Cardamom and white chocolate sponge recipe
 Cardamom with white chocolate is a surprisingly good combination in a sponge cake. Equipment: You will need two 20cm/8in loose-bottomed sandwich tins, and a dove-shaped stencil to decorate. 225g/8oz unsalted butter, softened, plus extra for greasing4 free-range eggs225g/8oz caster sugar225g/8oz self-raising flour2 level tsp baking powder12 cardamom pods 225g/8oz unsalted butter, softened, plus extra for greasing 4 free-range eggs 225g/8oz caster sugar 225g/8oz self-raising flour 2 level tsp baking powder 12 cardamom pods 100g/3½oz white chocolate, broken into pieces50g/1¾oz unsalted butter, softened75g/2½oz cream cheese200g/7oz icing sugar½ tsp vanilla extracticing sugar and dove stencil, to decorate (optional) 100g/3½oz white chocolate, broken into pieces 50g/1¾oz unsalted butter, softened 75g/2½oz cream cheese 200g/7oz icing sugar ½ tsp vanilla extract icing sugar and dove stencil, to decorate (optional) Method Preheat the oven 180C/160C Fan/Gas4. Grease two 20cm/8in loose-bottomed sandwich tins and line with baking paper.Put the butter, eggs, sugar, flour and baking powder in a large bowl and beat together (using an electric hand whisk if you have one) until well combined. Bash the cardamom pods with a rolling pin to release the seeds. Tip the seeds in a pestle and mortar and mash until fine. (Be sure to crush the cardamom seeds only, not the pods as these do not tenderize down.) Stir the crushed seeds into the cake batter, then pour the mixture into the tins. Bake for 25 minutes, or until golden-brown and springy to the touch. Leave to cool for 5 minutes, then run a small palette knife or rounded butter knife around the edge of the tins and carefully turn the cakes out onto a wire rack. Peel off the paper and leave to cool completely.For the icing, gently melt the white chocolate in a heatproof bowl over a pan of just simmering water, making sure the bowl doesn't touch the water. (Do not overheat the white chocolate or it will not set.) Stir until runny, then set aside to cool and thicken a little. Whisk the butter and cream cheese together until fluffy and soft. Add half the icing sugar, whisk again, add the vanilla and the remaining icing sugar and whisk again. Stir in the white chocolate until combined. Transfer to the fridge for about 20 minutes, or until thickened to a spreading consistency. Slice each cake in half horizontally to give four thin sponges. Sandwich together with the icing and arrange on a cake stand so you have four layers of cake and three layers of icing, leaving the top of the cake plain. Sprinkle with icing sugar, using a decorative dove stencil if you have one. Preheat the oven 180C/160C Fan/Gas4. Grease two 20cm/8in loose-bottomed sandwich tins and line with baking paper. Preheat the oven 180C/160C Fan/Gas4. Grease two 20cm/8in loose-bottomed sandwich tins and line with baking paper. Put the butter, eggs, sugar, flour and baking powder in a large bowl and beat together (using an electric hand whisk if you have one) until well combined. Put the butter, eggs, sugar, flour and baking powder in a large bowl and beat together (using an electric hand whisk if you have one) until well combined. Bash the cardamom pods with a rolling pin to release the seeds. Tip the seeds in a pestle and mortar and mash until fine. (Be sure to crush the cardamom seeds only, not the pods as these do not tenderize down.) Stir the crushed seeds into the cake batter, then pour the mixture into the tins. Bash the cardamom pods with a rolling pin to release the seeds. Tip the seeds in a pestle and mortar and mash until fine. (Be sure to crush the cardamom seeds only, not the pods as these do not tenderize down.) Stir the crushed seeds into the cake batter, then pour the mixture into the tins. Bake for 25 minutes, or until golden-brown and springy to the touch. Leave to cool for 5 minutes, then run a small palette knife or rounded butter knife around the edge of the tins and carefully turn the cakes out onto a wire rack. Peel off the paper and leave to cool completely. Bake for 25 minutes, or until golden-brown and springy to the touch. Leave to cool for 5 minutes, then run a small palette knife or rounded butter knife around the edge of the tins and carefully turn the cakes out onto a wire rack. Peel off the paper and leave to cool completely. For the icing, gently melt the white chocolate in a heatproof bowl over a pan of just simmering water, making sure the bowl doesn't touch the water. (Do not overheat the white chocolate or it will not set.) Stir until runny, then set aside to cool and thicken a little. For the icing, gently melt the white chocolate in a heatproof bowl over a pan of just simmering water, making sure the bowl doesn't touch the water. (Do not overheat the white chocolate or it will not set.) Stir until runny, then set aside to cool and thicken a little. Whisk the butter and cream cheese together until fluffy and soft. Add half the icing sugar, whisk again, add the vanilla and the remaining icing sugar and whisk again. Stir in the white chocolate until combined. Transfer to the fridge for about 20 minutes, or until thickened to a spreading consistency. Whisk the butter and cream cheese together until fluffy and soft. Add half the icing sugar, whisk again, add the vanilla and the remaining icing sugar and whisk again. Stir in the white chocolate until combined. Transfer to the fridge for about 20 minutes, or until thickened to a spreading consistency. Slice each cake in half horizontally to give four thin sponges. Sandwich together with the icing and arrange on a cake stand so you have four layers of cake and three layers of icing, leaving the top of the cake plain. Slice each cake in half horizontally to give four thin sponges. Sandwich together with the icing and arrange on a cake stand so you have four layers of cake and three layers of icing, leaving the top of the cake plain. Sprinkle with icing sugar, using a decorative dove stencil if you have one. Sprinkle with icing sugar, using a decorative dove stencil if you have one.