All photographs copyright © Heather Wilkinson 2012
This is my contribution to the Queen's Jubilee celebrations. Yes, a big fat, cream-laden cake! Your Majesty, I hope you appreciate all the effort I've gone to. I would post you a slice but I imagine it wouldn't travel well...
This is a faithful Victoria Sponge recipe that I've adapted here to make the most of the delicious fresh raspberries. It's got fresh cream in it so is the sort of cake that requires a group of hungry friends or family to demolish it on the day.
Whatever your plans, I wish you a wonderful Jubilee weekend! And if you're outside the UK, have a great weekend too!
Oh, and the biscuit tins - they were a bargin at just £5 each from Marks and Spencer (and filled to the brim with butter shortbread!), recommended by Jules (of the fab food Butcher Baker Blog).
For the sponge
4 eggs
8oz self-raising flour, sieved
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp vanilla essence
Dash of milk
8 oz butter
8 oz caster sugar
150g raspberries
300ml whipping cream
For the coulis
150g raspberries
2 tbsps caster sugar
1 tsp lemon juice
Pre-heat the oven to gas mark 180
Grease and line 2 x 8 inch cake tins
1.) Cream the butter and sugar together until pale, light and fluffy
2.) Add the vanilla essence
3.) Beat the eggs and then add to the butter and sugar with a little of the flour
4.) Fold the rest of the flour and baking powder into the mixture. Add a dash of milk if the mixture seems a little stiff
5.) Divide equally between the two tins
6.) Bake in the oven 25-30 mins or until a skewer inserted into the sponge comes out clean7.) For the coulis, add the raspberries, sugar and lemon juice to a food processor and blitz until smooth
8.) Run the coulis mixture through a sieve and chill
9.) When your sponge bases are cooked, leave them in the tins to cool slightly before placing them on a cooling rack
10.) Beat the cream until stiff and then add generously to one of the sponge bases. Top with raspberries and drizzle with raspberry coulis
11.) Dust with icing sugar and serve.