This was our 10-year-old's cake for her birthday party. Not content with just buttercream, she asked for a fondant wrap as well. Only for special occasions.

This is my second time making a Genoise. The single layer souffle cheesecake is here. So many eggs in this double layer! To use up the extra egg white I made mini meringue pretzels too.

6 eggs

1 egg yolk

3/4 c fine granulated sugar

1/4 tsp salt

3/4 c flour

1 Tbsp cornflour

4 Tbsp / 57 g melted butter

2 tsp vanilla extract (or a mix of vanilla and almond)

Strawberry buttercream:

1 1/2 c fresh or frozen strawberries

225 g softened butter

4 c icing sugar

pinch salt

Preheat oven to 180C. Line 2 x 20 cm round cake tins or 3 x 18 cm round tins. Grease and flour the bottom of the tins.

In a large heatproof bowl set over a pot of simmering water, whisk the eggs, egg yolk, 1/2 c sugar and salt until sugar has dissolved and the mixture reaches about 43C (warm).

Remove from the heat and whisk with an electric mixer for 5-8 minutes until pale and double in volume. The batter should fall in thick ribbons.

In a small bowl sift in the flour, cornflour and remaining 1/3 c sugar. Gently fold in the dry ingredients into the batter with a metal spoon or an electric mixer at low speed.

Mix the melted butter and extract together and fold that into the batter until just combined.

Pour equally into your tins, smooth out the surface and tap on the benchtop a few times to dissolve the air bubbles.

Bake for 15-20 mins for 3 cakes or 20-25 mins for 2 cakes, until the cakes spring back when lightly touched in the centre.

Remove from the oven and let cool in the tins for 15 mins before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.

To make the buttercream, boil the strawberries in a small pot for 5-10 mins until thick. Push through a sieve to make a puree and let cool.

Using an electric whisk beat the butter, icing sugar and salt together until smooth. Add in the puree and mix until combined and a nice pink colour. If the buttercream is too thick you can add a tbsp of milk.

Place one sponge onto your serving plate and spread 1/3 of the buttercream on top. Place the other sponge on top and spread the top and sides with buttercream, leaving about a cup for the top coat. Place in fridge for the crumb coat to chill. Spread over the rest of the buttercream and smooth out with a palette knife.

Our daughter wanted fondant as well so I bought a packet, softened it in the microwave and mixed in enough red food colouring to make pink. Roll out to a sufficient size to cover the top and sides of the cake; trim with sharp knife.