Victoria sandwich cake difficulty ** #115

Cuts into 8

Preparing time: 15 minutes 

Cooking time: 25 minutes 

Ingredients:

• 175 g slightly salted butter, softened
• 175 g caster sugar, plus extra for sprinkling 
• 3 eggs
• 175 g self-raising flour 
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste or extract 
• 1-2 tablespoons milk 

For the filling 

• 150 ml double cream 
• 5 tablespoons raspberry or strawberry jam 

1. Beat together the butter, sugar, eggs, flour, baking powder and vanilla in a bowl until pale and creamy 
2. Stir in the little milk so that the mixture drops easily from a wooden spoon when tapped against the side of the bowl 
3. Divide the mixture evenly between 2 greased, base-lined and floured 18 cm sandwich tins and level the surface 
4. Bake in preheated oven, 180 C( 350 F),Gas Mark 4, for 25 minutes or until risen and just firm to the touch 
5. Loosen the edges, turn out onto a wire rack and peel off the lining paper
6. Leave to cool 
7. Make the filling 
8. Whip double cream in a bowl until just holding its shape 
9. Sandwich the cakes together using the jam and cream 
10. Serve sprinkled generously with caster sugar
11. Enjoy! :-)

A very happy birthday cake difficulty ** #114

Cuts into 12

Preparing time: 25 minutes

Cooking time: 35-40 minutes 

Ingredients:

• 175 g slightly salted butter, softened
• 175 g caster sugar 
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract 
• 300 g self-raising flour 
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 3 eggs 
• 50 g ground rice
• 150 ml low-fat natural yoghurt 
• 175 g strawberries

To finish

• 300 ml double cream 
• 3 tablespoons reduces-sugar strawberry jam 

1. Put the butter, sugar and vanilla in a food processor and blend until smooth 
2. Sift in the flour and baking powder, add the eggs, ground rice and yoghurt and whizz together until creamy
3. Divide the mixture between 2 greased and base-lined 20 cm sandwich tins and level the surface 
4. Bake in a preheated oven, 180 C(350 F),Gas Mark 4, for about 35-40 minutes until risen, golden and springy to the touch 
5. Leave to cool in the tins for 10 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack to peel off the lining paper
6. Leave to cool completely 
7. Whip the cream in a bowl until soft peaks form
8. Cut the top off the cakes to level it, then spread with the jam and then half of the cream to the edge
9. Scatter with two-thirds of the strawberries 
10. Place the second cake on top and spread with remaining cream 
11. Scatter with remaining strawberries or form them into the birthday girl or boy;s initials 
12. Add candles 
13. Enjoy! :-)