Strawberries & Cream Mini Victoria Sponges

preparation 20 Minutes
cook time 25 Minutes
Serves 10

Ingredients Method

225g butter, softened
225g caster sugar
4 free-range eggs, lightly beaten
225g self-raising flour, sieved
Drop of milk to loosen
For the filling
400g punnet of Jubliee Selections by Driscoll’s strawberries, hulled and sliced
300ml double cream, lightly whipped or use clotted cream if prefer
Icing sugar for dusting
Equipment:
3 x 8inch round loose bottom sandwich tins, lightly greased and lined with greaseproof paper and a 5cm round cutter

Preheat the oven to 180ºC/ Fan 160ºC/ Gas 4. Add the softened butter and sugar to the bowl of a food mixer and beat until creamy, for about 10 minutes. Trickle in the egg a little at a time, beating it in as you go (you can also shake in a little flour also to prevent any curdling).

Fold in the remaining flour and add a little milk to loosen the mixture. Divide the mixture between the three tins and spread it out so level. Put in the oven and bake for 20-25 minutes, or until the sponge springs back when touched and a skewer comes out clean when poked into the middle. When ready, remove from oven and leave for 10 minutess then loosen around the edges with a knife and release from the tins. Sit them on a wire rack and leave to cool completely.

Transfer the sponges to a board and stamp out twenty rounds using the cutter (a metal one is easiest). To assemble, top ten of the rounds with the sliced strawberries (reserve some for topping,) add a dollop of cream then top with another sponge. Dust with sieved icing sugar and top with the remaining strawberries.