COOK WITH ELIZABETH

Press, Volume CII, Issue 30064, 23 February 1963, Page 2

COOK WITH ELIZABETH

Strawberry

Layer Cake

A large sugar-coated sponge is split into three and filled with a delicious, strawberry cream filling to make the very most of strawberry time. The top is merely dusted with icing sugar over a paper doily napkin, which is lifted off to leave a decorative pattern. The cake is for more of a party occasion; cover the top with plain whipped cream and decorate with whole berries. Ingredients: 3 eggs soz sugar 2 tablespoons boiling water 4oz sifted flour 1 teaspoon baking powder i teaspoon salt Butter Sugar Filling: ilb strawberries 1 cup water 3 dessertspoons sugar

Squeeze of lemon juice Pink colouring i pint whipped cream 1 tablespoon arrowroot

Method: Rub butter thickly over the bottom and sides of a 9in diameter round cake tin and coat liberally with sugar. Whisk 3 eggs until pale and thick, add soz sugar and beat until light and the sugar is dissolved. Fold in two tablespoons boiling water and sifted dry ingredients, mixing lightly but completely. Turn into the sugared tin and bake at 375 degrees 40 to 45 minutes, until flrm when touched and coming away from the sides of the tin. Turn out on a cloth to cool. Spli into three flat layers. Crush about half the berries and place in a saucepan with sugar, water, lemon juice and bring to the boil. Cook for five minutes and tint with a little pink colouring. Thicken with arrowroot and taste for sweetening, adding more sugar or lemon if required. Allow to become cold. Whisk cream until thick, whisk in the -cold strawberry mixture. Slice remaining strawberries into the mixture and spread over the cake slices, assembling again. Lay a paper doily op top and sprinkle sifted icing sugar. Lift paper off carefully, with excess icing sugar, to leave a pattern.