Almond-Praline Mango-Cream Cake

For the sponge cake:

85 gms all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
3 eggs
115 gms castor sugar
3 tbsp melted butter
2 tbsp hot water

Sift the flour and baking powder together.
Whisk the eggs and sugar till light and fluffy. Add the flour and gently fold in with a wooden spoon. Add the butter and hot water and stir just enough till well blended.
Pour into a greased and lined 8" sandwich tin. Bake in a pre-heated oven at 200 deg C till done.


For the mango cream:

Juice and mashed pulp of 2 large mangoes
300 gms fresh cream
3-4 tbsp sugar

Whisk the cream with the sugar till it forms peaks. Slowly fold in the mango pulp and juice. Refrigerate till needed.


For the almond praline:

1/2 cup chrushed almonds or almond flakes
1/2 cup sugar

Place the sugar in a dry and heavy saucepan. Melt the sugar over medium-low heat till it turns a deep golden yellow.
Remove from heat and carefully add the almonds. Stir a bit and immediately pour into a well-buttered dish. Smoothen the top with a buttered rolling pin or a flat spoon. Cool completely.
Remove the praline from the dish and chrush coarsely.


For assembling the cake:

1/2 cup water
6 tbsp cherry brandy
Small mango cubes
Cherries
Whipped cream

Cut the cake into 3 layers. Mix the water and cherry brandy and divide into 3 portions. Divide the mango cream into 3 portions. Reserve 2 tbps of the praline for decoration.
Sprinkle 1 portion of the cherry mixture over the first layer of cake. Spread 1 portion of the mango cream evenly over the cake.
Place the second layer of cake over this, sprinkle 1 portion of the cherry mixture, and spread 1 portion of the mango cream evenly over the cake. Sprinkle with the chrushed praline.
Place the third layer of cake over this. Sprinkle sprinkle 1 portion of the cherry mixture, and spread 1 portion of the mango cream evenly over the cake.
Decorate with piped cream, mango cubes, cherries and the reserved praline.