To better synchronize the downtime in all the recipes, Start by making the concentrated strawberry puree and place it in the fridge to cool down. Then, bake the sponge cake layers, and finally, whip up the strawberry mousse just before assembling the cake.

Concentrated Strawberry Puree

• Bakers Note: When strawberry season arrives and those vibrant, ruby-red strawberries are available, make the most of their natural sweetness and flavor. The best strawberries for this recipe are juicy, fragrant, and sweet but have a tart edge. If you're lucky enough to have in-season, ruby-red strawberries, that are not only rich in color but also boast a deep, intense strawberrie flavor—unlike those watery strawberries ones that lack the essence of strawberries.  During strawberry season, I often prepare large batches of purée from peak-season strawberries and freeze it in small containers. This way, I always have high-quality strawberry purée on hand all year around. The intense flavor of these strawberries is so perfect in the whipped strawberry mousse
   
• To make the strawberry puree, blend about 350 grams of hulled strawberries until smooth. For the best results, strain the puree to remove the seeds, resulting in a smooth and concentrated strawberry flavor. 
   
• Bakers note: Keep in mind When you heat the strawberry puree, some of the water content evaporates, leading to a reduction in volume. This is why you start with 200 grams and end up with less. The heat causes the water to turn into steam and escape, leaving behind a more concentrated puree.
   
• In a medium saucepan, combine the 200 grams of seedless strawberry puree with 1 tablespoon (10 grams) of cornstarch and make a slurry.
   
• Bakers note: Cornstarch is a great thickening agent. When you mix cornstarch with the warm strawberry puree and heat it, the cornstarch granules absorb water and swell. This process, called gelatinization, creates a network that traps water and thickens the mixture. By cooling it in the fridge, this network sets, making the puree even thicker.
   
• Warm the mixture over medium heat, stirring constantly, and cook for about 5 to 7 minutes until it thickens to a soft pudding-like consistency.
   
• Once thickened, remove from the heat and pour the mixture into an airtight container or small bowl. Cover with plastic wrap, pressing it directly onto the surface, and refrigerate until completely cold. About 1 hour and it will thicken up like a charm. 
   
• Bakers note: If you end up with more than 200 grams of seedless strawberry puree, feel free to drizzle a few spoons over the strawberry mousse inside the cake for an extra burst of flavor. It’s always better to start with more strawberries than less, to ensure you have enough for the best results.

 Fluffy Vanilla Sponge Cake

• When preheating the oven for my cakes, always use the 'top and bottom heat' setting. Please avoid using the fan-forced option, unless otherwise specified.
   
• Twenty minutes or longer before baking, set an oven rack in the center of the oven, and preheat the oven to 170C°/ 338F°. Using an oven thermometer will ensure even baking results each time, as every oven is different. Always go with the reading on your oven thermometer rather than the temperature you set on your oven.
   
• Grease your wire racks lightly with butter and set them aside; this step will prevent the cake from sticking to the wire rack.
   
• Use a small piece of cold butter, and gently rub the cold butter over the bottom and the sides of three 20 cm ( 8-inches) round baking pans. This technique of using a small piece of cold butter ensures an even, ultra-thin coating. Place a circle of parchment in the bottom of the pan. Add a tablespoon of all-purpose flour and tap it around the inside of the pan until all the buttered surface is covered 100%, then turn the pan upside down over a sink and tap out the excess flour. If you don’t have three pans, it’s okay to bake the cakes in stages; The cake batter will be kept at room temperature until needed.
   
• Bakers note: The egg white to yolk ratio in an egg can vary to such a degree. Therefore, weighing the egg yolks and egg whites as mentioned in the recipe and adding or reducing them if needed is advisable. Place 7 large eggs in lukewarm water for a few minutes.
   
