I know it's been awhile since I've been on here but I'm trying to be better about that and share all the recipes I've been working on. This was another fun collaboration with Ella Newman and her wonderful photography skills, it was so much fun and this cake is just perfect for festive summer parties and celebrations. I think my favorite cooking of all is summer cooking, lots of things are growing begging to be used and its easy to make everything delicious. I love being able to carry a big feast out the back door and eat in the yard in the happy summer light where the sun doesn't leave till 9:00. I think this is the perfect cake to carry out after a delicious dinner on the patio and serve to your friends and family for the perfect sweet finish. With a strawberry rhubarb jam sandwiched in between layers of soft cream and vanilla sponge cake topped with tons of berries its the perfect dessert to celebrate summers abundance. Once again the lovely Ella of ellanewmanphotography took these photos and they are just perfect, go check out her sight!

Strawberry Rhubarb Jam:

5-6 stalks of rhubarb chopped
1 basket of strawberries
Sugar
Fresh squeezed orange juice

Throw all your ingredients in a sauce pan with a bit of fresh orange juice and 1/2- 1 cup sugar, or more, depending on the sweetness of your strawberries. Cook over medium high heat until combined and softened. The rhubarb will take a little longer to soften than the strawberries. Overall it will probably be about 10-15 minutes of simmering to get it where you want it. Let it cool completely and refrigerate until ready to use. The jam will keep in the fridge for 3 weeks.

Sponge Cake (from the "Decorated" cookbook)

8 oz unsalted butter
scant 1/3 cups caster sugar
4 medium eggs lightly beaten
2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
4 oz whole milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Start by preheating your oven to 335 degrees, then begin to cream the butter and sugar till light and fluffy, about 3-4 minutes. Once it is creamed add the eggs slowly until combined. Sift all your dry ingredients into a clean bowl and then add half of the dry mixture to your butter mixture. Then add the milk and vanilla extract and finish by adding the last of the dry mixture. Mix till just combined. Cook in greased, cake pans until skewer comes out with only a few crumbs. For a normal 9 inch cake pan its about 30 minutes.

Whipped Cream :

2 cups whipping cream
3 tablespoons powdered sugar or more depending on how sweet you like it.
1 teaspoon vanilla
Fresh berries for decorating

Whip the cream until you have soft peaks and then stir in the sugar and vanilla and you're ready to pile it onto the cake.

To Assemble:

Cut your cake layers in half through the middle, I do this with a bread knife and a careful sawing motion, once they are completely cooled from cooking. Once they have been cut in half layer jam on the bottom half some cream on top and sandwich it with its top half. put cream in-between the two cake layers and then do the same with the jam and cream for the second sandwich. continue this pattern for as many layers as you have. Then top with remaining whip cream, let it flow down the sides and pile in delicious mounds for a relaxed look. Then cover it with berries, shove them wherever they will fit till its ready for a garden party!