Darina Allen: The best Victoria Sponge you'll ever taste

— plus some handy tricks for making the perfect Brown Irish Soda Bread

Victoria sponge cake: 'the best you’ll ever taste, still my favourite to serve with afternoon tea'

My father had an innate respect and admiration for women. He was so proud of Mummy, a mother of nine who, by any standard, was a wonderful homemaker who dedicated her early life solely to looking after all of us and my father whom she adored. (I don’t use that term loosely). 

Looking back, she was a totally liberated woman. How fortunate were we that she loved cooking and saw it not only as a way of nourishing us all, but bringing joy and excitement into our lives on a daily basis. Later, when my father died she took over the running of the business despite having no training.