American Strawberry Pound Cake Slices

Serves 8

Preparation 30 mins

Cooking 1.5 hours

Skill Level: MID

Ingredients

250g self-raising flour

1 tsp baking powder

200g caster sugar

3 large free-range eggs, beaten

170ml Lakeshore Rapeseed Oil

170ml milk

1 tsp vanilla extract

Icing sugar, for dusting

For the strawberries:

500g strawberries, hulled & halved

4 tbsp caster sugar

Juice of ½ lemon

½ tsp vanilla bean paste

Method

1. For the strawberries: Place all the ingredients for the strawberries in a medium bowl and toss until completely coated. Allow the strawberries to sit and maserate while the cake is made. If you’d prefer them slightly softer you can bring to a steady simmer in a small saucepan and remove from the heat to cool completely.
2. For the cake: Preheat the oven to 180ºC/350ºF/Gas Mark 4. Grease and line a 450g/ 1 lb loaf tin with a removable base and line with parchment paper.
3. Sift the flour, sugar and baking powder into a large mixing bowl.
4. Place the wet ingredients into a measuring jug and whisk together. Make a well in the centre of the dry ingredients and pour in the contents of the jug. Beat together by hand or with an electric hand-mixer until you have a smooth mixture.
5. Place the mixture in the prepared loaf tin and bake in the oven for 45-50 minutes, or until risen and firm to the touch. Remove from the oven and leave to cool before transferring to a wire rack until completely cool.
6. For the whipped cream topping: while the cake cools, prepare the topping by placing the double cream in a bowl with the sugar, vanilla bean paste, sea salt and whisking until soft firm peaks form. Gently whisk in the sour cream until incorporated.
7. Once cooled, dust the cake with icing sugar before serving in slices with a generous dollop of whipped cream and the softened strawberries and their juices.