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1. Hull the strawberries and halve or quarter any large ones. Place them in a heavy-bottomed saucepan with the granulated sugar and lemon juice. Stir well and let them macerate for 15 minutes until the sugar begins to dissolve.
400 g Fresh or frozen strawberries,
300 g Granulated sugar,
1 tbsp Lemon juice
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2. Bring the strawberry mixture to a rolling boil over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally. Boil vigorously for 10–15 minutes until the jam reaches setting point (105°C / 220°F on a sugar thermometer, or a small dollop placed on a cold plate wrinkles when pushed). Remove from heat, skim any foam, and pour into a clean bowl or jar. Leave to cool completely to room temperature — the jam will thicken further as it cools.
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3. Preheat your oven to 180°C / 350°F (fan 160°C / 320°F). Grease two 20cm (8-inch) round sandwich tins and line the bases with parchment paper.
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4. In a large bowl, beat the softened butter and caster sugar together with an electric mixer on high speed for 4–5 minutes until the mixture is very pale, light, and fluffy. This aeration is the key to a light sponge — do not rush this step.
225 g Unsalted butter, softened,
225 g Caster sugar
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5. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add the vanilla extract with the last egg. If the mixture looks like it is curdling, add a tablespoon of the measured flour to bring it back together.
4 piece Large eggs,
1 tsp Vanilla extract
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6. Sift the self-raising flour and baking powder together directly over the batter. Using a large metal spoon or spatula, fold gently in figure-of-eight motions until just combined — do not overmix. Add the milk and fold once more to give a soft, dropping consistency.
225 g Self-raising flour,
1 tsp Baking powder,
2 tbsp Whole milk
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7. Divide the batter evenly between the two prepared tins and smooth the tops lightly with the back of a spoon. Bake for 22–25 minutes until golden, well risen, and a skewer inserted in the centre comes out clean. The sponges should spring back when gently pressed. Leave to cool in the tins for 5 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack and cool completely — at least 30 minutes.
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8. Pour the double cream into a cold bowl and whip with an electric mixer to soft, billowy peaks — just firm enough to hold its shape when spread. Add the icing sugar and whip briefly to incorporate. Do not over-whip.
300 ml Double cream (heavy cream),
2 tbsp Icing sugar (powdered sugar), plus extra to finish
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9. Place one sponge layer flat-side up on your serving plate. Spread a generous, even layer of the cooled strawberry jam across the surface, going close to the edges. Dollop the whipped cream on top of the jam and spread it evenly to the same edge.
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10. Carefully set the second sponge on top, flat-side down, and press very gently to secure. Dust generously with icing sugar through a fine sieve just before serving. Serve the same day for the best texture.
2 tbsp Icing sugar (powdered sugar), plus extra to finish
