A traditional recipe in the British baking repertoire.

Makes 6-8 slices

Ingredients

1 cup (250g) butter, softened
1 cup (250g) granulated sugar
4 eggs
1 ½ cups (250g) self-rising flour
1-2 tbsp milk
4 tbsp seedless raspberry jam
granulated sugar to decorate

Oven temperature: 350°F / 180°C
Baking time: 25 mins
Cake pans: two 8in (26cm) round pans, greased and lined

Storage: Keeps for 2-3 days
Freezing: Freezes for 3 months undecorated

Method

  1. In a large bowl, beat the butter and granulated sugar together until pale and fluffy. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, adding a little of the flour if the mixture begins to separate.

  2. Sift the remaining flour over the surface of the mixture and fold it in, followed by a little milk to give the mixture a soft dropping consistency.

  3. Divide the mixture in half and spread it evenly into the prepared pans. Bake in the preheated oven for 25 minutes, or until pale golden and soft and springy to the touch.

  4. Remove from the oven and invert onto a wire rack. Let cool. Carefully remove the lining paper and spread the bottom of one cake with the raspberry jam. Cover with the second cake layer, transfer to a plate, and sprinkle the top with granulated sugar to decorate.

Kirschen’s Notes

Any kind of jam can be used – I particularly like strawberry.

If you have non-stick pans, just grease them with the remnants on the butter wrappers, don’t need to be lined.

Instead of using granulated sugar, I use powdered / icing / confectioners’ sugar and sift that over the top using a sieve.

Source: Ultimate Cake by Barbara Maher, published by DK Living