Method

1. Pre-heat the oven to 180C (165°C fan assisted, 350°F. Grease and line two 18-20cm sandwich tins (or bake in batches if you only have one)
2. Put the butter and sugar into a large bowl and beat it hard with an electric mixer until it looks like whipped cream – or beat by hand. Keep beating until the mixture is very pale and fluffy. Break the eggs into a cup, small bowl or – best of all – small jug. Add the vanilla essence. Beat the mixture lightly with a fork
3. Add the egg very gradually to the butter/sugar mixture, beating all the time.
4. Once all the eggs are in, add the flour. To do this by hand, sprinkle about a quarter of the flour onto the mixture and, with a spatula or large, metal spoon, fold it in. Repeat with the rest of the flour. Or use the pulse setting on an electric mixer.
5. Once all the flour is mixed in, take a spoonful of mixture and check the texture. It should drop gently off the spoon as you turn it upside down: if it doesn’t, then add a tablespoon or so of water (I usually do).
6. With the spatula or large spoon scoop half the mixture into each of the two sandwich tins, Bake for 20-30 minutes, in the centre of the oven, until they are well-risen and golden brown. To check they are cooked: either feel the top with your finger – a robust ‘springiness’ is what you’re after – or check that a sharp knife inserted in the centre comes out clean.
7. Leave the cakes in the tins to cool for a couple of minutes or so, then turn out onto a rack to cool completely.
8. Sandwich the cakes together with jam and cream and sprinkle the top with a little castor sugar