Ingredients

• 500g/1lb 2oz strawberries
• hulled and halved
• 500g/1lb 2oz jam sugar
• 175g/6oz unsalted butter
• at room temperature
• plus extra for greasing
• 175g/6oz caster sugar
• 3 large free-range eggs
• beaten
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 175g/6oz self-raising flour
• 300ml/10½fl oz double cream
• icing sugar
• for dusting

Directions

• For the jam
• place the strawberries in a large saucepan and crush with a potato masher.
• Add the jam sugar and heat gently
• stirring continuously
• until the sugar dissolves.
• Keep stirring
• increasing the heat
• bringing it to a full rolling boil
• one that bubbles vigorously
• rises in the pan and cannot be stirred down.
• Start timing and boil for four minutes only. Remove from the heat and set aside to cool.
• For the sponge
• preheat the oven to 190C(170C fan)/375F/Gas 5. Lightly grease the tins with butter.
• To make the cakes
• cream the butter and caster sugar together until the mixture is pale and light. Gradually add the beaten eggs
• mixing well between each addition and scraping down the sides of the bowl from time to time. Add the vanilla extract and mix to combine.
• Sift the flour into the bowl and fold in until the mixture is glossy and smooth.
• Divide the mixture between the mini sandwich tin cups and level with a teaspoon.
• Bake on the middle shelf of the oven for about 15 minutes until golden-brown and springy to the touch.
• Leave the cakes to cool in the tin for two minutes and then ease onto a wire cooling rack and leave to cool completely.
• Whip the cream to soft peaks and spoon into a piping bag fitted with a small plain nozzle.
• Cut each cake in half horizontally with a bread knife.
• Pipe one dot of the cream in the middle of each cake base and the rest in dots around the edges. Drizzle the jam over the cream
• place the sponge tops on and lightly sift icing sugar over the cakes.