The Writer's Apprentice

I hope you enjoy this recepie. I have made it before afew times and loved it.

For the cake:

225g unsalted butter, very soft

225g caster sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

4 large eggs

200g self-raising flour

25g cornflour

1 teaspoon baking powder (If using processor method)

3-4 tablespoons milk

2x 21cm sandwich tins (About 5cm deep), buttered

For the filling:

2-4 tablespoons raspberry or other jam depending on berries

1 punnet raspberries or berries of choice

125ml (Or simply a 142ml tub) double cream

For the topping:

1-2 tablespoons caster sugar

Preheat the oven to 180^oC/gas mark 4. If the tins are loose bottomed, you don’t need to line them, otherwise do.

I always make this basic sponge cake in the food processor, which involves putting in all the ingredients except the milk and processing till you’ve got a smooth batter. The pulse, pouring the milk gradually though the funnel till your cake mixture’s a soft, dropping consistency.

If you want to make this the traditional way, cream the butter and sugar, add the vanilla and then the eggs, one at a time adding a spoonful of flour between each. Fold in the rest of the flour and the corn flour, adding no baking powder, and when all incorporated add a little milk as you need

Pour and scrape the batter onto the tins and bake for about 25 minutes, until the cakes are beginning to come away at the edges, are springy to the touch on top and a cake tester comes out clean. Leave the cakes in their tins on a wire rack for 10 minutes before turning out and leaving to cool completely.

When you’re ready to eat the cake, put one layer on a plate, right way up, spread with jam and scatter with the fruit n top. Whip the cream till it’s thickened but still soft and spread over the jammy fruit. Sit the other cake on top, and sprinkle over a tablespoon or so of caster sugar.

Serves 6-8.

Zoerose.