Classic Rosewater Victoria Sponge

Makes 1 x 23cm cake

Ingredients:

• 3 eggs (250g total weight)
• 250g caster sugar
• 250g self-raising flour
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 250g unsalted butter, softened plus extra for greasing.

To serve:

• 200ml double cream
• 1 tablespoon icing sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla paste
• A few drops of rose water
• 100g good quality strawberry jam
• A few drops of rose water
• 150g fresh strawberries
• A few crystallised rose petals (see tip on how to make)
• A few other flowers to decorate

TIP – to make your own crystallised rose petals carefully pluck the petals from one or two fresh edible roses (or unsprayed roses from the florist; make sure they are for decoration only). Separate 1 egg and whisk up the white well. Place 3 tbsp caster sugar in a small bowl. Get a tray lined with baking parchment ready. Using a paint brush, paint the egg white on to the petal. Hold the petal gently with tweezers and sprinkle over the sugar to lightly coat the petal. Place the petal on to the tray and leave to dry for at least 2 hours until dry. Store in an air tight container.

Method:

Grease and line the base of 2 x 23cm AGA sandwich cake tins. Crack the eggs into a large mixing bowl, followed by the sugar, sieve in the flour and baking powder then add the butter. Beat together with an electric hand whisk until just mixed.

Evenly distribute the mixture between the tins, level off the mixture with a spatula so it’s even.

2 oven AGA: Place the tins on the oven grid shelf set on the floor of the roasting oven, with the cold plain shelf slid above, on the second runners down and bake for 20-25 minutes until risen and skewer comes out clean after being inserted into the middle of the cake.

3, 4 and 5 oven AGA: Place the tins on the oven grid shelf set on the floor of the baking oven (AGA Total Control owners use the fourth set of runners down) and bake for 20-25 minutes until risen and skewer comes out clean after being inserted into the middle of the cake.

Allow the cake to cool for a few minutes in the tin then carefully turn out on to a wire rack and allow to cool completely.

To prepare the fillings gently whip the double cream with a little sieved icing sugar, vanilla paste and dash of rose water to very soft peaks.

Mix the strawberry jam with a splash of rose water until it becomes a bit more spreadable. Slice some fresh strawberries leaving a few for the top of the cake and stir the slices into the jam.

Spoon the jam on the top of the bottom layer of sponge, and spoon over blobs of cream, then place the second sponge on top. Top with a dusting of icing sugar and rose petals, flowers and the remaining strawberries.

Conventional cooking: Pre heat the oven to 160c/gas mark 3 / 320f. Place the tins in the oven and bake for 20-25 minutes until risen and skewer comes out clean after being inserted into the middle of the cake. Decorate as described above.