Vanilla Sponge Cake with Fresh Cream & Strawberries

In honour of the brand new series of The Great British Bake Off starting tonight on Channel 4, I thought I'd share one of my all time favourite cakes to make.  Not only is this Vanilla Sponge with fresh cream and strawberries a crowd pleaser, it's also really easy to make, and you'll be scoffing a slice, alongside a nice cup of rosie lee (that's tea to non speaking cockney rhymers) in no time :)

Here's the recipe if you fancy giving it a go!

INGREDIENTS

80g Soft unsalted butter

180g Caster sugar

3 Eggs at room temperature

1 tsp of Good quality vanilla extract

4 Tablespoons of good quality strawberry jam  (I used Tiptree Jam)

Punnet of fresh strawberries, half quartered, a handful left whole for decoration

120ml Double cream (240ml if you want to put cream all over the top of the cake)

2 Tablespoons icing sugar

2 x 20cm Sandwich cake tins, greased and base lined

METHOD

1. Preheat oven to 180°C (350°F) Gas 4.

2. Put the butter, sugar and vanilla extract in a bowl and beat until pale and fluffy.

3.  One at a time, beat in the eggs (room temperature eggs work best).

4.  Once combined, golden and fluffy, sift in the flour.  Using a metal spoon, fold in into you get a soft dropping consistency.

5.  Spoon the cake mixture into the lined and greased tins, and level out using a spatular or the back of a spoon.

6.  Bake in the pre heated over for 20 - 25 minutes until golden brown or a skewer or fork comes out clean when placed in the centre of the cake.

7. Remove from the oven then place to cool on wire rack.

8.  Once the cakes are cooled, spread the jam over one cake and top with the quartered fresh strawberries.

9.  Whip the cream with a tablespoon of icing sugar (or to taste) and dollop whipped cream onto the jam and strawberry cake.

10.  Place the second cake on top and dollop or spread remaining whipped cream onto the top of the cake.

11.  Decorate with whole strawberries and sieved icing sugar to finish.

12.  And enjoy!