Celebration Cake from Carnation

Carnation Celebration Cake
Celebrate all things British with this gorgeous berry-topped cake, filled with strawberry jam and spread with a rich butter cream icing. Perfect for picnics, street parties or to brighten up a rainy day!


Serves 12

Preparation time: 15 minutes

Cooking time: 25-30 minutes

Ingredients

Cake

200g (7oz) plain flour

405g can Carnation Condensed Milk Light

2 eggs

2tsp vanilla extract

150g (5∏oz) margarine or butter

3tsp baking powder

Filling

6tbsp strawberry conserve or jam

Frosting

200g (7oz) icing sugar

100g (3∏oz) margarine or butter, softened

2tsp vanilla extract

200g (7oz) mixed summer berries, to decorate

You will also need:

2 x 18cm (7in) sandwich cake tins, base lined with parchment

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C (160°C for fan ovens), Gas Mark 4.

2. Place the flour, condensed milk, egg, vanilla extract, margarine and baking powder in a bowl and beat with an electric hand mixer for 2-3 minutes until pale and fluffy.

3. Spoon into the tins and bake for approximately 25-30 minutes until springy to the touch and golden brown. Cool slightly then transfer to a cooling rack to cool completely.

4. Place one half of the cake onto a serving plate and spread with the jam. Sandwich together with the other half.

5. Beat the icing sugar, butter and vanilla with a few drops of water to bring the mixture to a soft consistency. Spread onto the cake. Arrange the berries on top in a Union Jack shape if you like!

Tips

· Look out for natural vanilla extract – not essence. It is widely available in all good supermarkets and makes all the difference to baking homemade treats!

· Make a chocolate version of this cake – substitute 25g of the flour for the same amount of cocoa powder in the sponge. Substitute the same 25g of the icing sugar for the same of cocoa powder and top with white and dark chocolate curls, pink wafer biscuits or sugar sprinkles. Delicious!