• Bakers Note: All-purpose flour with 8-9% gluten is ideal for tender sponge cake layers; I use 9%. Although 10% works, less gluten is preferable. You can enhance tenderness by mixing in potato starch. Potato starch is my secret ingredient in this vanilla sponge cake. It's very pure and feels silky between the fingers. Do not substitute potato starch for cornstarch. They may look the same and behave similarly, but potato starch is lighter than cornstarch, bakes more thoroughly in cake batter, and yields a softer sponge cake.
   
• In a medium bowl, sift together 90 grams of all-purpose flour or pastry flour, 90 grams of potato starch, and one teaspoon of baking powder. To get the cake you truly deserve, sift the flour mixture twice to make the flour as aerated and light as possible.
   
• For the yolk mixture, in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, whip 50 grams of superfine sugar, 140 grams of egg yolks, and two teaspoons of vanilla bean paste on medium speed until pale yellow, tripling its volume, and all of the sugar is dissolved—about 5 to 8 minutes. Set aside for now.
   
• Wipe a stainless steel bowl and the whisk of an electric mixer with a paper towel dampened with a little lemon juice to eliminate any trace of grease.
   
• Put 210 gram egg whites and a pinch of cream of tartar into the bowl. Using the whisk attachment, whip on medium high speed for about 3 minutes until the whites are glossy white. Add the sugar ( 200 grams) one tablespoon at a time over 3 minutes to make a very shiny and stiff meringue. Remove the bowl from the mixer.
   
• As soon as the meringue is done, place the whipped meringue into a large bowl, add the whipped egg yolk mixture on top, and carefully fold them together using a balloon whisk rather than a spatula. You don't want to deflate the mixture, so try to do as little folding as possible.
   
• Sift the flour/starch mixture onto the egg mixture in two increments. For maximum volume, use a balloon whisk or a large silicone spatula, and gently yet confidently fold the flour into the batter with strength! It’s better to make a few powerful folds than 15 half-hearted ones. If you don’t get it mixed in just right, you might end up with a sponge cake that’s all heavy at the bottom and too fluffy at the top. You’ll know you’ve done it right when the batter gets a bit less puffy and looks more uniform. Set aside for a moment while you warm the cream.
   
• In a small saucepan, warm 75-gram heavy cream and one teaspoon vanilla bean paste over medium heat until warm ( about 60 seconds, 50C°/122F° ), then quickly pour the warm cream around the edge of the bowl and gently combine with a spatula without deflating the batter too much.
   
• Evenly distribute the batter among the three prepared pans, about 275 grams in each baking pan. Use your offset spatula to spread it into an even layer.
   
• Bakers Note: Give your pans just a really good spin on the table, what that does is it takes the batter up the side of the pan a little bit, just so that as it's baking, it already has an attachment to kind of move up the side of the pan. Don’t tap your baking pans on the kitchen counter to try to get things to level out, especially with this style of cake batter, because banging your pans or dropping it on the table to level the batter actually gets rid of all the air bubbles that you just incorporated into the batter. 
   
• Bake both cakes until golden brown and the top of the cake feels firm and has a pale golden colour. about 15 to 17 minutes, depending on your oven and baking pan. Mine was done at 16 minutes. To check if the sponge cake is ready after 15 minutes of baking, you should first look through the oven window rather than open the oven door. If the center appears slightly sunken, give it a minute or two longer while keeping an eye on it. Then carefully open the oven and gently press the top of the cake. It should feel firm to the touch and may have a slight bounce to it. This method allows you to monitor the cake's progress without disrupting the baking process. Because this sponge cake is going to be filled  with a cream based filling, it doesn't matter if you overbake it for a minute longer, It's better to do that than end up with a sponge cake that is wet in the bottom.
   
• Immediately without delay run a knife or metal spatula between the sides of the pan and the cake, and invert the cakes onto a prepared wire rack, remove the parchment paper, and leave them to cool completely on a wire rack.
   
• Repeat with the final layer.
   
• If not used immediately, wrap them well in plastic to keep them from drying out.
   
• Each cake layer is about 4 cm high.

