Ingredients

• 225g/8oz butter or margarine
• softened
• 225g/8oz caster sugar
• 4 eggs
• 225g/8oz self-raising flour
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 4 tbsp strawberry or raspberry jam
• a little caster sugar
• 2 loose bottomed 20cm/8in sandwich tins
• 4 cm deep

Directions

• Lightly grease the tins and line the bases with non-stick baking parchment. Pre-heat the oven to 180C/350F/Gas 4.
• Measure the butter or margarine
• sugar
• eggs
• flour
• and baking powder into a large bowl and beat for about two minutes
• until just blended; an electric mixer is best for this
• but of course you can also beat by hand with a wooden spoon.
• Divide the mixture evenly between the prepared tins and level the surface with the back of a spoon or a plastic spatula.
• Bake for about 25 minutes
• until well risen and golden. The tops of the cakes should spring back when pressed lightly with a finger. Leave the cakes to cool in the tins for a few minutes
• then run a small palette knife or blunt knife around the edge of the tins to fee the sides of the cakes. Turn the cakes out on to a wire rack
• peel off the paper and leave to cool completely.
• Choose the cake with the best top
• then put the other cake top downwards on to a serving plate. Spread with the jam
• put the other cake on top (top upwards) and sprinkle with caster sugar to serve.