Berry patriotic cake recipe

Having a Jubilee party? Impress your guests with our berry patriotic themed cake. Simple to make and topped with fresh cream and summer berries, it will be a hit at all types of parties

Ingredients

For the cake

:

• 175g self-raising flour
• 3 level tbsp cocoa
• 1 level tsp bicarbonate of soda
• 150g dark muscovado sugar
• 2 medium eggs
• 150ml sunflower or rapeseed oil
• 150ml milk
• 4 tbsp condensed milk
• Few drops of vanilla extract

For the topping

:

• 300ml carton whipping cream or ½ x quantity
• A selection of strawberries, raspberries and blueberries

You will also need

:

• 18 x 28cm (7 x 11in) traybake tin, lined with baking parchment

Method

1. Set the oven to 180°C/350°F/Gas Mark 4.
2. Sift the flour, cocoa and bicarbonate of soda into a bowl. Add the muscovado sugar. Break the eggs into a jug and add the oil, milk, condensed milk and vanilla extract, and whisk with a fork. Pour the egg mixutre into the dry ingredients in the bowl and beat together.
3. Pour the cake batter into the lined traybake tin and bake in the centre of the oven for 20-25 mins, or until the cake has risen and springs back when lightly pressed in the centre.
4. Remove the cake from the oven. Leave it to cool in the tin for about 10 mins, and then transfer it to a wire rack to cool completely.
5. Whip the cream until it forms soft peaks, or if using the buttercream, whisk it to soften it. Spread the cream, or buttercream, all over the top of the cake. Decorate with the berries so that it looks similar to the Union flag, hulling the strawberries and slicing them if they are large.
   
6. Keep the cake covered with cling film until serving so that the sliced strawberries don’t dry out. If you’ve used fresh cream, keep the cake in the fridge.
   
7. To freeze: The undecorated cake can be wrapped well in cling film and frozen for up to 3 months. It may be decorated while it’s still frozen (which will help keep the topping cool as the cake defrosts).