Eton Mess Layer Cake

Pictured right

An extravagant Christmas dessert or afternoon tea, this buttery cake is dotted with raspberries and topped with cream, smashed meringues and summer berries. 230g butter, softened 150g caster sugar

130g brown sugar

4 eggs, size 7

1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste 230g plain flour

1½ teaspoons baking powder 60ml cream

125g raspberries, fresh or frozen 250ml cream

150g plain unsweetened yoghurt 2 tablespoons caster sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste

250g strawberries, trimmed and quartered 125g raspberries

125g blueberries

6 x 7cm meringue nests, roughly crushed into

chunks

Raspberry butter cakes: Heat oven to 180°C. Line the base and sides of 2 x 18cm round cake tins.

Beat the butter and sugars together until light and creamy. Add the eggs, one at a time, then add the vanilla. Sift in the flour and baking powder and mix until well combined, then add the cream. Fold through the raspberries.

Divide the cake batter between the 2 prepared tins and bake for 20-25 minutes, or until a skewer inserted in the centre comes out clean. Place on a wire rack to cool.

To assemble: In a large bowl, beat the cream, yoghurt, sugar and vanilla until soft peaks form.

Fold through half of the berries and three-quarters of the crushed meringue.

When you are ready to serve, top one cake with half the cream mixture and scatter over a handful of berries. Place the second cake on top and top with the remaining cream mixture, berries and crushed meringue. Serves 8-10