Recipe: Great-grandmother’s cake

Use this delicious tender sponge unfilled for the summer pudding, or sandwich together with whipped cream and homemade raspberry jam or fresh raspberries as a delicious treat for tea.

6ozs (175g) flour

6ozs (175g) castor sugar

3 eggs

4½ozs (125g) butter

1 tbsp milk

1 tsp (5g) baking powder

filling:

4ozs (110gg) home-made raspberry jam

10 fl ozs (300ml) whipped cream

castor sugar to sprinkle

2 x 7 inch (18cm) sponge cake tins

Preheat the oven to 190C/375F /regulo 5.

Grease and flour the tins and line the base of each with a round of greaseproof paper.

Cream the butter and gradually add the castor sugar. Beat until soft and light and quite pale in colour. Add the eggs one at a time and beat well between each addition (If the butter and sugar are not creamed properly, and if you add the eggs too fast, the mixture will curdle, resulting in a cake with a heavier texture). Sieve the flour and baking powder and stir in gradually. Mix all together lightly and add one tablespoon of milk to moisten.

Divide the mixture evenly between the two tins, hollowing it slightly in the centre.

Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until cooked. Turn out onto a wire tray and allow to cool.

Sandwich together with homemade raspberry jam and whipped cream. Sprinkle with sieved castor sugar. Serve on an old fashioned plate with a doyley.