Mojito Cake

Preheat the oven to 180ºC. Grease the mold and dust it with flour. Set it aside for later. In this recipe, I used a 26 cm diameter springform pan.

Grate the peel of the lemons using a fine grater or box grater. Set aside the zest, keeping each lemon separate, as part of it will be used in the dough and the rest for the topping at the end of the preparation. After grating the lemon peel, cut the lemons, squeeze them, and reserve the juice for the recipe.

Wash the spearmint, drain it, and let it dry at room temperature. Once it is dry, select the leaves you prefer and either put them through a shredder or chop them into small pieces.

To make the sponge cake, separate the egg whites from the yolks. Whip the egg whites until they reach stiff peaks, then gradually add the sugar while continuing to beat. A meringue should form. It doesn’t have to be perfect with peaks, but it should be firm. Add the yolks and continue beating until they are well incorporated.

Combine the dry ingredients (flour, baking soda, and salt) in a bowl and sift them to eliminate any lumps. Gradually incorporate this mixture into the meringue with the egg yolks. For this step, use a sturdy spatula that allows you to fold the flour gently.

When you've finished incorporating everything, the mixture will be dense. To soften it and give it a rich Mojito flavor, add 2 ounces of lemon juice and 3 ounces of rum. Also, mix in the lemon zest and crushed mint.

Mix all the ingredients with gentle folding motions to keep the batter airy and fluffy.

Place the batter in the mold and bake it for 35 minutes. Keep in mind that each oven has its own characteristics. Pay attention to the cooking point to ensure it is neither undercooked nor overdone. To check if the cake is ready, insert a toothpick into the center; it should come out dry. Once it's done, remove it from the oven and let it cool on a wire rack. It’s important that it is completely cold before you add the whipped cream.

To whip the cream, you should chill it beforehand. I place it in the freezer for 1 hour; it should be very cold, but not frozen. It's best to use a metal bowl, as it holds and maintains low temperatures better.

Whip the cream preferably using a hand mixer, although you can also do it by hand. Keep in mind that it requires as much effort as making meringue and takes longer.

Place the cream in the cold metal bowl and whisk until it reaches the consistency of soft meringue. Gradually add the sugar. Once it's fully incorporated, add the tablespoons of cream cheese and the rum. This will help you achieve a very firm and fragrant cream.

To assemble the cake:

Place the sponge cake back in the mold if it's removable; otherwise, use cardstock or thick paper to outline the circumference of the sponge cake.

Spread the whipped cream evenly over the cake using a spatula. Sprinkle the cake with the zest of the second lemon and finely chopped mint.

I hope you enjoy this delicious and lovely recipe. Bon appétit!