Lemon Sugar Syrup
 

• In a small saucepan, over low heat, combine 80 gram of freshly squeezed lemon juice and 50 grams of white sugar, and warm until the sugar is 100% dissolved, about 2-3 minutes.
   
• Set aside to cool down.
   

Whipped Strawberry Mousse
 

• The whipped strawberry mousse makes about 850 grams, you will have some leftover. But if you'd like, you can use the extra strawberry mousse to create an additional layer. Instead of adding lemon glaze on the top layer, you can build the cake with three layers of mousse, leaving the top covered with just the strawberry mousse. If you choose this option, be sure to assemble the cake inside a cake ring for stability. 
   
• Bakers Note: Use only heavy cream (or heavy whipping cream) with a 40% fat content. This higher fat content is key for whipping up a cream that's both thick and stable, providing the perfect base for your frosting. Ensure the cream is very cold for optimal whipping; placing the heavy cream in the freezer for about 15 minutes before you whip up the strawberry mousse.
   
• Opt for a full-fat, natural Greek-style yogurt with a 10% fat content. The thick consistency of Greek yogurt, achieved by straining out the whey, makes it an ideal choice for creating a rich and creamy strawberry mousse. Avoid low-fat or fat-free yogurts, as their higher water content can result in a frosting that's too runny for your liking. Your Greek Yogurt should be notably thick. If you find the yogurt too watery, a simple fix involves straining it through a fine-mesh sieve over a bowl, covered with plastic wrap, and left to drain in the fridge for a few hours or, ideally, overnight. This step is crucial to ensure your whipped strawberry mousse achieves the perfect consistency, avoiding a watery outcome that could compromise your frosting's structure.
   
• Bakers note: add 1 teaspoon of pink pitaya powder  to enhance the pink color in this strawberry mousse.
   
• Do this step just before you plan to assemble the cake layers: In the bowl of your stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, combine 75 grams of powdered sugar, 300 grams of cold Greek yogurt (10% fat), 300 grams of cold heavy whipping cream (40% fat), and one teaspoon of vanilla bean paste, and a large pinch of citric acid. Whip this mixture on low speed for one minute, then increase to medium-high speed. Continue whipping until it becomes thick, fluffy, and holds its shape, which should take about 1 to 3 minutes. Be cautious to avoid overmixing, as the whipped yogurt frosting will soften and lose stability if beaten for too long.
   
• After the mixture has reached the desired thickness, pull the cold strawberry puree out of the fridge. Add 150 grams of very cold concentrated strawberry puree directly to the mixer. Whip on medium speed for 10 to 20 seconds, just until the strawberry is fully combined. Stop the mixer and check the texture—it should be thick. If everything looks good, you can add the remaining 25 grams of strawberry puree to your liking. While this may slightly deflate the mixture, it should still remain thick.
   
• Baker's Note: Adding Greek yogurt to the mixture of whipped cream and strawberry not only enriches the flavor but also contributes significantly to the mousse's texture. The Greek yogurt's thicker consistency plays a crucial role in how the whipped strawberry mousse sets, especially when chilled. This combination ensures it gains firmness and body as it cools in the fridge. Should your strawberry mousse should be less thick, rest assured. The addition of Greek yogurt will help it firm up beautifully, creating the perfect texture for your cake filling. Remember, patience is key—it will set perfectly inside the fridge.
   

To assemble
 

• Get all the components ready to build the cake: the three fluffy vanilla cake layers, the lemon sugar syrup, the whipped strawberry mousse and the fresh strawberries.
   
• To ensure a stable and well-assembled cake, I highly recommend using an adjustable cake ring when you put it together. If you also have an acetate cake collar, it’s a good idea to place it inside the ring. In the step-by-step photos, I show the cake ring and the collar being added at the end because I want you to see the layers and the filling clearly for visual purposes. However, if possible, always assemble your cake using an adjustable cake ring from the start for the best results.

