweeter cakes, you can add a teaspoon of sugar and stir until dissolved.

Place the first layer of sponge cake on a serving platter. Evenly soak it with half of the syrup. Spread half of the mascarpone cream on top and smooth it out with a spatula. Drizzle half of the cooled strawberry-basil syrup over the cream. Cover with the second layer of sponge cake, pressing down gently. Soak it with the remaining syrup. Spread the remaining cream on the top and sides of the cake. Decorate the cake with the rest of the syrup, fresh strawberries, and basil leaves. Additionally, to enhance the texture, you can sprinkle the top with white chocolate shavings.