English North Country Strawberries And Cream Courting Cake

Total Time: 40 mins Preparation Time: 10 mins Cook Time: 30 mins

Ingredients

• 8 ounces butter
• 8 ounces caster sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 4 eggs, beaten
• 12 ounces self raising flour
• milk, to mix to a dropping consistency
• 3/4 pint fresh whipping cream
• 12 ounces strawberries, hulled and trimmed
• icing sugar, for sprinking on the top
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract (optional for cream filling)

Recipe

• 1 pre-heat oven to 180c/350f/gas 4.
• 2 grease and line with baking parchment, three 7" or 8" round victoria sandwich tins.
• 3 cream the butter, vanilla extract and sugar together until pale and fluffy - this is very important, it captures air and keeps the cake light and moist!
• 4 add the beaten eggs gradually, mixing well each time. lightly sieve in the flour - again gradually - and then add enough milk to make the cake mixture a dropping consistency.
• 5 divide the mixture between the three cake tins - giving them a gentle shake to level them, and bake in the pre-heated oven for about 25 - 30 minutes, or until well risen and a pale golden brown. turn the cakes out and leave to cool on a wire rack.
• 6 whip the cream until thick and holding soft peaks and add the vanilla extract if using.
• 7 sandwich the cakes together with the cream and sliced strawberries - reserving at least 8 for the top of the cake.
• 8 place the cake on an atractive cake or gateau serving platter/stand and sprinkle the icing sugar over the top of the cake.
• 9 decorate with the reserved whole strawberries.
• 10 n.b. you can also decorate the top of the cake with the whipped cream - but this is not traditional!