• Place the first sponge cake layer inside your adjustable cake ring or on a cake stand. Make sure it fits in your fridge, as the cake needs to chill overnight.
   
• Make sure the 250 grams fresh strawberries are dry before using them, as excess moisture can make the cake soggy. Remove the stems and cut the strawberries into nice, even pieces.
   
• Drizzle the first sponge cake layer with a few spoons of lemon sugar syrup, focusing most of it around the edges since the whipped strawberry mousse will help moisten the middle.
   
• Add about three large scoops of the whipped strawberry mousse on top, and use an offset spatula to spread it into an even layer, but don't go all the way to the edges.
   
• Place 125 grams of strawberries over the whipped strawberry mousse layer. Add one more scoop of whipped strawberry mousse on top of the strawberries, then place the second sponge cake layer over it. Press down lightly to ensure it holds together better when cut.
   
• Repeat this process for the second layer: drizzle the lemon sugar syrup, add the whipped strawberry mousse, and layer the strawberries, finishing with a final scoop of whipped strawberry mousse.
   
• For the final layer, drizzle a little of the remaining lemon sugar syrup on the underside of the last sponge cake layer, then flip it, top side up. Press down lightly to ensure it holds together better when cut.
   
• Cover the assembled cake or just the top ( if you build the cake in a cake ring) with plastic wrap.
   
• After assembling the cake layers and wrapping the cake in plastic wrap, place a loose bottom or cake board on top of the cake inside the ring. Gently press down on the loose bottom to help compress the layers slightly, which will make the cake more stable. However, be careful not to press too hard, as you don't want to flatten the cake too much.
   
• Once in place, add a light weight on top—something like a stick of butter or a similarly light object works well. This will help the layers settle together without making the cake too flat.
   
• Chill the cake in the fridge for at least eight hours, or preferably overnight, before serving to allow the strawberry mousse to firm up and the flavors to meld.
   
• After the cake has set, remove it from the refrigerator, take off the acetate collar, and the plastic wrap, and adjustable cake ring
   
• Your cake should have neat layers with the mousse perfectly set within the edges.
   
• Baker’s Note: You can also freeze this cake for later use. After assembling the cake, you can place it directly in the freezer with the cake ring and acetate sheet still in place. The next day, once the cake is fully frozen, remove the cake ring and acetate sheet, then wrap the cake very tightly in plastic wrap and a layer of aluminum foil to protect it from freezer burn. Place the wrapped cake back in the freezer, where it will keep well for several weeks
  
  When you’re ready to use the cake, transfer it to the fridge and let it thaw in the fridge overnight, Then remove it from the fridge and let it come to roomtemp before serving! This is a great option if you want to prepare the cake in advance for a party or special occasion.

Pink Lemon Glaze

• Bakers note: I serve this cake as a naked cake and only drizzle a delicious pink lemon glaze on top, and I'm telling you, it is so juicy and a perfect match.
   
• In a medium bowl, add 220 grams of powdered sugar and half a teaspoon of pink pitaya powder (if you want a lovely pink color).
   
• Slowly add 60 grams of lemon juice, or add a little juice at a time until the glaze thickens enough to spread over the cake. You don’t want it to be too runny, so add the lemon juice gradually. It should be about 60 grams, but you may need less.
   
• Taste the glaze—if you prefer a bit more tartness, you can add a tiny pinch of citric acid. The pink pitaya powder gives the glaze a bright and beautiful pink color, which I love.
   
• Applying the Glaze: If your cake is frozen, you can apply the glaze while the cake is still cold or frozen. Spread the glaze over the top, then transfer the cake to the fridge and let it thaw overnight.
   
• If your cake has been chilling in the fridge, simply remove the cake from the fridge, take off the adjustable cake ring, plastic wrap, and acetate sheet. Carefully drizzle the pink lemon glaze over the top of the cake, then place it back in the fridge to set.
   
• For maximum deliciousness and freshness, enjoy the cake within two days.