Having your Cake

Herald the start of the Norfolk strawberry season with this magnificent number from Creake Abbey in north Norfolk

Created this year by Catherine Connolly, our in-house pastry chef, this cake celebrates spring and our Plant Lovers’ Day taking place on May 25. This event, which falls at the end of the RHS Chelsea Flower Show, gives a platform to 30 specialist plant nurseries from across Norfolk, Suffolk, Essex and beyond. These nurseries set up their stalls all around the barns at Creake Abbey to sell their plants to the public. The event raises funds for Wells Community Hospital Trust, in nearby Wells next the Sea. This cake will feature in our Café at Creake Abbey and in the pop-up Café in the Main Barn for Plant Lovers’ Day.

Creake Abbey's Springtime three-tier Strawberry and Prosecco Sponge Cake

Ingredients

For the sponge:

600g of margarine; 600g of caster sugar; 9 large eggs; 600g of self raising flour; approximately 40 drops (depending on strength) of strawberry and prosecco essence, the best quality you can get

For the icing:

500g of unsalted butter, softened; 400g of icing sugar; 150g of Creake Abbey homemade strawberry jam; Strawberry powder and fresh strawberries, as desired, to garnish the finished sponge cake

Method

For the cake:

1. Preheat oven to 155°C 2. Cream together the margarine and caster sugar with an electric whisk 3. Add in the eggs and whisk again for a few minutes 4. Add in the self raising flour and 30 drops of flavoured essence and mix until all is combined 5. Spoon the mixture evenly into 3 lined and greased 8-inch round cake tins 6. Cook at 155°C with medium fan for 40 minutes 7. Turn the cakes out of their tins onto a cooling rack and allow to cool completely

For the icing:

1. Cream together the softened butter and icing sugar with an electric whisk 2. Add in 10-15 drops of flavoured essence and whisk again until fully combined 3. Using a palette knife, spread a layer of buttercream onto the first sponge layer, making sure to ice right to the edges of the circle 4. Again using a palette knife, spread a layer of strawberry jam on top of the buttercream 5. Place the second sponge layer on top and repeat step 4 until all three sponges have been used 6. Next, using a palette knife and the remaining butter cream, ice the top and all around the sides of the sponge cake 7. Garnish finished sponge however you please – we used strawberry powder and fresh strawberries

Serves 16

For more information on Plant Lovers’ Day please see www.creakeabbey.co.uk/ plant-lovers-day-saturday- 25th-may-10am-to-4pm