You've read all about her now try Jane Milner's fresh cream gateaux for yourself:
Ingredients
Sponge
1lb unsalted butter
1lb sugar
1lb self-rising flour
1tsp vanilla extract
8 eggs
Filling
1lt double cream
1oz icing sugar
1 vanilla pod
500g strawberries
Strawberry jam
Marzipan
Food colouring (pink and green look the best)
Method
Preheat the oven to 180C/350F/gas 4. Cream the butter and the sugar together in a bowl until pale and fluffy.
Beat in the eggs, a little at a time, and stir in the vanilla extract. Fold in the flour using a large metal spoon to create a soft dropping consistency.
Place the mixture into a pre-lined 10in cake tin. Bake for 45 to 60 mins or until golden-brown on top and a skewer inserted into the middle comes out clean.
Remove from oven and set aside for 5 mins, then remove from the tin and peel off the paper. Place onto a wire rack until cool.
Whip the double cream up and add the icing sugar and seeds from the vanilla pod. Cut the cake into 3 and jam the bottom layer. Place the middle layer of sponge on top and spread using a little of the cream.
Cut the tops off the strawberries and place top side down filling the whole cake. Place some of the cream on top of the strawberries to fill all the gap’s and wedge the strawberries in place when full put the top layer of sponge on the top.
To finish mask the whole cake in cream and cover the side of the cake with coconut, flaked almonds or chocolate curls.
Take the marzipan, add a little of the food colouring and knead into the marzipan; use a little icing sugar if it starts to stick).
Take the coloured marzipan and roll out using icing sugar. Roll out a 10in circle cut out and place on top of your cake and decorate using strawberries.
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