Serves 12-14
For the sponge:225g butter or spread, softened to room temp
225g caster sugar
225g self raising flour, sifted
1 tsp baking powder
4 large eggs, at room temp
1 tsp vanilla extract
To fill the cake:
500ml double cream
2 tbsp icing sugar
2 tsp vanilla extract
4-5 tbsp strawberry jam
Fresh strawberries left whole to decorate plus a
few quartered to fill the cake with
Method:
Preheat the oven to 160 degrees fan. Crease two 8 inch cake tins with a small amount of butter and line each with a circle of baking paper.
In a stand mixer, cream the butter and sugar together for about 5 minutes until pale and fluffy (the Kenwood Titanium Chef Baker XL has a timer which is just so handy!).
Sieve the flour into a bowl and add the baking powder.
Add an egg into the creamed butter and sugar and mix, then add a quarter of the flour and repeat until it's all added. Add in the vanilla extract and mix gently.
Divide the mixture evenly between the tins - I weigh the filled tins to check. Use a spatula to smooth the surface of the cakes.
Bake the cakes on the middle shelf of the oven for 19-24 minutes until golden brown and a skewer comes out clean. Cool in the tins for 5 minutes, then run a knife around the inside of the tins and turn the cakes out onto a cooling rack to fully cool.
While the cake is cooling, whip the cream, icing sugar and vanilla in your stand mixer until it just holds its shape - take care not to overwhip, it happens very quickly!
Fill a piping bag fitted with a large plain nozzle with half of the cream.
To assemble, place the first cake onto a serving plate and pipe on little blobs of cream.
Gently spread it with plenty of jam (you can also put the jam on first to make it easier to spread).
Add a few chopped strawberries and push into the cream. Place the second cake on top, with the bottom of this cake facing up.
Dust with icing sugar. Spread the remaining cream in the middle of the cake with a palette knife and decorate with fresh strawberries.
Best eaten fresh on the day, otherwise store in the fridge and eat within a day.
Dust with icing sugar. Spread the remaining cream in the middle of the cake with a palette knife and decorate with fresh strawberries.
Best eaten fresh on the day, otherwise store in the fridge and eat within a day.
