Steps

• Pour the milk into a saucepan, then bring it to a boil with the whole lemon zest, making sure to get only the yellow part.
  (I used lemon zest, but a vanilla bean or a tablespoon of vanilla extract works just fine).
  In a separate saucepan, beat the eggs with the sugar (whole eggs, both yolk and white).
  Then add the flour, mix with the whisk to remove any lumps.
  (If you wish, you can replace the flour with cornstarch).
  Temper the mixture with a bit of milk poured in a stream, being careful to avoid the lemon peel ending up in the cream, use a strainer, and after adding all the milk, put it back on moderate heat.
  Put it back on the heat, and always stirring, you’ll see the pastry cream thicken in seconds.
  Turn off the heat and cover the quick pastry cream with cling film placed in contact.
  Before using it, let it cool very well.
  (A tip, make it much earlier, organize yourself hours in advance so that once it is cold you can keep it in the fridge).

  

• To prepare the rectangular sponge cake, first, sift the flours twice on a parchment paper sheet and set them aside.
  “Flour + cornstarch (or potato starch) should be well sifted.
  (This operation will incorporate a lot of air and make the cake very soft).

  

• Butter and flour the mold, preheat the oven to 350°F.

  

• Place the whole eggs in the bowl (the eggs must be at room temperature).
  Add the sugar and a pinch of salt (optionally, vanilla aroma or grated lemon zest).
  Start the whisk and beat the mixture.

  

• The mixture must be fluffy and soft.
  (To achieve this result, the beaters must work for 10/15 minutes.)

  

• Gently add the previously sifted powders.
  Mix with the spatula from bottom to top.

  

• Pour the obtained batter into the buttered and floured mold.
  (12 x 16 inches mold).
  Level it gently.
  Bake in a preheated oven, static mode, at 350°F for about 35/40 minutes, or you can use a ventilated oven at 340°F for about 35/40 minutes.
  My advice is always to check the baking with a toothpick to avoid the cake drying out too much or remaining undercooked.
  Wait for it to cool before removing it from the base.

  

• Once lukewarm, remove the sponge cake from the mold and let it cool on a rack.

  

• Meanwhile, prepare the soaking for the cake.
  In a saucepan, put the water, granulated sugar, and whole zest of 1 untreated lemon (organic).
  Turn on the heat to medium-low and let it boil for about 15 minutes until you get a syrup.
  After this time, remove the saucepan from the heat and let it cool completely.
  (If you want an alcoholic base, add it at the end off the heat).
  
  Now wash, dry, and cut some fruit for the internal filling. Add a little lemon juice to prevent it from oxidizing.
  (Not all, leave some whole fruit for decorating the cake at the end).

  

• Whip the cold cream from the fridge.

  Transfer half of the cream into the piping bag. Transfer everything to the fridge to keep cool.

  (The cream in the bowl is for the coverage, the one in the piping bag is for decorating).

  

• When the sponge cake is cold, cut it into 2 layers.

  Soak the first layer of sponge cake.

  Spread plenty of pastry cream and fill with fruit.

  

• Close with the last layer of cake, brush the surface with the soaking, and cover with the remaining whipped cream.

  To make decoration easier, I put the cake in the fridge for a few hours.

  

• Finally, I picked it up and decorated with whipped cream dollops, placed strawberries all around the sides.

  Decorate on top as you like and with your preferred fruits.

  Spray a bit of gel spray so the fruit doesn’t turn dark and ugly but stays nice and shiny.

  Place the cake back in the fridge until serving time.

  

• Enjoy your meal