When Irish berries are in season, they are so full of flavour and make a simple meringue and sponge combo sing.

Before preparing the sponge, make sure the butter is soft. Do not overmix as this will cause the batter to split.

Makes: one cake to serve 12-14 people
Equipment: 3 x 20cm sandwich tins, freestanding mixer.

What you’ll need

For the sponge

• 300g caster sugar
• 300g Irish butter, softened
• 6 organic eggs
• 250g self raising flour
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp Madagascan vanilla extract

For the icing

• 300g Irish butter
• 1 vanilla pod, seeds removed
• Juice of 1 lemon
• 500g Belbake Icing Sugar
• 200g strawberry jam

To serve

• 3 Deluxe meringues
• 125g Raspberries
• 250g Strawberries
• 125g Blueberries

What to do

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F or Gas Mark 4.
2. Grease and line the base of 3 x 20cm sandwich tins with parchment paper.
3. Place all the ingredients for the sponge into the bowl of a freestanding mixer and beat until smooth.
4. Divide between the cake tins, smooth the top to create and even surface and bake for 15 minutes until golden and cooked through. Remove from the oven and allow to cool in the tins for 5-10 minutes before inverting onto a wire rack to cool completely.
5. To make the frosting, beat together the butter, vanilla, lemon and icing sugar in the bowl of a freestanding mixer for a few minutes until light and fluffy.
6. To assemble, spread a third of the icing onto each layer. Swirl 3 tablespoons of strawberry jam onto each, top with a third of the berries and meringue. Pop the base layer on a cake stand followed by the other two layers.

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