Strawberry Cake Recipe with Fresh Strawberry Filling | Burley Model Allotments Leeds

Strawberry Cake

Written by: Jennifer Finch

A classic Victoria sandwich filled with fresh strawberries straight from the plot. This is one of those recipes that lets the fruit do all the work — the simpler the better. It makes a wonderful addition to a summer picnic and is always popular at community events here at Burley Model Allotments in Leeds LS4.

Ingredients

For the cake:

  • 6 oz butter
  • 6 oz caster sugar
  • 3 medium eggs
  • 1 tbsp warm water or milk at room temperature
  • 6 oz sifted self-raising flour

For the filling:

  • 1 lb strawberries
  • 2 oz caster sugar

To decorate:

  • Icing sugar, sifted

Method

  1. Preheat oven to gas mark 5 (190°C / 375°F). Line two 7 inch sandwich tins with baking parchment.
  2. Beat the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy.
  3. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition.
  4. Add the warm water then gently fold in the sifted flour with a metal tablespoon.
  5. Divide the mixture evenly between the two tins and spread level.
  6. Bake in the middle of the oven for about 15 minutes until springy to the touch in the centre.
  7. Leave in the tins for five minutes then turn out onto a wire rack and leave to cool completely.
  8. To make the filling, remove the husks then wash and dry the strawberries. Put the strawberries and caster sugar in a bowl and mash with a fork.
  9. When the cake is completely cold, sandwich the two halves together with the strawberry filling.
  10. Dust the top generously with sifted icing sugar and serve.

Plot holder tip

Make sure the cake is completely cold before adding the filling — a warm sponge will make the strawberries run and the layers will slide. If you have more strawberries than you need for the filling, slice a few and arrange them on top of the cake before dusting with icing sugar for a more impressive finish.

About this recipe

This recipe comes from the community at Burley Model Allotments, established in 1892 and located at Lumley Place, Burley, Leeds LS4 2NL. Strawberries are one of the most popular crops grown on our plots and one of the most rewarding — there is nothing quite like eating a strawberry that you have grown yourself. This cake is best eaten on the day it is made while the fruit is at its freshest.