Fail Safe Sponge Food

MY NEVER FAIL SPONGE

Steps:

• Grease and flour 2 deep 8" sponge tins.
• Separate the eggs.
• Boil together the sugar and water until sugar has dissolved.
• Beat egg whites until they are stiff with an electric beater then add the water and sugar mixture.
• Beat well and then add egg yolks one at a time beating each in well.
• Sift together the cornflour, flour and baking powder.
• Fold into the egg mixture with a metal spoon as lightly as possible.
• Divide mixture equally between the tins and bake at 375'F for 20 minutes approximately.
• Remove from oven when sponges spring back when pressed lightly with finger.
• Cool in tins 5mins before turning onto racks to cool completely.
• Join together with freshly whipped cream which has been flavoured with vanilla essence and a little sugar.
• Sift a little icing sugar on top & serve.
• OR leave as 2 halves and spread whipped cream on top of each and sprinkle with jelly crystals or decorate with some fresh fruit or shavings of chocolate.

FAIL SAFE SPONGE

Steps:

• beat egg white and sugar until sugar is dissolved.
• add yolks and vanilla and beat until thick.
• fold in sifted dry ingredients.
• bake at 180 degrees for 25 minutes.

GABY'S VICTORIA SANDWICH

Steps:

• Heat oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. Grease and line 2 x 20cm sandwich tins. Beat the butter and sugar together with an electric whisk until fluffy. Beat in the eggs, followed by the flour and baking powder. Add enough milk to the mixture so that it falls off a spoon easily. Divide between the tins and bake for 20 mins or until a skewer comes out clean. Turn the cakes out onto a wire rack and cool.
• To make the filling, beat the butter until smooth, then gradually beat in icing sugar. Spread butter cream on one cake up to the edges. Spread a layer of strawberry jam on top. Put the second cake on top and squash it down so the butter cream sticks out a bit. Press hundreds and thousands onto the butter cream with a teaspoon. This is messy, so put the cake plate on a tray to catch any that escape. Dust the top with icing sugar, if you like.

FRUITY FLAG TRAYBAKE

Steps:

• Heat oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. Butter and line a 30 x 20cm traybake tin with baking parchment. Measure all the sponge ingredients into a mixing bowl and mix together using an electric hand whisk until smooth. Spoon into the tin and level the surface.
• Bake for 25-30 mins until lightly golden and the top of the cake springs back when pressed with your finger, and the sides of the sponge are shrinking away from the sides of the tin. Carefully lift the sponge out of the tin, then transfer to a wire rack to cool. Remove the baking parchment.
• To make the icing, tip the butter into a bowl and whisk using an electric hand whisk until light and fluffy. Add half the icing sugar and whisk again until incorporated. Add the remaining sugar and whisk again until smooth. Spread the icing over the top of the cold cake.
• To decorate, place a double row of raspberries across the centre and down the length of the cake to make a cross. Next, place a single row diagonally from each corner to the middle. Now fill in the empty spaces with blueberries. Cut into squares to serve.