STRAWBERRIES & CREAM SPONGE

Most basic creamed cake mixtures can be made using this easy allin-
one method, although it sometimes pays to follow the usual
steps – i.e. beating the butter and sugar together till pale and fluffy
then adding the eggs very gradually – especially if you’re working
with a larger quantity of ingredients and you want a guaranteed
perfect result. But with fresh strawberries and cream you can get
away with the soft option here, no question.
4 oz (100 g) butter or margarine
4 oz (100 g) caster sugar
4 oz (100 g) self-raising flour
1 teaspoon of baking powder
2 eggs
Fresh strawberries
Double cream
Icing sugar
Method
1. Grease and base line two sandwich tins (approx 7 in/18 cm)
and preheat the oven to Gas Mark 3–4 (170–180ºC).
2. Put the flour, baking powder, butter, sugar and eggs in a large
bowl and beat thoroughly together for about 1 minute,
preferably using an electric hand whisk.
3. Divide the mixture evenly between the two prepared cake tins
and bake in the centre of the oven (or centre and lower middle
if you can’t fit both tins on the same shelf ) for about 30
minutes, until the cakes are golden on top and springy to the
touch.
4. Allow to cool completely while you wash, dry and cut the
strawberries into halves or quarters. Add a couple of teaspoons
of sugar to the double cream and whip till just thick and firm
enough; if the cream looks holey you’ve gone too far.
5. Sandwich the sponges together with a mixture of the chopped
strawberries and cream and top the cake with more of the same.
Dust with icing sugar to finish.
Tip
Save the paper wrappers from blocks of butter, margarine
and lard and use to grease oven trays and cake tins.