Golden oldies

Never underestimate life’s simple pleasures. When Rachel Allen fancies a delicious, comforting cake, it’s the classic sponge she turns to

I’m often asked what my favourite cake is. I’ll start by thinking about something exotic; something rich and nutty, with citrus and spice. Or perhaps something laden down with chocolate, that’s intense and complex. And then I tend to do a complete U-turn and come back to one of the very first cakes that I ever baked, and what I turn to when I want something completely delicious but unchallenging and comfortingly simple.

A slice of freshly baked sponge cake with a cup of tea is up there among life’s little pleasures. Never underestimate the simple pleasures.

The classic Swiss roll, right — which apparently wasn’t even created in Switzerland, but is thought to have its roots in late-19th-Century Austria — is a whipped-up sponge containing just eggs, sugar and flour. Rolled around raspberry jam, with a dusting of caster sugar on top, it’s the epitome of simply delicious.

The trifle, one of the oldest recorded puddings around, was created to use up leftover bits of bread and cake, dousing them with sherry or brandy in a bowl and topping the lot with custard and cream. This version of trifle, far right, is one we like to make at the cookery

“The classic Swiss roll wasn’t even created in Switzerland, but is thought to have its roots in Austria”

school at Ballymaloe. In our trifle, we use a Swiss roll, lots of sherry, home-made custard and some billowy clouds of whipped cream — completely delicious.

And if you feel like a buttery sponge, then you have Queen Victoria — or one of her ladies-in-waiting, apparently — to thank for the tradition of sweet cake and tea in the afternoon, which led to the creation of this recipe, also far right, in particular. Sometimes it’s hard to beat the old favourites.