- 500g/1lb 2oz jam sugar
- 1 lemon, zest and juice
- 500g/1lb 2oz fresh strawberries, hulled, cut in half only if large
- oil, for greasing the tins
- flour, for dusting the tins
- 250g/9oz butter
- 250g/9oz caster sugar
- ½ tsp vanilla essence
- 4 free-range eggs
- 250g/9oz self-raising flour, sifted
- 175ml/6fl oz double cream, whipped
- 250g/9oz strawberries
- 2-3 tbsp icing sugar
- For the jam, heat the sugar, lemon juice and zest and three tablespoons water in a large pan, slowly, until the sugar has melted.
- Add the strawberries and stir gently.
- Bring the jam up to the boil and cook for 3-4 minutes, or up to 10 minutes if you prefer a thicker jam.
- Check the temperature with a sugar thermometer â it should reach 105C/220F.
- Remove the jam from the heat and leave to cool slightly. Skim off any froth with a clean spoon, to stop the jam from going cloudy.
- Spoon the jam into a sterile jam jar, seal and label.
- For the cake, preheat the oven to 190C/375F/Gas 5.
- Grease and flour two 20cm/8in sandwich tins.
- Combine the butter, sugar and vanilla essence in a bowl or food processor, and mix well to a creamy consistency.
- Slowly beat in the eggs one by one.
- Fold in the sifted flour then pour the mixture into the prepared tins.
- Bake for 20-25 minutes until the sponge is well-risen, golden-brown and springs back when pressed.
- Remove the cakes from the oven, turn them out of their tins onto a wire rack and leave to cool.
- Spread one cake with strawberry jam, followed by a layer of whipped cream.
- Layer on the fresh strawberries then place the other cake on top.
- Dust with icing sugar to finish.