Orange, Lemon & Raspberry Soaked Fatless Sponge
A very light citrus fatless sponge, soaked generously with lemon and orange, filled and topped with goat-yogurt whipped cream and swirls of lemon curd. Served with fresh orange and raspberries.
> Naturally gluten-free, made with Freee self-raising flour and cornflour. Contains goat yogurt.
Ingredients
Sponge
- 4 medium eggs, separated, room temperature
- 30 g caster sugar
- 25 g 1:1 monk-fruit sweetener
- 56 g Freee self-raising flour
- 36 g cornflour
- Finely grated zest of ½ orange
- Finely grated zest of ½ lemon
- Pinch of cream of tartar, optional
Lemon & orange soak
- 40 ml fresh orange juice
- 20–25 ml fresh lemon juice, or to taste
- 10 ml water
- Strip of orange or lemon zest
- No sugar needed
Goat-yogurt cream & lemon curd
- 200 ml whipping cream, very cold
- 100 ml plain goat yogurt — use your yogurt of choice, ideally thick rather than runny
- 100 g lemon curd
- No additional sugar
To serve
- Fresh orange segments
- Fresh raspberries
- Champagne
Method
Sponge
1. Heat oven to 170°C fan / 190°C conventional. Line the base of a 7-inch / 18 cm tin.
2. Whisk the egg yolks, 15 g sugar and monk fruit until very pale and thick.
3. In a clean bowl, whisk the egg whites and cream of tartar until foamy.
4. Gradually whisk in the remaining 15 g sugar and continue to medium-stiff, glossy peaks.
5. Fold the whites gently into the yolks in 3 additions.
6. Sift the self-raising flour and cornflour together.
7. Fold into the eggs in 2–3 additions, adding the citrus zest with the final addition.
8. Transfer gently to the tin and level.
9. Bake for 20–25 minutes, until lightly golden, springy and cooked through.
10. Cool for 5 minutes before turning onto a rack to cool completely.
Lemon & orange soak
11. Warm everything together briefly.
12. Leave to infuse, then cool completely and remove the zest.
13. Taste before using — it should be distinctly lemony and sharp, as the sponge and cream soften the acidity.
Goat-yogurt cream & lemon curd
14. Whip the cream to soft peaks.
15. Gently fold through the goat yogurt.
16. Keep the lemon curd separate until assembling so it can be swirled through, rather than completely incorporated into the cream.
Assembly
17. Cut the completely cooled sponge horizontally into 2 layers.
18. Spoon or brush the citrus soak generously over the cut surfaces. Add enough to make the sponge properly moist without making it soggy.
19. Spread approximately half the goat-yogurt cream over the bottom layer.
20. Spoon over some of the lemon curd and loosely swirl it through the cream. Don't fully mix it in — leave visible ribbons and pockets of curd.
21. Replace the top sponge.
22. Add the remaining cream over the top.
23. Swirl the remaining lemon curd loosely through the cream.
24. Finish with a few fresh raspberries and finely grated orange and/or lemon zest.
To serve
25. Serve chilled with fresh orange segments, fresh raspberries, and champagne.
Notes
- Raspberries: Keep them out of the sponge itself. The soaked fatless sponge is already very delicate; baked raspberries add unnecessary wet spots and weight.
- Sugar: The sponge contains only 30 g real sugar across 4 eggs, with 25 g 1:1 monk-fruit sweetener. Don't reduce the real sugar further — it contributes to the stability and texture of the whipped eggs.
- Lemon curd: 100 g works well here because the cream and goat yogurt are completely unsweetened. Swirling rather than mixing it through gives distinct sharp-sweet lemon pockets while keeping most of the cream fresh and tangy.
- Goat yogurt: Use whichever plain goat yogurt you prefer. A thick yogurt gives the most stable cream; if using a thinner one, fold it in cautiously so the cream doesn't become loose.
- Soak: Be led by taste rather than an exact lemon quantity. A sharper, more lemon-heavy soak works well because the cream, curd and sponge mellow it considerably.
- Make ahead: The sponge can be baked the day before. Once soaked and assembled, refrigerate. The soak also makes this more forgiving than an unsoaked fatless sponge.
- Decoration: Keep it simple — a few raspberries and citrus zest on top, with the bulk of the fresh orange and raspberries served alongside.
