Name of baker: Rosie Leigh

Name of cake: Large Victoria Sponge with Butter-cream icing

Ingredients:

8 Eggs

500g (16oz) Unsalted Butter (at room temperature)

500g (16oz) Caster Sugar

500g (16oz) Self-Raising Flour

Vanilla Extract

2 x 20in cake tins, greased and lined

To decorate:

Butter-Cream Icing:    250g Icing Sugar

80g Unsalted Butter (at room temperature)

25ml Whole Milk

Vanilla extract

Strawberry Jam

Fresh strawberries (optional)

Hundreds and Thousands Sprinkles

Multi-Coloured Chocolate Beans

Method:

1)      Beat the butter and sugar together until smooth/creamy

2)      Beat in two of the eggs, add half the flour and repeat until all ingredients are incorporated

3)      Add ½ Tsp of Vanilla extract and mix in

4)      Split the mixture between the tins and bake at 170c for 30-40mins or until golden/a skewer comes out clean.

Butter-Cream Icing

1)      Beat icing sugar and butter with electric whisk (medium speed).

2)      Combine the milk and vanilla separately then add to the icing/butter mix gradually.

3)      Once all incorporated turn up to a high speed and beat until light and fluffy (at least 5 minutes).

Decoration

1)      Layer the strawberry jam on the bottom cake (add fresh strawberries if you like)

2)      Add the second cake on top of the jam, cover the top of the cake with a generous amount of butter-cream and sprinkle decorations on top

About the baker:

Free Cakes for Kids is a wonderful organisation and as I am dedicated to working either with or for children, volunteering with Free Cakes for Kids provides me with a wonderful opportunity to combine my love for baking with helping in some way to make a child’s birthday special.

I am also passionate about baking in all forms. I have had opportunities to make celebration cakes for a variety of age groups and events but working with Free Cakes for Kids allows me to practice and expand further on this experience.

In addition, as I have five nieces and nephews under 10 years old I can appreciate first-hand just how special it feels to receive a personalised cake such as those made by Free Cakes for Kids!